Frequently Asked Questions

Geographic Information System - Frequently Asked Questions

What is a GPIN?
Where can I find help for using GIS mapping? 
How often do you update your database and map layers? 
What is the minimum system requirement to be able to interact with the City’s GIS system?
What internet browsers does the GIS system support? 
When searching for an address, I cannot find my street name on the drop down menu. Why? 
When I ‘Zoom In’ and ‘Zoom Out’ on the maps, I noticed some map features appear and some map features disappear. Why?
How can I get a copy of a tax map? 
How can I get a copy of my deed or plat? 
I’m getting ready to build a house. How do I get an address? 
How can I view Aerial Images or topography in my map? 
How do I print a map? 
What is TAZ? 
What is RPA? 
What is the Riparian Easement?
Where should I go to locate information about FRED Transit?

What is a GPIN?

GPIN is an acronym for Geographic Parcel Identification Number. It is a unique number, composed of the X and Y coordinates of the center of a parcel, resulting in a 15 digit text value for each parcel, including condominiums, which distinctively identifies each parcel. The following is a schematic depicting the format for City of Fredericksburg GPINs: In September, 2012, the City switched from using Tax Map ID to GPIN for the primary parcel identification number.

Where can I find help for using GIS mapping?

The help button at the top of the map screen will provide you with an interactive guide for how to use the GIS system.

GIS website Help button screen shot

How often do you update your database and map layers?

Tax Map and Road Centerline layers are updated monthly and all other layers are updated as new information becomes available.

What is the minimum system requirement to be able to interact with the City's GIS system?

The GIS system is best viewed with a resolution of 1280 by 1024

High-Speed Broadband is recommended, slow internet connections (dial-up, some DSL etc..) may result in slow map loading, panning, and response time.

Adobe Reader is suggested to open a PDF exported map. A link is provided to obtain Adobe Reader on the bottom of the left hand menu.

What internet browsers does the GIS system support?

Internet Explorer 6 and higher (recommended) Firefox 2.5 and higher

Safari 2.5 and higher

Opera 1 and higher

Google Chrome 1 and higher

When searching for an address, I cannot find my street name on the drop down menu. Why?

You may not be searching for a 'City of Fredericksburg' street. Please see the 'Am I A City Resident?' section and verify that you are in fact looking for a City address. If you continue to experience difficulty, please E-mail our GIS Team.

When I 'Zoom In' and 'Zoom Out' on the maps, I noticed some map features appear and some map features disappear. Why?

Many of the map features on the City's GIS are scale dependent so that only the information appropriate for that map scale are exhibited or conveyed. Address points, for example, are numerous and if they were all displayed at the same time on a map showing the whole city in the view, the numbers would overlap each other and be unreadable. Instead, as we zoom closer to an area, we are only looking at a small subset of the address points and each address number is more readable.

How can I get a copy of a tax map?

You can print a copy of your tax map on line from FredGIS (see 'How do I print a map'). If you would prefer for us to print a hard copy for you, please click here for our fee schedule or E-mail the GIS Team.

How can I get a copy of my deed or plat?

You can find a copy of your deed or plat by visiting the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

I'm getting ready to build a house. How do I get an address?

Street names are proposed by the developers and submitted to Building and Development Services. Building and Development Services then forwards the proposed street names to other City departments for review. Once the proposed names are reviewed, they will be approved by the Director of Building and Development Services. Street addresses are required before any building permits can be issued. When you apply for your building permit, your address will be assigned at that time. You will need to know your lot number and the general location of your property to apply for your permit and get your address.

How can I view Aerial Images or topography in my map?

In the upper right hand corner of the map view there is a drop down menu to choose the foundation layers available. Simply scroll to the foundation layer you wish to see and click your selection.

screen shot showing where to change Map Foundation Layer

How do I print a map?

Find the area of the map you are interested in printing. Click on the 'Export' tab.

Screen shot showing the export button used to Print A Map

Choose the file format you wish to use in the menu on the left hand side of the screen and click on the 'Export' button.

Screen shot showing the options available to export a map in GIS

Click on 'View Exported Map'

Screen shot showing the view exported map button

A new window will pop up showing your new printable map and you can then either save or print your map from your computer.

Screen shot showing the Internet Explorer print button

What is TAZ?

TAZ stands for Traffic Analysis Zone. A traffic analysis zone is the element of geography most frequently used in conventional transportation planning models.

What is RPA?

RPA stands for Resource Protection Area. RPAs are the corridors of environmentally sensitive lands that lie alongside or near the shorelines of streams, rivers and other waterways. In their natural condition, RPAs protect water quality, filter pollutants, reduce the amount of storm water runoff, prevent erosion, and perform many other important biological and ecological functions.

Examples of RPAs include tidal wetlands, tidal shores, perennial streams, non-tidal wetlands (associated with perennial streams) and a 100- foot wide buffer area adjacent to and landward of these RPA features.

What is the Riparian Easement?

Riparian areas, or those areas adjoining waterways, serve many ecological functions when left in their natural wooded state. These functions include in-stream and upland wildlife habitat, flood control, stream bank erosion control, and water quality protection. Riparian forests are the last line of defense for water quality protection by filtering runoff and groundwater before it enters streams. Therefore, riparian forest protection can be a useful tool for achieving goals of watershed protection plans. One way to ensure that existing, and newly created, riparian forest buffer areas are protected well into the future is through the dedication of conservation easements. Conservation easements are legal agreements between a landowner and a public body or conservation group, in which the parties agree to protect certain natural resource qualities of the land. Riparian Easements are a specific type of conservation easement that applies only to streamside (riparian) areas, and are dedicated for the purpose of protecting streamside habitats, floodplains and/or water quality.

Where should I go to locate information about FRED Transit?

That would depend on what information you are looking for. Maps of FRED routes can be viewed on two websites.

To map FRED routes, download schedules, find the routes closest to your origins and destinations, and obtain information about fares, policies, service delays or disruptions and other information on the FRED happenings, visit the FRED Transit website.

To view FRED stops and routes in relation to City of Fredericksburg specific data such as planning information, Streets and Addresses, Trails, Neighborhoods and Parks, and to be able to export and print this information, please visit the City of Fredericksburg's GIS website.