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Comply with parcel map and address updates requirements from State 911

Read about how municipalities can comply with State 911's request for data updates.

On February 13, 2018, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) notified all communities of new requirements for funding under the State 911 Department Support and Incentive Grants. The EOPSS requirements concern annual updates to MassGIS of standardized assessor parcel mapping and of new or changed addresses. Both requirements are directly related to MassGIS’ ability to maintain the data and mapping on which the Next Generation 911 system depends. In determining compliance with these requirements, what MassGIS primarily seeks from communities is a good faith effort to comply. Here are more details on both these requirements.

Address updating

To ensure the most up-to-date information is available for routing their residents 911 calls, communities should notify MassGIS of new or changed addresses as soon as they have been approved. The options for notifying MassGIS of address changes are described here. Compliance with Public Safety’s requirement means that, at a minimum MassGIS must receive two notification per year from each community, even if its only to notify MassGIS that there are no changes. It is important that this responsibility be undertaken and memorialized for any subsequent staff as an ongoing duty.

Parcel Mapping Update

In exchange for state funding, 244 communities have already voluntarily committed to maintaining standardized parcel mapping at Level 3 of the MassGIS Standard. The remaining communities have indicated they can provide updated parcel mapping that complies with the standard or have indicated they can achieve that goal with MassGIS technical assistance. Parcel map maintenance in 75% (260) of the state’s cities and towns is contracted to private companies or to regional planning agencies. ALL of them have experience creating and updating parcel mapping so that it complies with Level 3 of the MassGIS Parcel Standard. Communities receiving services from these organizations should consult with them about this requirement. Many municipal GIS employees are also familiar with Level 3 of the standard and 50 of them have recently received training in maintaining parcel mapping that complies with the MassGIS standard.

Most municipalities update their mapping in the first half of a given calendar year. So, for example, in the first half of calendar 2023, communities are completing their FY2023 map updates. If these updates comply with the MassGIS standard and are submitted to MassGIS via our online portal for that purpose, then a community will be all set for the FY 2024 911 grant application. Basically, if MassGIS receives a standards-compliant update sometime in a calendar year from a community, it will be considered eligible to apply for the 911 grant funding in the spring of the following calendar year. MassGIS will complete a review each October of the status of all communities. If we have not received an update we’ll contact the community.

Communities that do not update their maps in a specific year must instead provide MassGIS with the standard “MassGIS Extract” from the assessing database. This extract is available where assessors can find other standard extracts. Customer service representatives from the assessing software vendors are familiar with this extract and can assist in its production.

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