Frequently Asked Questions

No. The boundaries on our viewer show taxable land from the perspective of the County Appraiser’s office. If you are trying to resolve an issue that involves the exact placement of a property line, we recommend hiring a professional surveyor to determine where your boundaries are. For more information on professional land surveyors, the Kansas Society of Land Surveyors can be a good resource. Read Full Answer

Yes and no. We map easements related to roads, but no private or utility easements.  If you are looking for easements in a particular area, you should check with the Register of Deeds office to find documentation in that location. Read Full Answer

The measure tool is a great way to approximate distances. Ultimately, however, the map is a representation of property boundaries that cannot provide the level of precision that is available on a legal document. Read Full Answer

GIS staff completed a four-year in-depth review of every parcel boundary in the county. As a result of our efforts, we have one of the most accurate tax parcel representations in the entire state. That being said, there are areas throughout the county that are challenging to represent, particularly in the oldest sections of towns where modern survey-grade documentation is limited. Read Full Answer

If you want a map of your property, your best bet is to start with the interactive Property Viewer. This online map allows you to search for your property, zoom in and out to see it and its surroundings, and more. It even has a print tool that allows you to create your own maps. Read Full Answer

Start by browsing our Geoportal. If you don’t find what you need, send us an email to gis@dgcoks.gov. Many times, we have already created something that may fit your needs. Depending upon the request, there may be a charge for staff time and materials. Read Full Answer

Please see the Douglas County Fee Schedule for specifics about GIS maps. Read Full Answer

Land is constantly being reconfigured, so updates happen every day in Douglas County. We update the map on a daily basis so that changes are available in a timely fashion. Keep in mind that each request to change a property line is unique and may have to be reviewed in multiple departments before it can be reflected on the map. In other words, a request to change something on Monday does not mean that it will show up on the map on Tuesday. Read Full Answer

The search tool provides several different ways to search for a location. You can enter a PIN, Public Land Survey section, or even a place name such as South Park or Lawrence Municipal Airport. As you type in a search term, the auto-complete function will suggest possible matches for you. Read Full Answer

Legal property dimensions are recorded on a number of legal documents, such as plats, deeds, and certificates of survey. When accurate measurements matter, visit the Register of Deeds office to retrieve the relevant documents for your property. Read Full Answer

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. More than just a map, GIS is an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information. GIS allows us to ask and answer questions from a spatial perspective, which supports better decision making and creates efficiencies in workflows. GIS data supports everything from property tax appraisals to emergency 911 response efforts to elections administration. Read Full Answer

Please contact Geographic Information Systems if you have a question about why a line is in a particular location. We can review it with you and address any concerns that may arise. Read Full Answer

Try clearing your browser cache to ensure that you are viewing the most current version of the map. Once you clear your cache, refresh the Property Viewer page and you should see the map. If not, please give us a call at (785) 330-2825. If you’d like to learn more about browser caches, we recommend this site: http://refreshyourcache.com/en/cache. Read Full Answer

Our most current high-resolution imagery, which is displayed on the Property Viewer, is taken every two years. We are currently in a cycle starting with 2020. Read Full Answer

Before installing a fence on your property, you should know your property’s boundaries as well as any easements that are reserved for specific uses like storm water drainage or public utilities. You can get an idea of where your boundaries are by looking at our interactive Property Viewer, but our map is a representation that shows taxing boundaries rather than actual ownership limits. Read Full Answer