A GIS is a system of hardware, software, data, and workflow procedures for collecting, storing, analyzing and disseminating information about areas of the earth. People interact with a GIS to integrate, analyze, and visualize geographic data; identify relationships, patterns, and trends; and help find solutions to problems.
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
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The Polk County Land Information Department is responsible for creating a variety of maps for county use. Cooperating with various departments, we design maps for many applications. Click the Maps button above to see what types of maps are available. Specialty maps include a county highway map, maps of the county parks, a map of the School Districts, and many others.
In accordance to the Polk County Land Records Modernization Plan, it is the goal of Polk County to: develop, implement and maintain a modern geographic information system (GIS) that is horizontally and vertically integrated; a GIS that provides useful quality data for its citizens, agencies, business and other users of land information in an equitable and efficient manner. It is desirable to access this information through a public access terminals and the Internet to display this data in a user-friendly format.
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The Polk County Interactive GIS Map site is the portal to geographic-land information for everyone to access. One important element of the site is parcel information. Currently, 66% of Polk County has been parcel mapped and can be viewed within the shaded yellow areas. As areas become parcel mapped, they will be added to the site. Many map features can be viewed on the site along with aerial photography. Look for new map features as they become available. Click the Interactive GIS Map link or map image to access the site. |
Visit this page regularly for updates on our GIS progress.
Do you want to understand GIS better? Please visit: What is GIS?
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Parcel Mapping
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In the public sector, governments administer and make policy through the creation of and maintenance of land records that are associated with a parcel of land. Thus the parcel is often the basic administrative unit of local government.
Parcel maps are developed at many levels of government and by the private sector. |
Parcel maps help facilitate administration, zoning, building and site development, flood control, lake and stream erosion control, and the planning, design and construction of roads and public works. In the private sector, parcel maps are useful to attorneys, appraisers, assessors, surveyors, engineers, and utility corporations as a means to inventory land holdings and index land records.
Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office (SCO)
Parcel mapping is created by using the best available information on record which may include recorded deed descriptions, plats, certified survey maps, and maps of survey. Using Coordinate Geometry, a method of defining geometric features through the input of bearing and distance measurements, we can accurately map together parcel ownership of land throughout Polk County.
A parcel map doesn't replace an actual field survey.
To review different types of surveys, please visit the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors website.
Other reasons why Parcel Mapping is important
An important reason for having a high quality parcel mapping program is service to the public a.k.a. taxpayer and property owner. They pay most of the cost of local government.
There is savings (both in time and money) benefit to the landowner (taxpayer) when quick answers are needed. Whether it is a required zoning set back or “is the big tree on the property line” type of question, what a service it is to be able to come to the Government Center or look online and address such questions immediately.
When government bodies such as Town Boards, Cities, County Boards, Planning Commissions etc., have complex land issues to deal with, they have a reliable source of reliable information and guidance.
Accurate parcel maps have a great value to Town Assessors for fair taxation. Legal descriptions such as “that part of the SW-SW lying north of the highway” may be 8 acres, may be 16 acres, may be 2 acres etc. You don’t know where the road falls in the forty until the parcel map is completed based on the Public Land Survey corners, and viewed with an aerial photo back drop showing the location of the road (unless you pay to have a land survey done.)
Road right of ways are researched and shown on parcel maps which assist town personnel in their determinations of 3 rod or 4 rod roads for clearing, reconstruction and other maintenance.
When parcel maps are based on survey information, (as Polk County’s are) their value is multiplied. For example, if a “cartoon type” parcel map is overlaid on an orthophoto (corrected aerial photo) and a barn appears to be over the boundary line…it may be, in reality, that the barn is well within the boundaries. The appearance of an encroachment can cause un-necessary grief for both land owners. In a survey based parcel map, the appearance of a barn over the boundary line indicates it should be checked out.
Possibilities for long range planning activities are expanded, enhanced and more accurate.
Parcel mapping is integral with 911 mapping, Census activity, school district designation… the list goes on.
The County Real Property Lister can perform their job better, assist town officials and problem solve more efficiently with the availability of a parcel map.
Lake Associations and other organizations consisting of land owners are frequent users of parcel maps for identifying possible members, land owners of problems.
Parcel maps are a critical part of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), planning, zoning and many other types of mapping.
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Parcel Mapping Progress
Parcel mapping has been completed in approximately 66% of Polk County.
The first areas mapped in Polk County were the Villages of Luck and Milltown, completed in 1997.
The eastern portion of the Town of Alden was completed in 1999.
The Towns of Farmington, Osceola, St Croix Falls, along with the Villages of Osceola, Dresser, and Frederic were completed in 2000.
The City of Amery was completed in 2002.
The Towns of Eureka, Garfield and Laketown were completed in 2007.
The western portion of the Town of Alden, Towns of Black Brook and Clayton along with the Villages of Centuria and Balsam Lake were completed in 2008.
The Towns of Apple River, Clear Lake, Lincoln, and Luck were completed in 2009.
The goal of the Land Information Department is to have the initial parcel mapping completed county-wide by 2010.
The parcel maps are updated regularly to show new splits and developments. Review the Polk County Interactive GIS Map site, click on Parcel Map Status  or contact the Land Information Department for the status of the parcel mapping program.
Parcel Mapping Standards
Documents & Forms
Interactive GIS Map Users Guide 
Click on this link to access a PDF document that will help users navigate the Interactive GIS Map site.
GIS Map Fee Schedule
Click on this link for a Land Information Department GIS Map Data Fee Schedule for the products developed in this office.
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