Resources and Tools

by Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Development and Infrastructure Planner
with Gary Maragos, Manager, Property Mapping Unit

Did you know that Planning is responsible for updating and maintaining Maryland’s more than 2,800 property maps? What exactly does this mean and where can you access them?

In the mid-1990s, Planning took over this function from the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), starting the long transition of converting tax assessment maps from  ink-on-mylar to AutoCAD and ultimately to Esri ArcMap GIS mapping. This largely replaced paper maps and the need to publish parcel data in digital format for the first time. However, paper maps are still available to order for a small fee (see an example tax map, right).

Planning now maintains parcel data for the entire state, and tax maps for Maryland’s 23 counties,  amounting to greater than 2,800 maps and more than 2.3 million accounts. These are currently updated on a two-year rolling basis. In fact, Planning has developed and manages multiple property map products, with varying degrees of specificity and technicality to fulfill a variety of user needs, including:

• MdProperty View
• FINDER Quantum
• FINDER Online
• Paper/Digital Tax Maps
• FINDER Online Mobile

For a full description of these products’ capabilities and numerous applications, as well as links to the tools themselves, visit our Property Map Products webpage (shown above). 

In general terms, however, MdProperty View and FINDER Quantum are most useful to GIS professionals and those seeking to run advanced queries and conduct analyses (see an example image from MDProperty View, below).

FINDER Online is useful to anyone interested in doing property/parcel inquiries such as developers, real estate professionals or the general public (an example of FINDER Online can be seen below).

Finally, FINDER Online Mobile is useful for property/parcel searches in the field, as shown in the screenshots below:

Planning maintains parcel data in polygon and point form, and publishes the data across its web applications, download products, and as GIS services on MD iMAP,  Maryland’s mapping and GIS portal where you can access a GIS data catalog of services from partners across Maryland.  Digital tax maps are available through all of these products as well.  

For more information, contact Gary Maragos, Manager of the Property Mapping Unit at gary.maragos@maryland.gov.