Public Access to GIS Data

The Rhode Island General Laws Section 38-2-1, Access to Public Records Act specifies that the Town will make available to the public upon request any non-confidential GIS data maintained by the Town in the format that the Town maintains the data. The Town’s maintains its GIS database using ArcGIS software from the Environmental Systems Research System (ESRI) in Rhode Island State Plane Feet coordinate system, NAD 83 Datum. Data is distributed in ESRI shapefile or geodatabase file format. GIS software, not supplied by the Town, is necessary in order to view this GIS data.

How to Request GIS Data 

GIS data can now be requested through the Towns APRA (Access to Public Records Act) online portal.

Click here to create an APRA request online.  Please note, you will need to provide a name and email to create an account.  

If you do not want to process your request online, you can make your request in the below ways:

  • Contact the Town's APRA coordinator via telephone at 401-789-9331 x1202
  • E-mail the Town's APRA coordinator directly  
  • Visit the Town Clerk's office on the 1st floor of Town Hall located at 180 High Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Intended Use

GIS data are for planning purposes only. It is the responsibility of the user of this data to evaluate its suitability for the intended use. Each GIS data layer was created from different sources at different scales, and the actual or relative geographic position of any feature is only as accurate as the source information. These data do not represent a legally recorded plan, deed, survey, or engineering schematic and are not intended to be used as such.


Available GIS Data Layers

  • Parcel (Property) Boundaries
  • Plat Grid Boundaries
  • Zoning (Not the official zoning map, these are located in the Town Clerks office)
  • Roads
  • Comprehensive Land Use
  • Protected Open Space
  • Groundwater Protection Areas (GPOD)
  • Surface Topography (2’ or 10’ contour intervals) not SURVEY GRADE, for planning purposes only

Other GIS Data

The Town's GIS database also has GIS datasets and images obtained from outside sources, mainly the Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS). These datasets include color and black and white aerial photography, wetlands, land use and soils and can be obtained through the RIGIS website.