Description: The Montana Cadastral Database is comprised of taxable parcels (fee land) and public land (exempt property). It is not broken down into individual lots, for instance lots 4 & 5, Forest Grove Subdivision may comprise one taxable parcel and the Lot line between lots 4 & 5 is not contained in this database. The database encompasses all the area within Montana. At this time, the Data is in an ArcSde/Oracle geodatabase. Each county is available for download as a single ArcGIS personal geodatabase or shapefile. The data is maintained by the MT Department of Revenue (DOR) or in cases of Silver Bow, Cascade, Missoula, Lake, Flathead and Yellowstone counties that are maintained by the individual counties. The data is integrated by Montana State Library Geographic Information Services staff. Each parcel contains an attribute called ParcelID (geocode) that is the parcel identifier. It relates to the geocode in the DOR's Orion database (Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal data - CAMA). Most of the ancillary attribute information is held in this database. Information such as owner name, legal description, and appraised value as well as structural and agricultural data are available within CAMA. SQL Server Express 2000 R2 database files of individual county CAMA data are available for download at the project website listed above. In addition, a SQL Server Express database of selected attributes is available for the entire state. Parcel data is built upon the USDI Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB). The GCDB is a complex measurement management system that uses a least squares adjustment of existing survey data to come up with a digital representation of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). For more information on GCDB you should proceed to the Montana/North Dakota BLM website at http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/res/public_room/cadastral_survey/gcdb.html. Accuracy varies between townships and it is important to note that the accuracy of the parcel data can't be any more accurate than the GCDB.
Copyright Text: These data are made possible by a public/private partnership including the BLM, several state agencies, local governments, Montan Power Co. Montana/Dakota Utilities, and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad. The Montana State Library Geographic Information Services provides project management and oversight. Most data are being maintained by staff of the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR)