GIS information and maps

Direct access to property and services information held by Council for use by the public and private sector. GIS is a computer system that contains information on geographic features, i.e. data identified according to location. These features can be viewed on a GIS map along with other information.

The GIS information includes land boundaries, utility services for water, stormwater and wastewater, aerial photography, contours, road names and addresses,and property based information (e.g., rates, legal descriptions, land size etc). It is advised that first-time users view the information below (including an instruction guide) before entering the system. Accessing the information on this site is free.

Read this handy downloadable guide to the Council GIS (1.6MB PDF) to walk you through the system features.

Dog exercise areas

You can find out where to walk your dog at Tahunanui and all across the top of the South; once you're in the GIS Property Enquiry System -- otherwise known as 'Top of the South Maps'. In the Layer List, tick 'Recreation' and "Dog Exercise Area".

ENTER the GIS PROPERTY ENQUIRY SYSTEM

The GIS

GIS information on Nelson city properties has been available since 1993. Since then the Nelson City Council has developed a wide variety of information and services, some of which are now made available through this online GIS system. Care has been taken to ensure that none of the information included in this Internet GIS property enquiry system breaches the Privacy Act (1993) or the Rating Powers Act (1988).

If there are other products or services that you require, we are more than happy to discuss these with you. Please feel free to make contact with the Council Officers:

Asset Information Systems

+64 3 546 0200
Email the GIS manager with your query.

What is GIS?

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, displaying and analysing geographically referenced information, (i.e.data identified according to location) and representing that as useful information.

Why use GIS?

Many organisations are now utilising GIS because it offers a way of understanding and dealing with complex spatial problems by organising the data, viewing the spatial relationships (where features exist in relation to other features), performing multiple analysis and synthesizing results into maps and/or reports.

Nelson City Council GIS

Nelson City Council has been utilising GIS technology since 1993. For our purposes, GIS combines mapping and other disparate information into data that can be used to generate maps and reports. It is also used to provide a systematic approach to collating and managing location based information, so that better informed planning and decision making can be undertaken.   

What type of data is available?

The following is a list of GIS Data sets approved to be published or utilised by the general public.

General Property Information

  • Digital Cadastral Database
  • NCS Property Information, including rates
  • Building Outlines

Infrastructure Information

  • Stormwater Infrastructure
  • Sewer Infrastructure
  • Water Infrastructure
  • Parks and Reserves
  • Roading Network

General District Information

  • Regional Orthophotography
  • Walkways
  • Contours
  • Slip Information
  • Flood Hazard Areas
  • Stormwater effected areas

GIS charges

GIS data charges

All data is provided free. The cost of collating data and writing to media is charged at the labour rate of $90 per hour. No charge if it takes less than 5 minutes.

Media charges

Customers may supply their own media for NCC staff to write to. This includes wrapped CD or DVD and USB memory stick. The helpdesk maintains some stock of CD and DVD which can be supplied based on the charges below.

  • CD ROM $2 per CD
  • DVD $5 per DVD

Paper Plot

Size Cost
  • A1 $12.00 (GST Inclusive)
  • A2 $10.00 (GST Inclusive)
  • A3 $8.00 (GST Inclusive)
  • A4 $5.00 (GST Inclusive)

Labour charges GIS services

Where services are required to analyse data or produce it in a non standard form, labour is charged at a $90 per hour with a minimum charge of 1/2 hour ($45).

Tips and examples

Here are some quick tips and examples on how to use the Internet GIS Property Enquiry System.

  1. You can use the search box (top of frame), to search for a street address. You can type in the house number and partially type in a road name i.e. first three letters, and the addresses beginning with those letters will be displayed for you to choose from. There are several types of searches that can be performed, just select the one you want from the dropdown. CLASSIC SEARCH looks through several layers so if you don't know the house number this will be the search for you.
  2. For best results, ensure you are running a minimum 800 X 600 screen resolution and you maximise the browser running the mapping application to your full screen.
  3. When you have the Navigate Button turned on, just move your mouse cursor over a map feature and an information list will appear on your screen.
  4. Double clicking on a feature will put feature information on the right hand side of the map.
  5. The zoom in and out buttons at the top of the map will allow you to adjust your map zoom size.
  6. If you turn layers on or off, you have to click the "refresh" button at the top of the layers list.
  7. We cannot guarantee all searches will work. If the search fails, try an address or a road close to the location you are trying to locate.
  8. Use your 'left' mouse key to draw a box on the screen and the map will zoom to this area.
  9. Council cannot guarantee that functions provided on these pages will work with Apple Macintosh-based browsers.
  10. For a Printer-friendly map, click on the link at the bottom of the map.
  11. For information, we have provided a list of GIS service code descriptions .
  12. Why do the photos look brown? They were taken in the autumn after a dry period.
  13. Why doesn't my house look square? The aerial photos are mosaics of many smaller ones. At the edge of the photos, the angle of the camera realtive to the building can create distortion, especially in hilly areas. This has been minimised as much as possible.

Read this handy downloadable guide to the Council GIS (1.6MB PDF) to walk you through the system features.

Nelson City Council GIS policy

Nelson City Council enforces the following policy conditions on its services

The Council will:

  • Charge no data fees for raster GIS data distributed on the Council Internet/Intranet sites. The data sets approved for distribution by the Senior Executive Team of the Nelson City Council are listed.
  • Charge data fees for GIS data distributed to external clients through any medium other than Councils Intranet/Internet GIS sites. Refer to list of GIS fees for the fee structure.
  • Not charge for the dissemination, media or services costs, to any external party working for Council, where the business unit employing the external party has approved the supply of this data and/or service.
  • Supply a checklist approval process for Council GIS electronic products/services to ensure accuracy, legislative and copyright requirements are met.
  • Charge for spatial analysis services in accordance with fees, if the service involved staff time/research.
  • Ensure that products and services shall be complete on supply. No maintenance or support will be provided.
  • Withhold information from external customers where the data:
    1. Is covered be the Privacy Act e.g. property owner names attached to property information.
    2. Is supplied from another organisation which cannot be viewed or made available due to a supply agreement.
    3. If information that directly relates to a persons privacy, eg financial information - debtors/creditors, staff pay records etc
    4. Is marked confidential e.g. building information on banks (refer Building Act 2004)
    5. Is to be held where reason exists under law.
  • Allow the viewing of information, but not the availability where:
    1. Information is subject to copyright.
    2. Information is supplied to Council from other organisations, which it cannot sell/supply due to a supply agreement.
    3. Reasons exist under law.
  • Maintain the following condition of sale for services provided
    1. Subsequent updates of the data are not included in this price
    2. All prices in New Zealand dollars and exclusive of GST (not including Paper Plot price - see list of GIS fees)

- Decision to sell, supply or to withhold data is at the sole discretion of the Nelson City Council.

- Pricing of services is as fixed (list of GIS fees).

  • Enforce the following Licence Provisions

- Raster and vector data supplied may only be used by an external party/parties for purposes that are consistent with agreed purposes and intentions of supply.

- Raster and vector data may be copied in readable or printed form for backup or modification purposes in support of the purchasers use of the data.

- All backup copies, in any form whatsoever, are subject to the provision of this agreement.

- Data and copies must not be sold by the purchaser without the Nelson City Council's prior written consent.

- Copyright remains with Nelson City Council at all times.

- Data may be combined with other data held (by external organisation ) provided that the data component of any derivative data incorporating the data supplied is subject to the provisions of this agreement.

- Data may be used in published material, with the acknowledgement of the source, with the prior written consent of Nelson City Council.

- Acknowledgement will be made of Copyright, where copyright exists, on externally sourced data sets

  • A "Conditions of use" statement will be published at the entry point to any Nelson City Council Internet site. An "I accept" button will need to be activated before entry into the site is permitted. Council will also display the following disclaimers on digital or hardcopy products:

- The Nelson City Council does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information represented by the GIS data. To the extent permitted by law, the Nelson City Council, its employees, agents and contractors will not be liable for any costs, damages or loss whatsoever suffered by the customer or any third person caused directly or indirectly by an error in the information represented by GIS data or in the incorrect use of the information by the customer.

- The disclaimer extends to liability of any kind whatsoever, including but not limited to, the implied warrants of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

- The attached data is a representation of the approximate location of the items that may be situated on or under the land shown. The information has generally been compiled from data supplied to the Nelson City Council and must be used only as a guide. To ascertain the exact location of any item, the Nelson City Council advises that the customer arrange onsite verification. The data should not be used to identify the legal boundaries of the properties shown.

  • Implement the following warranty provision on digital data supplied:

- Nelson City Council warrants that a copy of the supplied data will be held on the Nelson City Council's system for one month from the date of supply.

- If, during the one month period, the purchaser discovers either corrupted files or faulty media, the data will be resupplied at no extra cost.

- The failure of the customer to ensure that the data is not corrupted and the media is not faulty within one month of supply shall result in the customer being deemed to be satisfied with the data and/or media supplied.

- Except as expressly set out above, no other warranties, either expressed or implied, are made with respect to the data and files.

  • Review

- This policy and fees will be reviewed at 30 June 2003

- Appendix A may be amended at any time by the Senior Executive of the Nelson City Council.