-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Re: : legal boundaries
Date:   Tue, 6 Feb 2007 21:10:14 -0600
From:   Dennis McClendon <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>





> Folks, do any of you know of a source [single or multiple] where I
> might
> find `legal boundaries’ of cities & towns given?

Short answer: no.  The only way to really be sure you have the most
recent boundaries is to consult with the town attorney--and they may
have changed last night at the city council meeting.

Census Bureau data has municipal boundaries for the whole nation--as
of some time in 1999 or 2000.

In some states there are tax implications that cause boundary changes
to be reported to state agencies, and *sometimes* that information
makes it into state GIS clearinghouse data sets.

We've been surprised in the last couple of years at how many
counties--even rural ones--have GIS sites online.  Those are often
kept relatively current because they're local.

Of course, there are municipalities, particularly in New England
states, whose boundaries are set by state law and haven't changed for
centuries.  At the opposite extreme are Sunbelt suburbs, which may
annex territory at virtually every council meeting.