The city of Scottsdale now has a new open data portal for residents that offers public access to over 30 of the city’s datasets.
Available datasets include map-based street centerliners, trails and trolley routes as well as police and fire calls, code violations and building permit data.
According to the city, the portal, which was part of a 2016 work plan, will give residents a view of the Scottsdale services and their impact. The city said it also hopes to create opportunities for residents and organizations to use the data for visualizations and insights.
“This portal is not just about making Scottsdale government more transparent,” Scottsdale mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane said in a statement. “We hope it will make us more effective, too, through the insights and applications that may result.”
Scottsdale's portal was approved last year by the City Council when the city was chosen to participate in a national What Works Cities program to help evaluate how cities use data to engage residents. The goal of the plan was also to help examine ways to make local governments more effective in improving the lives of its residents.
The city says it uses the data to track performance, gain insight and help to make decisions about service adjustments.