Purpose of GIS

The Geographic Information System (GIS) personnel maintain the county tax map system, the county property description record files, and the permanent parcel numbering system for the approximately 29,000 parcels of real and personal property in Emmet County. On the average the GIS Department performs 800 property splits and combinations and reviews over 4,000 documents per year. This is done to maintain the integrity of the permanent parcel numbering system and to ensure that all taxable lands within Emmet County are assessed.

GIS Defined
A Geographic Information System (GIS) combines the visual elements and features on a map with the ability to link characteristics about these features in databases. This relationship provides a means for GIS to locate, display, analyze, and model information. Generally, databases only tell us what descriptive information exists about an item. GIS expands our ability to depict where things occur and help us infer why and how these things occur during an analysis. GIS applications enhance a government’s capability to deliver mandated services. A few examples include, accurate property valuation/assessment, protecting public health through emergency service responders locating residents, maintaining safe transportation systems, tracking development to plan for expansion(s) of public resources and sustaining the quality of our natural resources.

GIS Applications
The County Equalization Department initiated the conversion of its hand drawn, paper tax maps to a digital format around 1995. Throughout the year the Department creates multiple layers from information gathered by local units of government and other outside agencies. The road layer for our base maps was established using the Global Positioning System (GPS) provided by CCE-911. The information for our topographical data layer was provided by the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments. The GIS Department works in collecting data interdepartmentally and from outside agencies to form some of the following map layers:

  • Digital Ortho Photo Maps
  • Commissioner District Maps
  • Zip Code Maps
  • Future Land Use Maps
  • Public/quasi Public Land Maps
  • School District Maps
  • Sectional Tax Maps
  • Soils Maps
  • Zoning Maps

Emmet County, Michigan
200 Division Street, Petoskey MI 49770
(231) 348-1700 | Contact Us