Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools have been used by Town of Bel Air agencies for many years to support functions such as data collection, mapping and infrastructure planning. With the GIS Hub Link on the Town’s website, residents of and visitors to Bel Air also have these tools at their fingertips.
The Hub, which went live in the fall of 2025, is an interactive page where web users can find information on businesses in Bel Air, recreational amenities such as the Town’s Historic Walking Tours and the Public Art Tour, see which commercial properties are available to be leased or sold, or determine whether their property is within the Town limits.
Charlie Dawson, Deputy Director of Public Works, noted that people typically call Town offices to get such information.
“They now have it readily accessible, at their fingertips, on our website,” he said.
Representatives of the Town’s Departments of Administration, Economic Development, Public Works and Planning worked with consultant Esri, a California-based firm that builds GIS software tools, to create the hub on the Town website.
For Public Works, visitors can use interactive maps showing when each section of municipal street has been resurfaced, the type of work done, the contractor responsible for the work and the cost.
Residents can use the "In or Out of the Town of Bel Air" map to determine whether their property is within the Bel Air town limits, as DPW provides services to residents such as trash and recycling pickup, as well as plowing municipal streets.
“This interactive map allows you zoom in and zoom out [to] find your property,” Dawson said.
When it comes to the Planning Department, website visitors can use these maps to find information such as the zoning for a particular section of town, learn about historic properties, even find memorial trees that are planted in groves along Lee Way near Shamrock Park and in Rockfield Park.
“The web-based GIS Hub was created to increase transparency for Town residents and to promote community involvement by making it easier for individuals to stay informed and actively participate in local decision making,” Deputy Planning Director Waqar Shah stated.
On the Economic Development front, visitors to the GIS Hub can access features such as the Available Space Inventory. The ASI is an interactive map showing the location of commercial spaces that are available for lease or sale, with information such as the cost, square footage and a brief description of the property.
“One of the priorities for Economic Development is to help entrepreneurs opening a business in Bel Air find the right location for their business,” Economic Development Director Angela Robertson stated.
The hub also serves as a tool to promote Bel Air businesses, public art and historic properties. The Historic Walking Tours and Public Art Tour applications come with interactive maps and allow users to scroll down the page to find written and audio descriptions of each stop on the tours.
“The GIS Hub has been a great way for our departments to house their maps in a central location, making it easier to access the many resources we have available for our community members,” Robertson concluded.
Contact Media and Public Relations Specialist David Anderson at 410-838-7181 or danderson@belairmd.org.