Section 1 - Identification Information

Originator
Washington County Public Works Department 

Title
Washington County Parcel Data 

Abstract
This data set is a parcel cadastre. It contains map features similar to those previously shown on hand drawn tax maps. County Auditor's parcel descriptions were collected, interpreted and analyzed. Using coordinate geometry software the descriptions were correlated with survey controlled coordinate values of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS).

The data structure includes point, line, polygon and text features, with each graphic symbol representing a data layer. Several layers may overlap; e.g., a lot line, easement boundary and right of way limit may coincide and appear as a single line on a hard copy plot. Similar features grouped as major theme categories are designed to collectively represent that theme as an independent unit. For example, municipal, county and state road features combined as a theme are functionally complete as an independent road or transportation layer. 

Purpose
The parcel map base is vital in supporting property and land record operations of Washington County. 

Time Period of Content Date  

Currentness Reference
New plats, lot divisions and other updates of parcel boundary detail are entered based on their recording or official entry in the County record system. These changes are released for distribution on the first day of each month. When released, the data content is current through one day before the previous release date. For example, data released for distribution on August 1, 1999 is current through June 30, 1999. 

Progress
Complete 

Maintenance and Update Frequency
Monthly 

Spatial Extent of Data
Parcels features are shown for the entire area of Washington County. Mapping limits on border rivers extend to shorelines of Dakota County and Wisconsin. 

Bounding Coordinates
-93.017
-92.733
45.300
44.733 

Place Keywords
Afton,Bayport,Baytown,Cottage Grove,Denmark,Forest Lake,Grant,Grey Cloud Island,Hugo,Mahtomedi,Lake Elmo,Lakeland,Marine,May,Newport,Oakdale,Oak Park Heights,Pine Springs,St. Marys Point,St. Paul Park,Stillwater,Willernie,Woodbury,Washington County,Minnesota 

Theme Keywords
parcel, roads, easements, water, PLS, centerlines, railroads, plats, subdivisions 

Theme Keyword Thesaurus
None 

Access Constraints
The data set is available to anyone. Fees are charged according to Washington County pricing policy. Minimum charge is $100.00. Washington County municipalities and non-profit organizations are charged at 50% of the established fees. MetroGIS participants with jurisdiction outside Washington County can receive limited content data through MetroGIS. 

Use Constraints
All users of the digital parcel data are licensees. Licensees agree to certain terms which define limitations on the use and handling of the digital parcel data. See license agreement for complete information.
THE DIGITAL MAP IS FURNISHED ON AN AS IS BASIS, WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT WHATSOEVER, AND WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING BUT NOT IN ANY MANNER LIMITED TO FITNESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND COMPLETENESS.
The information is neither a legally recorded map nor a survey and is not intended to be used as one. The information is a compilation of records, information and data from various city, county and state offices and other sources and should be used for reference only. No representation is made that the features presented accurately reflect true locations. Washington County or any other entity from which data was obtained assumes no liability for any errors or omissions herein. If discrepancies are found, contact the Washington County Survey and Land Management Division. 

Contact Person Information
Mark Nieman, Survey Project Coordinator 
Washington County Public Works Department, Survey and Land Management Division
14949 62nd Street North, PO Box 6
Stillwater, Minnesota 55082
Phone: 651-430-6875
FAX: 651-430-6888
E-mail: mark.nieman@co.washington.mn.us

Browse Graphic File Name
none available 

Browse Graphic File Description
none available 

Associated Data Sets
Property ownership, tax records, digital aerial photography, digital 2-foot contours, administrative and political boundaries.

Section 2 - Data Quality Information

Attribute Accuracy
Point and line features are analyzed for completeness through the use of software programs.  Parcel geocodes are tested for match by total count per PLS section and compared to the total count from the Washington County Tax System listing. Attributes from the Washington County Tax System database such as: taxpayer name, address, value amounts, district codes, etc., are not provided or managed by the Survey and Land Management Division. This information is acquired separately and any association with the parcel data set is the responsibility of the user. 

Logical Consistency
Each symbolic layer is individually examined for completeness. An independent manual check of the parcel data was made at the time of its initial development whereby all geocoded parcel legal descriptions in a PLSS section were reinterpreted and examined for accuracy and completeness on the hard copy check plot. As each new plat or lot division occurs a similar process is repeated for the new additions during the maintenance period. Multiple lines of ownership indicating ambiguity in property line location are merged into a single line if falling within 3 feet of each other. Gaps or overlaps in these situations are not shown. In some cases where two lines converge; e.g., where at one end the two lot lines are within 0.50 feet of each other and at the other end they are within 6.00 feet of each other they may be merged because the average discrepancy is 3 feet or less. Where gaps or overlaps exist in excess of approximately 3 feet in width they are shown with text notation indicating APPARENT GAP or AREA OF DISCREPANCY. All parcel polygons have a geocode for a label code. Polygons appearing as gaps and overlaps have a separate label code designation.

Vacated street right of way adjoining parcels is included in the parcel polygon for those cases where the tax system description refers to it and/or where a recorded document is available. Road right of way polygons are created with designation of road intersections assigned to the highest road authority. All road, trail and railroad right of way polygons have a separate label code designation.

Polygons were created for all waters and wetlands that have been designated as protected areas by the State Department of Natural Resources. Every water and wetlands polygon has a label code.

Completeness
Entire County is complete. 

Horizontal Positional Accuracy
Digitized features tested 8 feet horizontal accuracy at the 95 % confidence level using National Standard Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA).

All other features are generated by coordinate geometry and based on a framework of accurately located PLS corner positions used with public information of record. Computed positions of parcel boundaries are not based on individual field surveys. Although tests of randomly selected points may show high accuracy between field and parcel map content, variations between boundary monumentation and legal description of record can and do exist. Caution is necessary in use of land boundary data shown. Contact the Survey and Land Management Division for more information. 

Vertical Positional Accuracy
n/a 

Lineage
Parcel boundary locations are derived from subdivision plats, registered land surveys, condominium plats, certificates of survey, right of way plats and Washington County Tax System parcel descriptions for metes and bounds ownership. These documents range in date from the late 1840's to the present. The PLS coordinate control used to support the COGO analysis originated from an in place, survey controlled network of the PLS corners on NAD27. Prior to the commencement of creating this digital information, these NAD27 values were rotated, transformed and least squares adjusted using the NGS program LEFTI to the NAD83 datum. These adjusted (NAD27 to NAD83) values were used for the digital parcel base mapping and were termed, 'Preliminary NAD83 Coordinates'. Field verification of discrepancies found in deed analysis for parcel mapping is not performed. Information is strictly based on documents of record in the Government Center. 

Source Scale Denominator
1200

Section 3 - Spatial Data Organization Information

Native Data Set Environment
ArcGIS, AutoCAD 

Geographic Reference for Tabular Data
Parcel reference: the property geocode, a code based on the Public Land Survey (see Section 5, Entity and Attribute information for subset variations of the parcel reference)

Parcel polygon gap reference: PLS based, unique number per section quarter-quarter

Parcel polygon overlap reference: combination of concerned parcel geocodes

Road r/w polygon reference: road authority group

Water polygon reference: MnDNR Protected Waters and Wetland number 

Spatial Object Type
Point 

Vendor Specific Object Types
'arc' 'area' 'cell' 'column' 'network' 'node' 'label' 'line' 'point' 'polygon' 'row' 

Tiling Scheme
Public Land Survey System section

Section 4 - Spatial Reference Information

Horizontal Coordinate Scheme
County Coordinates 

Ellipsoid
GRS80 

Horizontal Datum
NAD83 / 1986

Horizontal Units
Feet 

Distance Resolution
Less than 0.01 feet 

Altitude Datum
Not applicable 

Altitude Units
Not applicable 

Depth Datum
Not applicable 

Depth Units
Not applicable 

County Coordinate Zone Identifier
44 

Coordinate Offsets or Adjustments
Not applicable

Map Projection Name
Traverse Mercator 

Map Projection Parameters
False Northing in meters = 30481.2751
False Easting in meters = 152406.3759
Central Meridian = -92 50 00
Latitude of Grid Origin = 44 44 45
Grid Scale Factor
at Central Meridian = 1.000039836799
State Plane Zone = 4326 

Other Coordinate System's Definition
n/a

Section 5 - Entity and Attribute Information

Entity and Attribute Overview
The data set contains a variety of features including parcel lines, parcel geocodes, parcel dimensions, subdivision plat boundaries, road centerlines, road right of way lines, documented major public utility easements over 20 feet in width, railroads, lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams. Washington County Tax System records (acquired separately) can be attached via the parcel geocode.
 
Entity and Attribute Detailed Citation
Additional files which can help identify entity and attribute information for our parcel database can be viewed or printed from the Washington County web site. A short description of each file and the web address are listed below.

Section 6 - Distribution Information

Publisher
Washington County Public Works Department, Survey and Land Management Division 

Publication Date
Periodically revised 

Online Linkage
Metadata Web Page

Contact Person Information
Mark Nieman, Survey Project Coordinator 
Washington County Public Works Department, Survey and Land Management Division
14949 62nd Street North, PO Box 6
Stillwater, Minnesota 55082-0006
Phone: 651-430-6875
FAX: 651-430-6888
E-mail: mark.nieman@co.washington.mn.us

Distributor's Data Set Identifier
Digital parcel map 

Distribution Liability
THE DIGITAL MAP AND ANY ASSOCIATED REFERENCE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS IS BASIS, WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT WHATSOEVER, AND WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING BUT NOT IN ANY MANNER LIMITED TO FITNESS, MERCHANTABILITY AND COMPLETENESS. SEE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR COMPLETE LIABILITY INFORMATION. 

Transfer Format Name
Shapefile, DXF, and AutoCAD formats 

Transfer Format Version Number
Varies

Transfer Size
Varies 

Ordering Instructions
Send a written request to the distributor identifying PLS sections required, including the desired media type and file format. Once a license agreement has been signed and returned (original form required), the data will be shipped.

Section 7 - Metadata Reference Information

Metadata Date
06/14/2010 

Contact Person Information
Mark Nieman, Survey Project Coordinator 
Washington County Public Works Department, Survey and Land Management Division
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, Minnesota 55082
Phone: 651-430-6875
FAX: 651-430-6888
E-mail: mark.nieman@co.washington.mn.us

Metadata Standard Name
Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines 

Metadata Standard Version
1.2 

Metadata Standard Online Linkage
http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/gc/stds/metadata.htm