When To Use The
Cadastral Data Content Standard
When To Use The Standard
If Your Office Is Automating Recorder
Data For The First Time
If Your Office Is Already Automated,
And You Can't Afford To Convert To The FGDC Standard
When Not To Use The Standard
When To Use The Standard
The general recommendations for when to start using the Cadastral
Data Content Standard are as follows:
-
begin using the Standard if your office is at the beginning
stages of transferring your county recorder data to computer databases.
If your office is at the beginning stage of automation, this is the ideal
time to develop data attributes, definitions, and logical relationships
for your cadastral data which coincide with the Cadastral Data Content
Standard.
-
begin using the Standard when your office has already automated
county recorder data, and is in a phase of comprehensive computer system
modernization. That is, when your office is preparing for a
completely new life cycle change in software uses, which will require major
changes and upgrades to how your data is stored and queried, this is a
good time to define your cadastral data so that it will comply with the
Cadastral Data Content Standard.
-
in either of the circumstances noted above, using the Cadastral
Data Content Standard becomes more important when your office regularly
exchanges cadastral data with other Counties, Cities, Towns, and/or Federal
agencies.
In these cases the use of metadata which describes what elements
you have and how you use them is essential. The metadata will allow you
to communicate your information to others, and will help you track where
each piece of information is stored.
Each of the instances noted above offers the opportunity
to take advantage of the benefits of using
the Standard.
If Your Office Is Automating
Recorder Data For The First Time
Wherever possible, when designing your database:
-
use the exact terminology and logical relationships provided
in the Standard for the entities and attributes in your office's database
fields and spatial data attributes.
-
obviously, in some cases your data set may not correspond
exactly to the Standard. That is, your office may use elements
not included in the Standard, and vice versa, the Standard may include
elements which you do not use. But, where there is a correspondence
between your data and the Standard, use the Standard's terminology.
-
for example, if your office records and stores information
on cadastral units, then use the Standard's terminology for that information
by naming it "Parcel" and adding attributes for that parcel to include
Parcel ID, Parcel Type, Parcel Name, and Parcel Local Label.
-
if you cannot use the exact same terminology used in the
Standard, then use your own terminology, but be sure to identify the data
elements in your database which correspond to elements in the Standard.
-
for example, if your office stores information on cadastral
units and calls these units "LandRecord," be sure to note in your data
that "LandRecord" means the same thing as "Parcel" in the Standard, and
have your database designers build links in your database which will enable
your data to relate to the Standard, and link to databases in offices with
which you share data. That is, plan ahead to use the Standard as
the way to establish links between your database and other databases.
If Your Office Is Already Automated,
And You Can't Afford The Time And Effort To Convert To The FGDC Standard
Data Definitions
An excellent solution to this dilemma is to add bridges
or connections to your data, without changing your data structure.
-
add fields to your database which will be in common with
similar database fields used by offices with which you share information.
-
use the Standard for these common fields.
-
don't otherwise change your own database.
This approach is being recommended, for example, by the Canyon
Country Partnership (CCP) in Utah. They call these data bridges "share
codes." These might also be known as link items, common fields,
or relate items, depending on the software you use and the database and
GIS jargon used around your office. The CCP makes use of the FGDC
Cadastral Data Content Standard.
In one example, the CCP share code for "Corner Type" appears
to correspond to the Standard's attribute of "Monument Type" under the
Corner Point entity.
Additionally, the CCP's share code for "Reliability" corresponds
to the Standard's attribute for "Accuracy Comments" under the Corner Point
entity.
You can read more about the CCP use of the Cadastral Standard
by referring to CCP's
web page.
When Not To Use The Standard
Generally, it is not advantageous to use the Cadastral Data
Content Standard when:
-
your County Recorder office has not transferred cadastral
data records to computer databases, and has no plans of doing so.
(This circumstance is becoming more rare as recording activity increases
in County Recorder offices across the country, resulting in more counties
turning to computer applications to store and query cadastral information.)
-
your County Recorder office has an established computer database
which is in full use, and has no plans to comprehensively upgrade or change
computer systems and database applications.
-
your County Recorder office seldom or never shares cadastral
data with other Counties, Cities, Towns, Federal agencies, or businesses.
Back To Part Three: Using The Standard
Links To Other Parts Of The County Recorder's Module:
Part One - County Recorders And
The Cadastral Data Content Standard
Part Two - County Examples
Table Of Contents - County Recorders
and the Cadastral Data Content Standard
Links to the other Cadastral Courses:
Learning
The Cadastral Data Content Standard
Cadastral
Information For GIS Specialists
Surveyors
And The Cadastral Data Content Standard
Presented by the United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management, and
the Federal Geographic Data Committee Cadastral Subcommittee