National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

National Land Parcel Data

A Vision for the Future

Committee on Land Parcel Databases: A National Vision

Mapping Science Committee

Board on Earth Sciences and Resources

Division on Earth and Life Studies

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by the Department of Commerce / U.S. Census Bureau Award No. YA123-05-SE-0220, Department of Homeland Security Award No. HSHQDC-06-P-00051, Department of Interior / Bureau of Land Management Award No. PAA-03-7087, Environmental Systems Research Institute, and U.S. Geological Survey / Federal Geographic Data Committee Award No. 04HQAG0127. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13 978-0-309-11030-3 (Book)

International Standard Book Number-10 0-309-11030-0 (Book)

International Standard Book Number-13 978-0-309-11031-0 (PDF)

International Standard Book Number-10 0-309-11031-9 (PDF)

Library of Congress Control Number 2007937818

Additional copies of this report are available from the

National Academies Press,

500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu.

Cover: Lower half of the cover shows aerial imagery overlain with parcel boundaries provided courtesy of Delaware County, Ohio. Cover design by Michael Dudzik.

Copyright 2007 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine


The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.


The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.


The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.


The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.


www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

COMMITTEE ON LAND PARCEL DATABASES: A NATIONAL VISION

DAVID J. COWEN, Chair,

University of South Carolina, Columbia

DAVID J. COLEMAN,

University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada

WILLIAM J. CRAIG,

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

CINDY DOMENICO, Boulder County Assessor,

Colorado

SHOREH ELHAMI,

Delaware County Auditor’s Office, Delaware, Ohio

SHELBY JOHNSON,

State of Arkansas, Little Rock

SUSAN MARLOW,

Smart Data Strategies, Inc., Franklin, Tennessee

FRANK ROBERTS,

Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Plummer, Idaho

MICHAEL T. SWARTZ,

First American Flood Data Services, Austin, Texas

NANCY VON MEYER,

Fairview Industries, Pendleton, South Carolina

National Research Council Staff

ANN G. FRAZIER, Study Director

JARED P. ENO, Research Associate (from August 2006)

AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Senior Program Assistant (until August 2006)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

MAPPING SCIENCE COMMITTEE

KEITH C. CLARKE, Chair,

University of California, Santa Barbara

ROBERT P. DENARO,

NAVTEQ Corporation, Chicago, Illinois

SHOREH ELHAMI,

Delaware County Auditor’s Office, Delaware, Ohio

HON. JAMES E. GERINGER,

Former Governor of Wyoming, ESRI, Inc., Wheatland, Wyoming

GEORGE F. HEPNER,

University of Utah, Salt Lake City

JOHN R. JENSEN,

University of South Carolina, Columbia

NINA S.-N. LAM,

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

LEWIS A. LAPINE,

South Carolina Geodetic Survey, Columbia

MARY L. LARSGAARD,

University of California, Santa Barbara

XAVIER R. LOPEZ,

Oracle Corporation, Nashua, New Hampshire

ROBERT B. MCMASTER,

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

SHASHI SHEKHAR,

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

NANCY TOSTA,

Ross & Associates Environmental Consulting, Ltd., Seattle, Washington

EUGENE TROBIA,

Arizona State Land Department, Phoenix

National Research Council Staff

PAUL M. CUTLER, Senior Program Officer

JARED P. ENO, Research Associate

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES

GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Chair,

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

GREGORY B. BAECHER,

University of Maryland, College Park

STEVEN R. BOHLEN,

Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Washington, D.C.

KEITH C. CLARKE,

University of California, Santa Barbara

DAVID J. COWEN,

University of South Carolina, Columbia

WILLIAM E. DIETRICH,

University of California, Berkeley

ROGER M. DOWNS,

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park

JEFF DOZIER,

University of California, Santa Barbara

KATHERINE H. FREEMAN,

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park

RHEA L. GRAHAM,

Pueblo of Sandia, Bernalillo, New Mexico

RUSSELL J. HEMLEY,

Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C.

MURRAY W. HITZMAN,

Colorado School of Mines, Golden

V. RAMA MURTHY,

University of Minnesota (retired), Minneapolis

CLAYTON R. NICHOLS,

Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (retired), Standpoint

RAYMOND A. PRICE,

Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

BARBARA A. ROMANOWICZ,

University of California, Berkeley

JOAQUIN RUIZ,

University of Arizona, Tucson

MARK SCHAEFER,

Global Environment and Technology Foundation, Arlington, Virginia

WILLIAM W. SHILTS,

Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign

RUSSELL E. STANDS-OVER-BULL,

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Billings, Montana

TERRY C. WALLACE, JR.,

Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico

THOMAS J. WILBANKS,

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee

National Research Council Staff

ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director

PAUL M. CUTLER, Senior Program Officer

ELIZABETH A. EIDE, Senior Program Officer

DAVID A. FEARY, Senior Program Officer

ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer

ANN G. FRAZIER, Program Officer

SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Program Officer

CAETLIN M. OFIESH, Associate Program Officer

VERNA J. BOWEN, Administrative and Financial Associate

JENNIFER T. ESTEP, Financial Associate

JARED P. ENO, Research Associate

NICHOLAS D. ROGERS, Research Associate

TONYA E. FONG YEE, Program Assistant

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

Acknowledgments

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report:

Richard R. Almy, Almy, Gloudemans, Jacobs and Denne, La Grange Highlands, Illinois

Nicholas Chrisman, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

David D. Claypool, Ramsey County, Arden Hills, Minnesota

Stewart Kirkpatrick, State of Montana, Helena

John J. Moeller, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, Chantilly, Virginia

D. David Moyer, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Scott Oppmann, Oakland County, Pontiac, Michigan

Gary Waters, GeoFields, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia

Ian Williamson, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Michael F. Goodchild, University of California, Santa Barbara. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

Preface

Land ownership has been critical to the economic and philosophical development of the United States. Land parcel databases, which are also known as cadastres, describe the rights, interests, and value of property. These databases represent the distribution of the real property assets of a community and its ownership, form the basis for all land use and zoning decisions, and represent the location of residences, businesses, and public lands. In other words, almost every aspect of government and business can be associated with a land parcel.

In 1980, the National Research Council (NRC) issued a report titled Need for a Multipurpose Cadastre, which became, and still is, a guidebook for land parcel data systems throughout the world. The report advocated the development of a nationally integrated set of land parcel data and recommended a vision for achieving it. However, 27 years later, despite technological advances to make it more feasible and policy directives that support the development of national land parcel data, the United States has still not achieved this vision. Therefore, the NRC was requested by five organizations (the Bureau of Land Management, the Federal Geographic Data Committee, the Department of Homeland Security, the Census Bureau, and the Environmental Systems Research Institute) to reassess the 1980 vision for land parcel data and determine why it has yet to be achieved.

During the conduct of this study, the importance, complexity, and passion that surround a concept such as a national perspective on land parcel data became much more evident. It also became obvious that the study committee faced a huge challenge in trying to improve upon Need for a Multipurpose Cadastre, since much of what is recommended in that report is as relevant today as it was in 1980. The task therefore became to determine why its vision was not achieved, and how the technological and organizational changes of the last quarter century have influenced the vision and the potential for reaching it.

Fortunately, the committee consisted of an outstanding group of individuals who were up to the task. Committee members came from local and tribal governments that depend on parcel data to improve the delivery of services to taxpayers, and from state governments that are struggling to develop workable partnerships with local governments to acquire parcel data. The committee also included members from the private sector who know how to create parcel data and whose businesses depend on this. Finally, it included members of academia who are dedicated to improving the use

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×

of geospatial data and technologies in public policy. The committee received invaluable input from a diverse group of participants from federal agencies, the private sector, and professional organizations at meetings held in the spring of 2006, including an information-gathering workshop called a Land Parcel Summit. The pulse of the producers and users of parcel data across the nation was measured through a web-based feedback system. This was an innovative approach that gained the perspective of 400 individuals who are working “in the trenches” with parcel data. The thousands of written comments provided by this diverse set of stakeholders helped the committee better understand the issues and formulate its recommendations. The input of all of these individuals has made this a much better report. Finally, the entire committee benefited from the guidance and tireless work of Ann Frazier from the NRC who helped us stay on course. The entire team appreciates the support of the sponsors who wanted us to objectively assess a complex situation and provide a vision for the future.

Finally, a unique aspect of this study has been the opportunity to revisit an issue that was first addressed in 1980. It is an obvious understatement to say that the world is a much different place in 2007. In 1980, personal computers were rare and few could have even described the capabilities that are now available to us over the World Wide Web. In 1980 no one had experienced the events of September 11, 2001, or Hurricane Katrina. Institutionally we did not have a Department of Homeland Security or a Federal Geographic Data Committee. The current framework of Spatial Data Infrastructure standards for data, technology, and discovery did not exist. Now, geospatial technology and related services are ubiquitous. These events and technological advances have changed the way we do business. In light of these factors the committee can only hope that that this report will be as highly regarded as the one written in 1980, but at the same time, we also hope that it will have a greater impact in terms of changing the way all levels of government create and use land parcel data. It is intended for those organizations that create and use land parcel data, and in particular those U.S. government agencies that play a role in coordinating and funding national land parcel data and other related themes of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The challenge is exactly the same one that faced the original NRC committee 27 years ago—how do we create workable partnerships to better serve our citizens?

David Cowen

Chair

Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R10
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R11
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R12
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R13
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2007. National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11978.
×
Page R14
Next: Summary »
National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $69.00 Buy Ebook | $54.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

Land parcel data (also known as cadastral data) provide geographically referenced information about the rights, interests, and ownership of land and are an important part of the financial, legal, and real estate systems of society. The data are used by governments to make decisions about land development, business activities, regulatory compliance, emergency response, and law enforcement. In 1980, a National Research Council book called for nationally integrated land parcel data, but despite major progress in the development of land parcel databases in many local jurisdictions, little progress has been made toward a national system.

National Land Parcel Data looks at the current status of land parcel data in the United States. The book concludes that nationally integrated land parcel data is necessary, feasible, and affordable. It provides recommendations for establishing a practical framework for sustained intergovernmental coordination and funding required to overcome the remaining challenges and move forward.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!