Geographic information systems (GIS) are a sophisticated technological approach that captures and stores geographic data so that is can be analyzed and manipulated in various ways “what if” scenarios to highlight issues of interest. These services have become increasingly important in recent years for county planning activities that involve changes to its geographic space. Some general information about Pender County, North Carolina is provided below, followed by a description of the role of the Pender County Geographic Information Services.
Named for a Confederate Army general who was fatally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg and located at the southeastern section of North Carolina, Pender County was established in the 1870s and currently has a population of just under 60,000 citizens with its county seat in Burgaw, which is also its largest city. About 80% of the citizenry of Pender County is white, with the remainder being black (about 16%) and small percentages of Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders. With a total area of about 933 square miles, Pender County is also among the largest counties in the state. Like many other counties in the United States, Pender County consists of several rural communities and unincorporated towns as well as larger municipalities.
Some of the more popular tourist destinations in Pender County, especially during the summer months, include Roan Island, Topsail Beach and Surf City. Regardless of the season, though, there is plenty to see and do in Pender County year round, and regularly scheduled annual festivals and arts and crafts events always keep things enlivened and interesting. Pender County is also home to the Bannerman Vineyard just outside of Burgaw which offers free tours and samples to the public. Pender County is also the home to numerous historical sites of interest, including the Sloop Point Plantation which was built in 1726, making it the oldest residence in North Carolina today. In addition, Pender County also features the Penderlea Homesteads which are comprised a several model farm communities built around the turn of the 20th century.
The economy of Pender County is largely based on agriculture and manufacturing enterprises (primarily textiles and pressure sensitive labels). The county’s most prolific agricultural products include strawberries, blueberries, tobacco and soybeans, as well as naturally occurring Venus flytrap plants county-wide. The Pender County Parks and Recreation Department also maintains three outstanding public parks (Hampstead Kiwanis Park, Miller’s Pond Park, and Pender Memorial Park) and farmers’ markets dot the landscape all summer long. With an average temperate of 62 degrees Fahrenheit, Pender County also attracts numerous retirees who appreciate its competitive cost of living (which is lower than the national average) and enjoy its climate and numerous activities and cultural offerings. Against this backdrop, the role of the Pender County Geographic Information Services has assumed new importance and relevance in recent years as discussed further below.
The role of the Pender County Geographic Information Services (GIS) is to provide a centralized repository for all relevant geographic data concerning the county and to use this data to provide various custom mapping services for residents, businesses, Pender County government departments and agencies as well as other interested parties. Some representative examples of the types of maps that can be generated using the geographic data provide by the Pender County GIS include zoning, ZIP code boundaries, tax parcels and commissioner districts. Parcel searches can be performed using owner’s names, parcel numbers, street addresses or deed reference, annotated with overlays including boundaries, environmental factors, places of interest, planning initiatives, street centerlines and public health issues. In other words, the GIS data maintained by Pender County provides users with the ability to manipulate geographic data in numerous ways that can facilitate the decision making process for purchases or other investments in the county.
All of the data used by the Pender County GIS are extracted from legally recorded instruments with an emphasis on accuracy. Nevertheless, there may be a minor time lag between instruments are recorded and this data is incorporated into the GIS system. The Pender County GIS offices encourage all users to ensure they have the latest versions of Firefox, Safari and Chrome installed to take advantage of their valuable data collection. In addition, the Pender County GIS offices also encourage all users to double-check the accuracy of the mapped data against the legally recorded instruments from which they were extracted and disavows any responsibility for inaccuracies.
Full Address:
Mr. Josh Norwood, GIS Administrator
Administration Building
805 South Walker Street
Burgaw, North Carolina 28425
Phone:
910-259-1202
Email:
jnorwood@pendercountync.gov or gis@pendercountync.gov
Hours of Operation:
The Pender County GIS mapping services are always available online.
Located in the southeastern section of North Carolina, Pender County offers residents and tourists alike numerous historic sites of interest as well as coastal communities such as Roan Island, Topsail Beach and Surf City that are especially popular during the summer months. Pender County, though, also offers year-round several annual festivals, events and activities that make it an interesting place to live, work and recreate. One of the county government offices that helps keep Pender County working smoothly is its Geographic Information Services which provides a wealth of geographic data that can be mapped instantaneously in numerous innovative ways that would have required months or even years to prepare in the past.