Parcel Viewer

Parcel Viewer Help

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iMAP Help

Parcel Viewer Help

FAQs

iMAP & Parcel Viewer
Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: iMAP requires a high-speed Internet connection.

This page contains questions and answers about both iMAP and Parcel Viewer. While the two are different applications, they are built upon the same technology and use much of the same content. The majority of questions on this page apply to both applications. Many apply to iMAP only and are identified by this symbol:

The questions are organized into the following categories:

System Requirements and Operation

General

When should I use Parcel Viewer and when should I use iMAP?

Can I use iMAP over a dial-up Internet connection?

Will iMAP work with my computer and browser?

What monitor settings should I use for iMAP and Parcel Viewer?

How can I tell if iMAP or Parcel Viewer is offline, or if I am just experiencing a problem with my browser?

How do pop-up blockers affect iMAP and Parcel Viewer?

How do I construct a URL with parameters to control iMAP?

How do I construct a URL to Parcel Viewer with parameters to select a parcel?

Error Messages

I tried to launch iMAP, but nothing happened. Why?

Error message: "Response from previous request(s) not received."

Error message: "No Features found. Server returned: (SDE) SE_stream_query: Attribute column not found."

Tools and Functions

I checked the boxes next to the layers I wanted to display to make them visible, but then when I tried zooming and panning, those layers did not appear. Why not?

I chose the select-by-rectangle tool and drew a rectangle around some parcels, but the parcels did not become selected. Why not?

After I draw a line with the measure tool how do I remove the line?

How can I save a map image to my hard drive?

Property Research

Finding an Address

Property Information

General

What is a parcel number and how can I find mine?

Condominiums

Corrections and Updates

Property Tax Assessments

Maps and Surveys

General Content (not specifically property related)

Aerial Photos (available in iMAP only)

Why are the aerial photos so light or difficult to see?

Why is the aerial photo image fuzzy?

Other Content

Why can’t I see [name a data layer]? Are you going to add this layer?

I have [name a data layer] turned on in the legend, but I can't see it.

Do you have an archive of property information or photos?

Contacting Us

System Requirements and Operation

General

When should I use Parcel Viewer and when should I use iMAP?

• If you are interested in property information only, use Parcel Viewer.

• If your are interested in other data themes in relation to or independent of property-specific information and characteristics, use iMAP, but only if you have a high-speed Internet connection.

Can I use iMAP over a dial-up Internet connection?

For best results, iMAP requires a fast Internet connection (DSL or better). It will work over a dial-up connection, but the initial loading of the site will be very slow. If you are interested only in property searches, try our faster-loading Parcel Viewer application.

Will iMAP work with my computer and browser?

The short answer is you should use the latest version of Internet Explorer. Read on for a more detailed explanation.

Windows & Internet Explorer
iMAP creates a virtual GIS viewer within your browser by making extensive use of JavaScript and Dynamic HTML. Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) is the most robust browser for the customizations that are required. iMAP should function in versions 4.x and higher, but we have tested them most extensively in 6.x and higher.

Windows & Netscape
iMAP has been tested and works properly in Netscape 6.

Macintosh
Macintosh testing of iMAP has been very limited. Two verified configurations are OS9 with Internet Explorer 5.0; and OS10 with Safari.

What monitor settings should I use for iMAP and Parcel Viewer?

These applications are designed for display sizes of 800 by 600 pixels or greater.

How can I tell if iMAP or Parcel Viewer is offline, or if I am just experiencing a problem with my browser?

Planned outages and known problems with these applications are noted under the heading "News" on the iMAP and Parcel Viewer main pages.

If no relevant news is posted there but one of these applications is not working for you, there is still a good chance that the problem is centered on the application, especially if you have run iMAP and/or Parcel Viewer successfully on your computer in the past with the same computer and browser configuration you are using now. While we make every effort to keep iMap and Parcel Viewer up and running all the time, we can’t guarantee it, especially on nights, weekends, and holidays when there is no one in the office to respond to new problems. However, we check the applications first thing each business morning, and always appreciate heads-up notifications ( ) from users about availability and performance.

How do pop-up blockers affect iMAP and Parcel Viewer?

Pop-up blockers do not affect Parcel Viewer.

However, your pop-up blocker may prevent iMAP from opening. iMAP launches in a new browser window, a necessary function which could nevertheless be prevented by a pop-up blocker installed in your computer or browser. If you click on a link to launch iMAP and nothing happens, there is a good chance a pop-up blocker is preventing iMAP from launching

Most pop-up blockers give you the ability to choose sites that you trust so that pop-ups and new browser windows are allowed for those sites only. Others let you override the blocking function on a temporary basis.

How do I construct a URL with parameters to control iMAP?

The base URL for iMAP is http://www5.metrokc.gov/iMAP. To add parameters to this URL, append a question mark — ? — followed by one or more pairs of arguments and values. Some arguments take precedence over others when combined. See notes below for these exceptions. Separate multiple pairs of arguments and values with an ampersand — &.

Valid argument and value pairs.
(In your URL, follow the equal sign with the actual value described in the brackets. Do not include the brackets <>. See examples below .)

• PIN=<10 digit parcel number, only one PIN accepted>
• xcoord=<state plane X coordinate>
• ycoord=<state plane Y coordinate>
• lat=<latitude in decimal degrees>
• long=<longitude in decimal degrees>
• zoom=<zoom level value 1 - 6, see immediately below for scale equivalents>
  zoom values:
  zoom=1 "1:6000"
  zoom=2 "1:12000"
  zoom=3 "1:24000"
  zoom=4 "1:48000"
  zoom=5 "1:100000"
  zoom=6 "1:200000"
• mapset= <mapset alias name, see immediately below for alias / map set correlation list, only one accepted>
  mapset values (case-sensitive):
  mapset=kcproperty "Property Information"
  mapset=hazards "Sensitive Areas"
  mapset=wria "Hydrographic Information"
  mapset=GroundWater "Groundwater Program"
  mapset=kclevy "Levy Rates and Districts"
  mapset=weeds "Noxious Weed Locations"
  mapset=stormwater "Stormwater"
  mapset=hazards "Sensitive Areas"
  mapset=parks "King County Parks"
  mapset=w9_proj "WRIA 9 Projects"

The preceding arguments can be combined, with the following exceptions:

• PIN takes precedence over any coordinate entry. If both PIN and lat / long or xcoord / ycoord are included, only PIN will be used
• If both PIN and zoom are included, note that parcels do not display at zoom levels higher than '3'
• xcoord / ycoord takes precedence over lat / long
• xcoord / ycoord and lat / long must be entered in pairs. If only one or the other value is included it will be ignored

Examples:
http://www5.metrokc.gov/iMAP?PIN=XXXXXXXXXX&mapset=hazards
http://www5.metrokc.gov/iMAP?PIN=XXXXXXXXXX&zoom=2
http://www5.metrokc.gov/iMAP?lat=47.44302&long=-121.87936&zoom=3
http://www5.metrokc.gov/iMAP?xcoord=1268221.3&ycoord=247602&zoom=4&mapset=weeds

How do I construct a URL to Parcel Viewer with parameters to select a parcel?

Use the following URL and replace the XXXXXXXXXX with a ten-digit parcel number. Only one parcel number can be passed to Parcel Viewer.

http://www5.metrokc.gov/ParcelViewer?PIN=XXXXXXXXXX

Error Messages

I tried to launch iMAP, but nothing happened. Why?

The most common cause for this problem is that you've installed a pop-up blocker.

Another cause that is becoming more common is if you've made changes to your network security/privacy settings, or installed or turned on a firewall. This can result in secondary browser windows (like iMAP) being seen as "unsolicited" and subsequently blocked. There are too many options for us to list, but your manual should have information on how to allow friendly sites through.

Error Message: "Response from previous request(s) not received."

This message appears when you perform some action, such as a pan, a zoom, a legend/layer-list toggle, etc., that requires interaction with the data server (a server request and response) before the server has completed its response to a previous request.

Click the "OK" button and wait for completion of the response to the previous request before trying again. (There is no way to cancel a request once it is made, except by closing the browser window.)

Error Message: "No Features found. Server returned: (SDE) SE_stream_query: Attribute column not found."

This indicates an error on our server. Please let us know via e-mail that you have received this error so that we can correct the problem.

Tools and Functions

I checked the boxes next to the layers I wanted to display to make them visible, but then when I tried zooming and panning, those layers did not appear. Why not?

When you check or uncheck layers, i.e., turn layers on or off, you will not see the layers change until you click the refresh button, even if you are changing the map display by panning or zooming.

I chose the select-by-rectangle tool and drew a rectangle around some parcels, but the parcels did not become selected. Why not?

Only features on the active layer can be selected. The parcel layer in your map display was visible but not active. Make "Parcel" the active layer by clicking the radio button next to its name in the layers list.

After I draw a line with the measure tool, how do I remove the line?

Click on the clear-selection button ( ).

How can I save a map image to my hard drive?

The iMAP and Parcel Viewer main map displays contain a separate, unique GIF image that is regenerated whenever the display redraws. You cannot save this image directly as you would other images that are displayed on Web pages.

In iMAP you can save just this image by clicking the save-map-image button ( ). When you click this button a dialogue box opens that tells you how to save the map image using your Web browser controls.

In Parcel Viewer you can save this image by first clicking the print button ( ). Click here for full instructions.

Property Research

Finding an Address

I can’t find my address!
Parcel Viewer / iMAP says my address doesn’t exist!

Address searches can be performed in several different ways, which depend on the specific application, and which part of the application you are using.

It is important to read any instructional text that you see next to an address input box. Most people who are having problems with an address search are not entering the street number and street name in the separate input boxes that are provided. Note whether or not a street type (Avenue, Street, Place, etc.) or directional designation (SE, NE, W, etc.) is required or, alternatively, must be excluded from your entry.

Here’s a tip that may make it easier for you: you can enter partial information and then select from a list of possible matches. For example, instead of spelling out "Evanston," you could enter the house number and just "Evan" for the street name. The system will search for that house number on any street containing "Evan." You could even omit the house number entirely and you would get a listing of all the addresses on any street that contains "Evan." And if you omit the street entirely, and just input a house number, you’ll get a list of all addresses that contain that house number. Once you have a list of possible matches, just click on the one you want.

If you know a nearby cross street, you can also search by that method. Choose “Search by Nearby Street Intersection “ from the Parcel Viewer main page, or if you are already in the Parcel Viewer interface, choose “Search by Street Intersection.”

And finally, if you are familiar with the property's location in King County, you can simply pan and zoom to zero in on the property you are looking for.

See also:

iMAP Property Search Help:
How to find property and parcel information in iMAP using a street address

How can I tell if a Bothell address is in King County or Snohomish County?

If an address includes the SE designation, it is in Snohomish County. If an address includes the NE designation, it is in King County. Zip code 98021 is in Snohomish County. Zip code 98011 is in King County.

Property Information

General

What is a parcel number and how can I find mine?

Your parcel number is the first 10 digits of your 12-digit property tax account number. The account number is in the upper left portion of your tax bill.

The parcel number is composed of a Major number, which identifies the plat or subdivision of the property, and a Minor number which identifies a specific parcel within a plat.

In other contexts you may also find this number referred to as:

• PIN: Parcel Identification Number

• APN: Assessor Parcel Number

• Property Tax Account Number

What does 0000 at the end of a parcel number mean?

A parcel number is composed of a Major number (the first six digits), which identifies the plat or subdivision of the property, and a Minor number (the last four digits), which identifies a specific parcel within a plat.

A Minor number of 0000 indicates a condominium complex.

See also:

• Condominium FAQs

What does 6666 at the end of a parcel number mean?

A parcel number is composed of a Major number (the first six digits), which identifies the plat or subdivision of the property, and a Minor number (the last four digits), which identifies a specific parcel within a plat.

During conversion from paper to digital maps to build a GIS data layer of parcels, a Minor number of 6666 was given to parcels for which ownership was unknown or undetermined, and to water bodies. Department of Assessments GIS staff will eliminate these artifacts of the conversion process as they are brought to their attention. Citizens who have knowledge of the status of 6666 parcels are encouraged to submit information to the Department of Assessments.

A 6666 designation does not affect taxable land value because appraisers reference the full legal property description and perform site visits to determine value.

What does 7777 at the end of a parcel number mean?

A parcel number is composed of a Major number (the first six digits), which identifies the plat or subdivision of the property, and a Minor number (the last four digits), which identifies a specific parcel within a plat.

A Minor number of 7777 usually indicates an undivided interest within the plat. Two common examples of undivided interest are parcels defined as privately-owned access roads and parcels with environmental restrictions.

When I am using iMAP or Parcel Viewer, am I viewing official Assessor’s data?

No. Only the data that resides in the database on the Department of Assessments computer server is considered official. Once the Assessor's office downloads the data to CD for distribution to other agencies (such as the KCGIS Center) any downloaded version becomes a static product that will become out of date as soon as the master database is revised, thus the accuracy of such data cannot be guaranteed.

The GIS Center receives a monthly extract of the Assessor’s database on CD, and we update the tables used by Parcel Viewer and iMap during the first week of each month.

For information about obtaining Assessor’s data on CD, click here.

For confirmation of official Assessor's data, you may call the Department of Assessments Public Information Unit at (206) 296-7300.

Can I get sales data?

The Property Report pages that Parcel Viewer and iMap generate show the sales data that the Assessor's office has in their database—generally sales from the mid-1980's to the present. The Assessor’s Office also has that information available (the sales file for the entire county costs about $30)—click here. You can also view sales data in Adobe Acrobat PDF format for particular geographic areas in the Assessor's Area Reports. Sales data are listed at the end of each area report. There’s no cost to download, just save the PDF file to your computer.

What do the zoning codes mean?

Zoning codes are expanded on the King County Zoning Codes page in our Knowledge Base.

See also:

• King County Development Conditions (here you can search for specific properties and see development conditions reports).
• King County Zoning Atlas.

With whom do I deal on property issues if I live in an incorporated area?

King County is responsible for prompter tax assessments in all areas of the county, incorporated and unincorporated alike. However, you need to work with your own city regarding zoning, permitting, and development issues.

Condominiums

What does 0000 at the end of a parcel number mean?

A parcel number is composed of a Major number (the first six digits), which identifies the plat or subdivision of the property, and a Minor number (the last four digits), which identifies a specific parcel within a plat. A Minor number of 0000 indicates a condominium complex.

Can I see a list of all the units in a condominium complex?

Yes. When viewing the Property Report for a condominium complex you will see a text link near the top of the report (see illustration below) which will allow you to retrieve a table that lists all of the units in the complex. The table will list the taxpayer name, building number, unit number, and taxable value of each unit in the complex.

Can I look up information on an individual unit in a condominium complex?

Yes. Refer to the previous question to see how to retrieve a tabular listing of all of the units in a condominium complex. The last entry in each individual condo unit listing is a link to a full property report for just that unit.

Corrections and Updates

How can I fix property information that you’re showing?

The Department of Assessments offers the eReal Property System, which you can use to submit corrections.

You will be asked to first enter and submit your parcel number. The eReal Property system will then display an Adobe Acrobat page of property characteristics. Above the window in which the Acrobat page is displayed, under the heading "Other Resources," you will see a link worded as follows: "Email us characteristic corrections." Click that link to open a form which you can use to enter and submit corrections.

eReal Property information is revised about once per month. Depending on the specific nature of your information  (which must be verified and may require a site visit), the entire correction process from your submission until the change appears in the database could take four to eight weeks.

How often does the Assessor's office revise property data?

Property characteristics – monthly (approximately),

Parcel geometry (mapped parcel boundaries) – weekly,

Other data – as needed.

How long does it take for parcel information revisions (ownership changes, updated property characteristics, etc.) to appear in iMAP and Parcel Viewer?

The Assessor's office revises parcel information about once per month. Parcel Viewer and iMAP do not link directly to live data from Assessments, but rather to a monthly snapshot of that data. Thus it could take up to two months for a revision to appear in iMAP and Parcel Viewer (if, in the most extreme case, a revision to the Assessor's data that had been pending for a month, did not go into effect until just after the monthly iMAP and Parcel Viewer update).

Property Tax Assessments

How is assessed value calculated?

Check out the Real Property Assessments page on the Department of Assessments Web site.

How do I appeal my assessment?

Please use the Value Disputes page on the Department of Assessments Web site to get started on an appeal.

What is the Noxious Weed Assessment that appears on my property tax statement?

In 1998 the Metropolitan King County Council authorized the first small special assessment on each property tax bill to fund the weed control program. The council passed Ordinance No. 14263 in November of 2001 authorizing a special assessment of $1.50 plus $0.09 per acre per year for each property parcel.

As authorized by state law, more than sixteen Washington counties now have noxious weed assessments on their property tax bills so weed programs can have a dedicated source of funding.

For more information, visit the Noxious Weed Control Program page on the Department of Natural Resources and Parks Web site.

Where can I find answers to questions about property taxes that aren’t addressed here?

The Department of Assessments maintains a Common Questions page on their Web site.

The King County Finance and Business Operations Division offers a Property Tax Information System, including a Frequently Asked Questions About Property Taxes page.

Maps and Surveys

Can I see an official plat map online?

No, but you can see unofficial ones. If you access a property report via iMAP or Parcel Viewer, at the bottom of the report page you will see a King County Recorder's Office link that you can click to retrieve a list of any scanned images, including maps, that exist for the quarter-section in which the property is located. You’ll have to look through the list to see if there are any records that correspond to the parcel you're researching.

Images and data that were created before 1991 are not likely to be online and must be requested in person or by mail. Call the Recorder’s Office at (206) 296-1570 for more information.

You can also try King County Roadways Map and Records Center Services (scroll down to “Plat Maps" on that page).

Where can I get an unofficial map of my parcel?

The Department of Assessments offers both digital and paper copies of quarter-section parcel maps. Most of the county is mapped in this format by square quarter-mile at a scale of 1" to 100'.

• Digital quarter-section maps are available in PDF format through the Department of Assessments searchable eMap web page (search by township, range, and quarter-section; by city name and levy code; or by map revision dates).
  The Assessor can also provide a CD containing all the quarter-section maps for a fee.
• Paper quarter-section maps can be purchased for a modest fee. To obtain a paper quarter-section map you can stop by the Department of Assessments, located on the 7th floor of the King County Administration Building at 500 Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle or call, (206) 296-7300 to have a map mailed to you. Choose option 4 from the automated menu and stay on the line.

Limitations:

The maps include parcel boundary bearing and distance measurements. However, these are the short-form legal survey values, which may not scale precisely on the maps. The values are suitable for doing landscaping work, for example, but should not be used for such activities as permitting or building a fence along a property line. They can be used to help find the survey markers that define the true property corners, but if you can't find the markers you’ll need to hire a survey firm to do the work for you as part of the project before you build or change anything on or near the property line.

Department of Assessments Fees for Paper Maps:

As of December 19, 2005, Assessor's services/copying fees are as follows:
(this is information that we received from the Assessor's Office, and is subject to change without notice. The stated policies and prices from Assessor's Office take precedence, and information on this page cannot be used to demand a reduction in price from them).

**No copies of faxes will be sent until appropriate fee is received in the Assessor's office.

Are specific survey measurements available online?

Sorry, no. Your best bet is a quarter-section map (see the previous question).

Can you recommend a certified surveyor?

We cannot recommend commercial firms for services or products.

General Content (not specifically property related)

Aerial Photos (available in iMAP only)

Why are the aerial photos so light or difficult to see?

If your map display contains a solid area fill color as one of the symbols on a layer that is above the aerial photo layer, that color will block or screen the aerial photo image. Try turning off layers that appear to have such a fill color and hit the refresh map button.

Why is the aerial photo image fuzzy?

A digital photograph, such as any of the aerial photographs in iMAP, is composed of a grid of squares of various colors and shades. Each of these squares is called a pixel. The smaller the squares (pixels), the more detail the photograph can show. For example, the Emerge 2000 photos have a 2-foot resolution, which means that each pixel in the image represents a 2-foot square (an area of 4 square feet) on the ground. If your house were to measure 40 by 30 feet on the ground, it's size in an Emerge photo would be 20 by 15 pixels. That’s not very much. And, since the pixel resolution of the aerial photos is fixed, when you zoom in beyond that resolution, you won't see more detail, just bigger squares.

To illustrate, the image below depicts a famous historical figure in a 16-by-16-pixel area. Can you tell who it is? Assume that this image is already at the maximum available resolution. Now hover your mouse over the picture to simulate a 5x enlargement. Doesn't really help, does it? The picture gets bigger but the resolution isn't any better. Now click and hold on the image to see what you're missing.

Ultimately, all of the aerial photo images you see in iMAP will be limited in resolution by such factors as equipment specifications and the cost of acquisition and processing. Chances are you'll be able to see your house in iMAP, but don't expect to be able to pick out the shingles on the roof, or Abraham Lincoln in your back yard.

Can you send me current aerial photos in hard-copy or electronic format?

Our license agreements do not allow us to redistribute our aerial photos.

Other Content

Why can’t I see [name a data layer]? Are you going to add this layer?

Some layers haven't been captured as part of our GIS yet. Others are restricted from display due to licensing agreements with the data suppliers.