Maps and plats play a huge part in how a municipality is laid out, zoned, developed, and built. Maps assist in navigation of the municipality, while plats establish the boundaries. Because these record types can seem similar, it is sometimes difficult for local government employees to identify an appropriate retention series on the Local Government Retention Schedules for the map or plat they’re trying to classify.

In this post we will consider several types of maps and plats and their associated retention series on the local government schedules. There are many different types of maps (e.g., weather, topographic, road, globes) and plats (e.g., consolidation, vacating, preliminary, amending). For the purpose of this post, we will focus on four types of maps and plats that appear on the Local Government Retention Schedules: zoning, tax, utility, and cemetery.

Maps vs. Plats

Maps are a source of information that have been available for centuries. They are geographic representations, drawn to scale, of an area of the earth (Britannica.com) that is known to the cartographer. At their most basic level, maps are a general representation of geographic areas that show data, including roads, bodies of water, landmarks, and special zones. Whether it is the early navigation maps charting a coastline, the hard-to-refold gas station maps, or the GPS on our smartphones, maps have been an invaluable resource to humans.

Plats are the younger siblings of maps. Per Black’s Law Dictionary (9th ed. pg. 1286), the term “plat” can refer to a “small piece of land” or “a map describing a piece of land and its features, such as boundaries, lots, roads, and easements.” Plats are legal documents required for any subdivision of land zoned for development to make sure developments comply with zoning ordinances and to set up property boundaries. Governmental bodies, depending on their local rules, may use plats if the property is undeveloped land or is slated to be subdivided for development. Plats are used by surveyors, local governments, real estate agents, attorneys, property developers, and historical researchers, for instance.

Throughout this post, there will be references to different local retention schedules that cover various types of maps and plats. Here is an example of a record series of maps and plats in local Schedule CC (County Clerks).

CC1825-04	MAPS AND PLATS	Maps of county lands and rights of way, plats and profiles of surveys, and all other maps and plats used or created by the county surveyor.
CC1825-04a	MAPS AND PLATS	Plats and maps that are recorded in the Survey Record (Record Field Notes) [CC1825-06] or the Plat Record [CC1275-17].	AV
CC1825-04b	MAPS AND PLATS	Plats and maps that are not recorded in the Survey Record [CC1825-06] or the Plat Record [CC1275-17].	PERMANENT

Four Types of Maps and Plats

Type One: Zoning

Zoning maps are a visual guide outlining different types of zoning districts within a municipality based in zoning ordinances such as permitted use zones (e.g., residential or commercial) and special use zones (e.g., historical). They help to frame communities as well as influence property values, determine zones (e.g., residential, commercial, green), environmental considerations, and public spaces.

Zoning plats are legally required in many local municipalities to establish legal property boundaries, surveyed property ownership, subdivisions of land into specific lots, and land use regulations for municipalities. They help land and property owners (commercial, governmental, residential) by proving their property boundaries in case of any disputes, desired improvements, or to assist in selling of the property. Plats are also necessary to plot out public infrastructure projects such as utilities and new public buildings.

Here is an example of a record series of zoning maps and plats in local Schedule PW (Public Works and Other Government Services).

*PW5225-02

ZONING MAPS AND PLATS

PERMANENT

Type Two: Tax

Tax maps allow Central Appraisal Districts (CADs) to study and appraise similar properties in a specific geographical locality to identify, determine, and assess properties at as equal a tax rate as possible. Geographic Information System (GIS) maps are also used to study different characteristics that affect the value of different properties (e.g., road access, utilities, parks, flood plains, etc.).

Tax plats are used by CADs to verify geographical information used to appraise taxable property, both developed and undeveloped. The finalized plats show how larger tracts of land are divided into smaller parcels. Plats also help the CADs verify area boundaries of specific lots and their proximity to roadways and easements.

Below is an example of a record series of tax maps and plats in local Schedule TX (Property Taxation).

TX2975-20a	TAX MAPS AND PLATS	Appraisal district (1) Final set of maps or plats for each year reflecting all property appraised in a county that appears on the final certified appraisal roll for the county. (2) Any preliminary maps or plats used to create the maps or plats described in (1).	PERMANENT AV
TX2975-20b	TAX MAPS AND PLATS	Taxing units in a county prior to the creation of the county’s tax appraisal district. (1) Final set of maps or plats for each year reflecting all property appraised and assessed in the taxing unit that appears on the final certified assessment roll for the taxing unit. (2) Any preliminary maps or plats used to create the maps or plats described in (1).	PERMANENT AV

Type Three: Utility

Utility maps are used to determine the locations of utilities (e.g., water mains, sewer lines) before construction or excavation to prevent any damage that could interrupt service and ensure the safety of the public. They are also used to map load zones (e.g., electrical, water, phone, roadways) to track congestion, demand, and zoning as well as being essential for planning, avoiding expensive damage, and maintaining critical infrastructure across the state.

Utility Plats are legally required in many local jurisdictions to guarantee compliance with local and state regulations for drainage, easements, street/road access, and utilities. Local governments will use plats for planning public infrastructure such as roads, trash and recycling services, water and sewer services, and electricity. Plats are also used by utility companies to establish location of and access to electrical, water, and sewer infrastructure for Certificates of Convenience and Necessity.

Here is an example of a record series of tax maps and plats in local Schedule UT (Utility Services).

UT5000-10	MAPS AND PLATS	Maps and plats of local government-owned utility systems showing service areas, facilities, and infrastructure.
UT5000-10a	MAPS AND PLATS	Landfills.	PERMANENT.
UT5000-10b	MAPS AND PLATS	All other utilities.	US.	Retention Note: review before disposal; some maps may merit PERMANENT retention for historical reasons.

Type Four: Cemetery

Cemetery maps not only pinpoint for visitors and researchers the locations of certain graves, but also monuments and vaults, as well as other landmarks in a cemetery. Cemetery directors use maps to oversee inventory and manage the operations of the cemetery. Historians, local governments, and property owners can use these maps for research, preservation, and location of lost gravesites.

Cemetery plat maps are legally required in many local jurisdictions to determine how cemetery property is subdivided and the number of plots in each section. They are also vital to the day-to-day procedures of a cemetery in that plat maps help to prevent mistakes like double-booking a plot or mistakes in inventory (where they work with maps as additional corroboration).

For further information on cemetery maps and plats, take a look at The Texas Record’s post on cemetery records.

For cemetery records, you will look at local Schedule PW for retention of Cemetery Plats and Maps.

PW5675-04

CEMETERY PLATS AND MAPS

Maps, plats, or similar records showing the location of all graves and gravesites in the cemetery.

PERMANENT

In Conclusion…

Maps and plats are important to our day-to-day lives, whether we realize it or not. Infrastructure, homes, taxes, and even at the end of our lives, these documents help us to understand how our communities are planned, built, and supported. Maps and plats are also vital to families researching their genealogy, historians and archaeologists for historical research as well as preservation of historic buildings and sites within a municipality.

So, next time you look over a map deciding where to go on your next road trip or studying a plat when you want to figure out a property line, appreciate these lines and shapes and how they help to influence how we see our communities.