Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) 

Respondent Guide: Paper

Instructions for Participating in the 2018 Boundary and Annexation Survey

Revised as of November 30, 2017

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economic and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

census.gov
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Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper

Table of Contents

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement .............................................................................iv

Introduction .........................................................................................................................v

A. The Boundary and Annexation Survey .............................................................................v

B. What’s New for the 2018 BAS?.......................................................................................v

C. Key Dates for BAS Respondents.....................................................................................v

D. BAS State Agreements................................................................................................. vi

E. Legal Disputes ............................................................................................................ vi

F. Respondent Guide Organization .................................................................................... vi

Part 1: Completing the BAS Forms...............................................................................1

1.1 Forms Included in the BAS Package............................................................................... 1

1.2 Name or Type Changes................................................................................................ 1

1.3 Contact information...................................................................................................... 1

1.4 Legal Boundary Changes.............................................................................................. 1

1.5 Other Changes............................................................................................................ 1

Part 2: Reviewing and Updating the BAS Maps ..........................................................2

2.1 Maps Included in the BAS package ................................................................................ 2

2.2 Requesting Additional Maps .......................................................................................... 2

2.3 General Guidelines for Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps ............................................... 2

2.4 Census Bureau Geocoding............................................................................................ 3

2.5 Legal Boundary Changes.............................................................................................. 5

Part 3: Delineating New Tribal Subdivisions .............................................................10

3.1 Tribal Subdivision Program Procedures..........................................................................10

3.2 Updating Existing Tribal Subdivisions.............................................................................10

3.3 Tribal Subdivision Documentation..................................................................................11

3.4 Feature Modifications ..................................................................................................11

3.5 Modifying Locations of Streets ......................................................................................11

3.6 Annotating Address Range...........................................................................................15

3.7 Point Landmarks.........................................................................................................16

3.8 Area Landmarks .........................................................................................................16

3.9 Geographic Corridors and Offsets .................................................................................17

3.10 County Review and Consolidations................................................................................20

3.11 Public Land Survey System..........................................................................................21

3.12 New Incorporations .....................................................................................................21

3.13 Disincorporations........................................................................................................21

Part 4: Signing Updated Maps and Returning BAS Materials ................................22

Appendices........................................................................................................................23

Appendix A Additional Documentation of Changes Forms ..............................................A-1

A1 Places ................................................................................................................... A-1

A2 Counties and Equivalent Areas .................................................................................. A-2

A3 Minor Civil Divisions .................................................................................................. A-3

A4 Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land............................................................... A-4

Appendix B MTFCC Descriptions...................................................................................B-1

Appendix C Reading A Map.......................................................................................... C-1

C1 Scales ................................................................................................................... C-1

C2 Compass Rose......................................................................................................... C-2

C3 Legend ................................................................................................................... C-2

C4 Index Maps.............................................................................................................. C-3

C5 Inset Maps............................................................................................................... C-4

C6 Parent Maps ............................................................................................................ C-5
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Shared Boundary .................................................................................................... 2

Figure 2. MSP Method of Geocoding ............................................................................................ 3

Figure 3. Address Range Method of Geocoding.............................................................................. 4

Figure 4. Correctly Annotating a Legal Boundary Change ................................................................ 5

Figure 5. Correctly Annotating an AIA Trust Land............................................................................ 6

Figure 6. Annotating a Legal Boundary Change.............................................................................. 7

Figure 7. Annotating a Legal Change to an Incorporated Place......................................................... 7

Figure 8. Annotating a Boundary Correction to an Incorporated Place Boundary.................................. 8

Figure 9. Recording New Tribal Subdivision Information..................................................................10

Figure 10. Modifying a Street Feature No Boundary Movement........................................................11

Figure 11. Modifying a Street Feature with Boundary Movement......................................................12

Figure 12. Adding an MTFCC Code When Adding a New Street ......................................................12

Figure 13. Correcting a Street Name............................................................................................13

Figure 14. Adding Street Name Features in a Congested Area When Deleting Streets ........................13

Figure 15. Deleting a Street Feature ............................................................................................14

Figure 16. Adding Unnamed Road Features .................................................................................14

Figure 17. Adding Cul-de-sac and Circle Features .........................................................................15

Figure 18. Adding Street Feature/Annotating with Name and Address Breaks ....................................15

Figure 19. Adding a Point Landmark ............................................................................................16

Figure 20. Adding an Area Landmark...........................................................................................17

Figure 21. Geographic Offset and Geographic Corridor...................................................................17

Figure 22. Where the Right-of-way Belongs in the Unincorporated Area............................................18

Figure 23. Housing Units in the Unincorporated Area......................................................................18

Figure 24. Indicating a Geographic Corridor by Using a Red Pencil ..................................................19

Figure 25. The Place Boundary is Along the Front Lot Line..............................................................20

Figure 26. The Place Boundary is on the Rear Lot Line...................................................................20

Figure 27. Depicting a Geographic Offset on a Paper Submission....................................................20

Figure 28. BAS Paper Map Signature Box ....................................................................................22

Figure 29. Bar Scale............................................................................................................... C-1

Figure 30. Large Scale Map..................................................................................................... C-1

Figure 31. Compass Rose....................................................................................................... C-2

Figure 32. Legend Describing What Each Symbol Means ............................................................. C-2

Figure 33. Map Depicting Multiple Features Concurrently.............................................................. C-3

Figure 34. Index Map.............................................................................................................. C-4

Figure 35. An Inset Map as it is Displayed on the Index Map ......................................................... C-5

Figure 36. Inset Maps............................................... ............................................................. C-5

Figure 37. The Parent Map......................................... ............................................................ C-6

Figure 38. The Key to Adjacent Sheets ...................................................................................... C-6

Figure 39. The Sheet Location within Entity key........................................................................... C-7
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page iv

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for 

failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a current valid Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number. This collection is voluntary. The authority for 

conducting this collection comes from Title 13 Unites States Code (U.S.C.), Section 6

Paperwork Reduction Act.

The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0607-0151. Public reporting for this 

collection of information is estimated to be approximately 2 hours per response, including the 

time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden 

should be directed to:

Paperwork Reduction 0607-0151

United States Census Bureau

4600 Silver Hill Road, Room 4H177

Washington, DC 20233

The Census Bureau issued a Federal Register Notice to revise its confidentiality pledge 

language to address the new cybersecurity screening requirements:

Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from 

cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page v

INTRODUCTION

A. The Boundary and Annexation Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau) conducts an annual survey called the Boundary and 

Annexation Survey (BAS) to collect information about selected legally defined geographic areas, 

such as counties (and equivalent areas), incorporated places, minor civil divisions (MCDs), 

federally recognized American Indian Areas (AIAs) — including reservations, off-reservation 

trust lands and tribal subdivisions, Hawaiian Homelands, and Alaska Native Regional 

Corporations (ANRC). BAS also provides an opportunity for participants to review the names 

and geographic relationships for these areas. Title 13, U.S.C., Section 6, authorizes this survey.

The Census Bureau uses the boundary information collected during the BAS to tabulate data for 

the decennial and economic censuses, and to support the Population Estimates Program (PEP) 

and the American Community Survey (ACS). Maintaining correct boundaries and boundary-tofeature relationships through the BAS helps ensure that the Census Bureau assigns the 

appropriate population to each governmental unit (GU).

In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16, the BAS supports the 

Census Bureau’s spatial data steward responsibilities for the Federal Geographic Data 

Committee (FGDC) and the Geospatial One-Stop by updating the inventory and boundaries of 

GUs.

In addition, the BAS is the source of up-to-date information on changes to the boundaries, 

codes and names of incorporated places, MCDs, counties (and equivalent areas), Hawaiian 

Homelands, ANRC, and federally recognized AIAs, which include reservations and offreservation trust lands used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), the National Map, and the 

Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

Please visit the BAS program Web site at <https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/bas.html>.

For more information on the BAS, please view the “Introduction to BAS” video series on the 

Census Bureau’s BAS Web site at <https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/bas/library/videos/bas-intro.html>

B. What’s New forthe 2018 BAS?

1. The Geographic Partnership Support Desk (GPSD) is now fully functional and available 

to assist with any questions respondents may have regarding BAS.

2. Redistricting data contacts participating in the Voting District Project (VTD) may submit 

boundary updates for reconciliation with BAS contacts.

C. Key Dates for BAS Respondents

January 1, 2018 — All boundary changes must be legally in effect on or before this date to be 

reported in the 2018 BAS.

March 1, 2018 — BAS submission date deadline for boundary updates to be reflected in the 

ACS and PEP published data. Boundary submissions received by this date are also reflected in 

next year’s BAS materials.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page vi

May 31, 2018 — BAS boundary updates submitted by this date will be reflected in next year’s 

BAS materials. 

D. BAS State Agreements

The Census Bureau has established a number of agreements with states for reporting boundary 

changes. Please visit the BAS State Agreements webpage within the BAS program Web site at 

<https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/bas/information/state-agreements.html> or call 

(800) 972-5651 for information regarding state agreements.

Note: The Census Bureau can only establish BAS state agreements for states that require local 

governments to report boundary changes to a state agency.

E. Legal Disputes

If the Census Bureau discovers that an area of land is in dispute between two or more 

jurisdictions, the Census Bureau will not make any boundary corrections until the parties come 

to a written agreement, or there is a documented final court decision regarding the dispute. 

If you have questions concerning this, please contact the Census Bureau Legal Office at 

301-763-9844.

For disputes involving tribal areas, the Census Bureau must defer to the Office of the Solicitor at 

the Department of the Interior for a legal opinion. Often complicated land issues require an 

extended period of time for resolution, and in those cases, the Census Bureau will retain the 

current boundary in the database until a legal opinion is issued by the Solicitor’s office.

F. Respondent Guide Organization

This guide has been created for those who choose to participate in the survey using paper 

maps.

This guide contains four parts:

Part 1: Provides an Overview of BAS. It specifies the:

 Forms used to verify legal names, status, contact information, and previous legal boundary 

changes for BAS;

 BAS-1 for Incorporated Places

 BAS-2 for Counties and Equivalent Areas

 BAS-3 for Minor Civil Divisions (MCD)

 BAS-5 for American Indian Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land

Part 2: Provides Information on Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps:

 Request Additional Maps

 Guidelines for Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps;

 Census Bureau Geocoding;

 Legal Boundary Changes (How to Draw, Changes Involving Coincident Features, Boundary 

Corrections; Tribal Subdivisions)
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page vii

Part 3: Describes the Procedures for Delineating New Tribal Subdivisions:

 Tribal Subdivision Program Procedures;

 Updating Existing Tribal Subdivisions;

 Tribal Subdivision Documentation;

 Feature Modifications;

 Modify Locations of Streets (Adding, Deleting, Naming);

 Correcting Street Names;

 Annotating Address Range (Adding Address Ranges);

 Point Landmarks and Area Landmarks;

 Geographic Corridors and Offsets;

 County Review and Consolidations;

 Public Land Survey System;

 New Incorporations; and

 Disincorporations

Part 4: Describes the Procedures for Returning BAS Materials
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 1

PART 1: COMPLETING THE BAS FORMS

1.1 Forms Included in the BAS Package

The forms in the BAS package should be used to verify legal names, legal status, contact 

information, previous legal boundary changes submitted to the Census Bureau, and to 

document any recent or missing legal boundary changes. There are four types of forms:

1. BAS-1 for Incorporated Places

2. BAS-2 for Counties and Equivalent Areas

3. BAS-3 for Minor Civil Divisions (MCD)

4. BAS-5 for American Indian Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land

1.2 Name or Type Changes

Please verify that the legal names and legal status of the GU or AIA are accurate. Make any 

necessary corrections by crossing out the error and clearly printing the correct information. 

Provide an effective date for name, type, or status changes. County participants should verify 

the list of active and inactive entities within their counties.

1.3 Contact Information

Please verify that the Census Bureau has the most recent BAS, HEO, or TC contact information 

for the GU or AIA. Fill in any missing or incorrect information, especially blank e-mails. If the 

primary address of the BAS contact, HEO, or TC is a PO Box, provide the Census Bureau with 

a physical address that can be used for the delivery of maps. Contact changes or updates may 

also be provided to the Census Bureau throughout the year by e-mail to geo.bas@census.gov.

1.4 Legal Boundary Changes

Please record all legal boundary changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS 

form. Include legal boundary changes that occurred prior to January 1 of the current survey 

year if they do not appear on the current BAS maps. Please include legal authorization, such as 

a local ordinance or resolution number, and the effective date of the legal action. If additional 

pages are needed to record legal changes, a copy of the Documentation of Changes is provided 

in the appendix.

1.5 Other Changes

Please indicate if there are any boundary corrections or feature updates that need to be made 

on the BAS maps. This will assist the Census Bureau in identifying and accounting for any 

updates made to the maps.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 2

PART 2: REVIEWING AND UPDATING THE BAS MAPS

2.1 Maps Included in the BAS package

The Census Bureau mails an index map showing the entire GU or AIA, along with more detailed 

individual map sheets. Index maps are provided as a reference to help locate a map sheet. GUs 

and AIAs with more than 30 map sheets receive only an index map and the map sheets that 

show the legal boundary. Entities that require more than 30 boundary ring map sheets receive 

only the index map.

2.2 Requesting Additional Maps

If you only received an index map for a county, incorporated place, MCD, or AIA where 

boundary changes or feature updates need to be made, call (800) 972-5651 or e-mail 

geo.bas@census.gov to request an individual map sheet or a full set of maps. Do not make 

updates on the index map.

2.3 General Guidelines for Reviewing and Updating BAS Maps

1. Colored pencils are provided in the package. The red pencil should be used to indicate 

legal boundary changes and non-legal boundary corrections for all counties, places, 

MCDs, and AIAs. The purple pencil should be used to indicate feature changes or 

corrections. The blue pencil should be used by AIAs to add or modify tribal 

subdivisions.

2. Compare the BAS maps to a local source for an entity (e.g., a local plat map, or a 

county assessor’s dataset). Update the map(s) if the boundaries shown do not correctly 

depict the boundaries in effect as of January 1st of the survey year.

3. You may also provide annexations and deannexations from previous years in addition 

to providing updates as of January 1st. However, the Census Bureau does require legal 

documentation when submitting these vintage legal updates.

4. The maps show boundaries for multiple legal and statistical boundaries. If an entity’s 

legal boundaries are coextensive with another boundary, the symbols on the map will 

alternate. In the figure below, the county shares a boundary with an incorporated place 

and Census Designated Place (CDP); therefore, the symbols on the map alternate 

between county, incorporated place, and CDP.

Figure 1. Shared Boundary

The combined line represents a county, incorporated place and 

CDP boundary.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 3

2.4 Census Bureau Geocoding

Geocoding is how the Census Bureau codes population to geographic entities. There are two 

primary methods of geocoding used by the Census Bureau. Both of these involve coding an 

address to a spatial polygon, but one uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, while 

the other uses address ranges.

2.4.1 GPS Physical Location Geocoding

A field worker stands in front of a house or living quarters, and records the physical location with 

a GPS device (Figure 2). Usually, the GPS point should fall very close to the front door of the 

house. However, since this is a field operation, real-world obstacles like locked fences, poor 

satellite reception, or even aggressive dogs might sometimes prevent the worker from gaining 

access to the front door. In these circumstances, the worker may have to take the GPS 

coordinate from the sidewalk or side of the road.

Figure 2. MSP Method of Geocoding

Notice in Figure 2. MSP Method of Geocoding that it is 

occasionally not possible for the field worker to go all the way to the 

front door, due to unforeseen circumstances, like the fence or the 

dog shown above. Thus, the MSP (represented here in Figure 2 by 

the red pins) can sometimes fall within the road or the road right-ofway.

2.4.2 Address Range Geocoding

When no Master Address File (MAF) structure point (MSP) is available, the Census Bureau 

codes houses and living quarters according to a potential range of addresses associated with 

the adjacent stretch of road (Figure 3).
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 4

Figure 3. Address Range Method of Geocoding

When it is not possible to collect an MSP, houses are geocoded 

according to their placement along a range of potential addresses 

along that road. Since the address has a relationship with the road, 

boundaries placed on front lot lines will lead to mis-geocoding 

unless an offset flag is used.

While the two methods of geocoding differ greatly, both rely heavily on the integrated nature of 

the MAF/Topologically Integrated Geographic encoding and Referencing (TIGER) System. The 

representation of streets and boundaries relative to one another impacts these geocoding 

methods. This interdependence between streets, boundaries, and geocoding means that 

Census Bureau representations of legal boundaries occasionally differ from other 

representations (e.g., in local or state GIS). This is especially true regarding geographic 

corridors and offsets that follow road right of ways (or the front lot lines of parcels). In both of the 

examples above, delineating a boundary along the front lot line will tend to increase the risk of 

incorrect geocoding. Using the road centerline as a boundary eliminates these potential errors, 

improving accuracy.

2.4.3 Completing a BAS Submission Using the Centerline of the Road

When completing a BAS submission in which a road or road right-of-way is owned or 

maintained by a place or AIA but the adjacent housing is not, the respondent should use the 

centerline of the road (not the front lot-line) as the boundary whenever possible. If local or state 

law requires the use of the front lot line boundary, the respondent must explicitly designate the 

polygon(s) between the road centerline and the front-lot boundary as a corridor or an offset (see 

Section 3.9 of this document for more details).
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 5

2.5 Legal Boundary Changes

Legal boundary changes are the result of legal actions (e.g., annexations), and documenting 

such changes is the primary goal of the BAS. AIA legal documentation (e.g., statute, federal 

court decision, trust deed) must accompany all AIA legal boundary changes, while legal 

boundary change submissions from incorporated places, MCDs, and counties must provide an 

authorization number, such as a resolution or ordinance number 1.

2.5.1 How to Draw Legal Boundary Changes

The following figures illustrate the correct way to draw legal boundary changes on BAS maps.

 Using the red pencil provided, cross out the portion of the boundary that is no longer current with 

a string of “Xs”.

 Draw the new boundary line(s) ensuring the boundary is closed. 

 Add the ordinance number or other legal identifier of the action authorizing the change, along with 

the effective date of each annexation or de-annexation that is drawn on the map. 

 Record all legal changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form.

Figure 4. Correctly Annotating a Legal Boundary Change

With the red pencil and record the changes in the Documentation of 

Changes section of the BAS form.

 

1 Legal boundary changes from the State of Georgia are the exception: a state statute requires participants to include 

acreage, and the Census requests that the respondent includes an authorization number.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 6

Figure 5. Correctly Annotating an AIA Trust Land

Correctly annotate an AIA trust land and record the change in the 

Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form. The original 

reservation is not deleted and therefore does not require a string of 

X’s.

2.5.2 Boundary Changes Involving Coincident Features

The following figures illustrate how to adjust a boundary that is coincident with 

(i.e., follows exactly) a feature, such as a river or street. In this case, the feature location is 

correct, but the boundary location is incorrect. 

 Using the red pencil, cross out the portion of the boundary that is no longer current using a string 

of “Xs” inside circles. 

 Draw the updated boundary. 

 Add the authorization number or other identifier of the action authorizing the change along with 

the effective date of each addition or deletion.

 Record all legal changes in the Documentation of Changes section of the BAS form.

If both the boundary and feature need to be moved, cross out the incorrect boundary with a 

string of red “Xs” and then draw a red line representing the new location of the boundary and 

road.

Figure 6, Figure 7, and Figure 8 belowillustrate how to make a correction to the boundary 

where an associated feature moves along with the boundary. If these changes are the result of 

an annexation or deannexation, include the authorization number and effective date.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 7

Figure 6. Annotating a Legal Boundary Change

Annotating a legal boundary change coincident with a river feature, 

where the river location does not change, but the boundary does. 

The legal change is also recorded in the Documentation of 

Changes.

Figure 7. Annotating a Legal Change to an Incorporated Place

Annotating a legal change to an incorporated place boundary 

coincident with a road feature, where only the boundary moves to 

the new location. The street feature location is correct, but the 

boundary location is incorrect.

2.5.3 Boundary Corrections

A boundary correction is the adjustment of a boundary to correct an error in how the Census 

Bureau depicts an existing boundary. Boundary corrections should follow the general shape of 

the existing boundary. Legal documentation is not required when submitting a boundary 

correction to the Census Bureau. Boundary corrections also do not need to be reported on the 

BAS form.

Figure 8 illustrates how to complete a boundary correction.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 8

 Using the red pencil, cross out the incorrect boundary with a string of “X”s.

 Add a line showing the correct boundary.

 Print the letters BC inside the change to identify the update as a boundary correction rather than 

a legal change.

Figure 8. Annotating a Boundary Correction to an Incorporated Place Boundary

2.5.4 Tribal Subdivisions

The Census Bureau considers any type of unit of self-government or administration in tribal 

areas as a tribal subdivision. A tribe may submit only one type of subdivision, even if it has 

more than one type of distinct administrative area that could qualify as a tribal subdivision 

(e.g., tribal election districts, tribal water districts, or health service areas with different 

boundaries). The Census Bureau recognizes two types of tribal subdivisions, active (A) or 

inactive (I):

 Active subdivisions are defined as having a functioning government, with elected officials, that 

provides programs and services.

 Inactive subdivisions have no functioning government or elected officials and receive services 

solely from the tribe.

a) Some examples of areas submitted as tribal subdivisions are:

 Areas used by a tribe for the election of tribal government officials (e.g., districts or precincts 

used for the election of tribal council members).

 Areas used by a tribal government for tax purposes.

 Areas used by a tribal government for the provision of general services or specified services, 

such as:

o Water districts;

o Health service areas;

o Emergency service delivery areas (911, fire, and/or police); or

o Grazing districts or range units.

o Historical or traditional areas recognized by a tribal government.

o Sub-reservation tribal community governments.

b) Keep the following criteria in mind when defining tribal subdivisions:

 Tribal subdivisions should cover all, or most, of a tribe’s land base.

 The delineation of tribal subdivisions is restricted to the area contained within reservations 

and/or associated off-reservation trust lands.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 9

 There is no minimum population threshold for a tribal subdivision.

 A tribal subdivision may be noncontiguous.

 Tribes may designate only one type of tribal subdivision. If a tribe has more than one level of 

tribal subdivision within its land base, the Census Bureau recommends delineating 

subdivisions corresponding to the lowest geographic level (those geographic areas 

containing the smallest area) of the tribe’s administrative hierarchy.

 Tribal subdivisions should not be based solely on land ownership or other cadastral areas, 

nor should they consist of divisions based on the U.S. public land survey system of 

townships, ranges, and sections, if these areas have no governmental or administrative 

function for a tribe.

 The following descriptions can be appended to chosen subdivision names (e.g., Red Rock 

Community):

o District.

o Community.

o Area.

o Chapter.

o Segment.

o Administrative Area.

o Addition.

o County District.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 10

PART 3: DELINEATING NEW TRIBAL SUBDIVISIONS

3.1 Tribal Subdivision Program Procedures

If this is the first time that tribal subdivisions are being provided to Census:

 Using the blue pencil, please add the boundaries on the BAS map(s).

Note: If a full set of BAS maps has not been sent, please request them by calling the Census Buraus’s 

BAS team at (800) 972-5651.

 Please note: each tribal subdivision must be labeled on each map sheet with its name (e.g., 

“District 3,” “Arlee District,” “White Rock Chapter,” “Parmelee Community”).

 Record the names, type, and status of each subdivision in the Tribal Names and Status 

Documentation section of the BAS-5 form.

 If a tribal subdivision boundary follows a visible feature such as a stream, road, or fence line, 

please be sure to indicate that on the BAS map. Add the visible feature the boundary follows if it 

is not already shown on the map.

Figure 9. Recording New Tribal Subdivision Information

Depicting a new tribal subdivision and recording the information in 

the Tribal Names and Status Documentation section of the BAS 

form.

3.2 Updating Existing Tribal Subdivisions

If tribal subdivisions were delineated during a prior survey, they are symbolized on the enclosed 

BAS maps by a dashed pentagon-shaped gold line.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 11

Before adding/or revising tribal subdivision boundaries on the enclosed map(s):

 Using the red pencil, please note any changes to the boundary of the land base on the map(s).

 Using the blue pencil, please add and/or revise the boundaries of the tribal subdivisions on the 

enclosed BAS map(s).

Note: The names and types (active or inactive) of tribal subdivisions are listed in the Tribal Names and 

Status Documentation section of the BAS-5 form. This information should be reviewed and 

updated.

3.3 Tribal Subdivision Documentation

New tribal subdivisions and name changes to existing tribal subdivisions require documentation, 

regardless of whether they are being delineated for the first time, or being added to those 

previously reported. This documentation should be in the form of a tribal resolution or a tribal 

constitution. Include a copy of this documentation with your BAS maps and BAS-5 form when 

returning these materials to the Census Bureau.

Corrections to the Census Bureau’s depiction of tribal subdivision boundaries or names do not 

require documentation.

If there are any questions or if additional maps are needed, please contact the Census Bureau’s 

BAS team at the telephone number shown on the enclosed BAS-5 form.

3.4 Feature Modifications

The primary purpose of the BAS is to collect legal boundary information. However, please also 

submit feature (e.g. streets, rivers) updates and modifications occurring near or coincident with 

a legal boundary through the BAS. Feature modifications that are internal to the boundary of an 

incorporated place, county or MCD will be accepted, but are not required as part of the BAS.

3.5 Modifying Locations of Streets

The following figures illustrate how to correct the location of a street feature:

 Using the purple pencil, please cross out the incorrect feature location with “Xs”.

 Please draw the feature in the correct location.

 Please print the name of the feature along the length of the feature (as shown in the Figure 10

and Figure 11).

Figure 10. Modifying a Street Feature No Boundary Movement
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 12

In this example the street location moves, but the boundary does 

not.

Figure 11. Modifying a Street Feature with Boundary Movement

In this example both the street location and the boundary move.

The Census Bureau recently completed a nationwide program to improve the positional 

accuracy of all streets and other features that appear in the Census Bureau’s MAF/TIGER 

System. It is not necessary to make small positional corrections on the BAS maps; correct only 

those streets that are incorrectly located, mislabeled or distorted. Additionally, new streets may 

be added, and nonexistent streets may be deleted.

3.5.1 Adding, Deleting, and Naming Streets

When adding missing streets, new streets, and alternate street names:

 Please use the purple pencil to draw the feature and its name on the map.

 Where possible, please provide the address range for any new streets.

 Please provide the MAF/TIGER Feature Class Code (MTFCC) (Error! Reference source not 

found.) for all new streets (Figure 12).

 Alternate street names may be written in parentheses below the primary street name.

Figure 12. Adding an MTFCC Code When Adding a New Street
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 13

Note: Due to the difficulty of showing multiple names for the same street, only the primary street name is 

shown on BAS maps. Please note that, even though alternate street names are not shown on the 

maps, they do exist in our database. For example, US Hwy 30 may be locally known as Main St., 

but on the BAS map, only US Hwy 30 will be displayed; however, within our MAF/TIGER System, 

both names are listed. If you have reported an alternate street name in the past, you do not have 

to report it to us again.

3.5.2 When Correcting Street Names:

 Using the purple pencil, please draw a line through the incorrect street name.

 Please print the correct street name along the feature. 

Figure 13. Correcting a Street Name.

Note: If an area of the map is too congested to add all feature names, please number each feature and 

list this number and the corresponding feature name in the map margin or in an uncongested spot 

close to the feature’s actual location (Figure 14). Do not repeat numbers on a map sheet.

Figure 14. Adding Street Name Features in a Congested Area When Deleting Streets

Note: Delete street features only if they are nonexistent, or impassable. Do not delete a street because 

the local jurisdiction is not responsible for maintaining it.

 Using the purple pencil, please mark the beginning and end of the base feature to be deleted with 

hatch (//) marks perpendicular to the feature as shown below.

 Cross-out what is to be removed using a string of “Xs”.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 14

Figure 15. Deleting a Street Feature

3.5.3 When Naming Streets:

 Using the purple pencil, please label any unnamed streets on the maps.

o Label any unnamed private roads with PR; and

o Examples of private roads are driveways and unnamed roads in commercial or industrial 

parks.

Figure 16. Adding Unnamed Road Features

3.5.4 Adding a Cul-De-Sac or Circle

When adding a cul-de-sac or circle:

 Using the purple pencil, please draw the feature.

o Cul-de-sacs are entirely paved, and should be drawn as a solid dot; and

o Circles have an area of unpaved ground within them, and should be drawn as an unfilled 

circle.

 Print the name of the associated street leading to the cul-de-sac or circle.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 15

Figure 17. Adding Cul-de-sac and Circle Features

3.6 Annotating Address Range

Addresses are stored in the Census Bureau spatial database as potential address ranges. The 

BAS maps show the break in the potential address range created where a street is bisected by 

a boundary. These address range breaks are shown because it is important that the Census 

Bureau assign the correct addresses to each governmental unit.

Note: Some streets on the BAS maps do not display address breaks due to space considerations.

Add address ranges on both ends of the street only if one of the following circumstances exists:

1. A road where house numbers, street names and/or addresses were added or deleted;

2. A street was added that crosses a boundary; or

3. The address ranges created by a boundary are incorrect on the map. 

3.6.1 When Adding Address Ranges:

Using the purple pencil, please add in the address ranges, providing the lowest and/or highest 

possible addresses where the road intersects a boundary (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Adding Street Feature/Annotating with Name and Address Breaks
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 16

3.7 Point Landmarks

BAS maps display a select number of point landmarks (e.g., mountain peaks). Point landmarks 

can be updated through the BAS, but are not required.

Acceptable point landmark feature updates include mountain peaks or summits, libraries, city 

halls, community centers and police stations. Airports, parks, schools, golf courses, museums, 

and cemeteries may be submitted as point landmarks or area landmarks.

Features that contain residences or private business should not be added as point landmarks or 

area features (e.g. hotels, campgrounds, retirement homes, farms).

The BAS maps also include select point landmarks (e.g. airports, cemeteries, summits) taken 

from USGS topography maps and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. These 

landmarks represent the official federally recognized name and will not be removed or updated 

without USGS verification.

When adding a point landmark:

 Using the purple pencil, place a solid dot at the location of the point landmark.

 Print the name of the landmark next to the dot.

Figure 19. Adding a Point Landmark

3.8 Area Landmarks

The BAS maps display a select number of area landmarks (e.g., lakes). Like point landmarks, 

area features can be updated through the BAS, but are not required.

Acceptable area landmark updates include water bodies, swamps, quarries, national parks or 

forests. Airports, parks, schools, golf courses, museums, and cemeteries may be submitted as 

area landmarks or point landmarks.

Features that contain residences or private business should not be added as point landmarks or 

area features (e.g. hotels, campgrounds, retirement homes, farms).

When adding an area landmark:

 Using the purple pencil, draw the area landmark boundary in the correct location.

 Print the name of the landmark inside or next to the feature.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 17

Figure 20. Adding an Area Landmark

3.9 Geographic Corridors and Offsets

A geographic corridor is an area that only includes road surface and right-of-way and does not 

contain any structures addressed to either side of the street. A geographic offset is an area 

claimed by a geographic entity that is only on one side of a road and does not include structures 

addressed to that side of the road.

Figure 21. Geographic Offset and Geographic Corridor

The image on the left illustrates a geographic offset, designated by 

red diagonal lines. The offset is part of the incorporated place 

(green area). However, the dwelling units are counted outside of 

the incorporated place. The image on the right illustrates a 

geographic corridor (Co Rd, south of Samples Rd) and a 

geographic offset (Co Rd, north of Samples Rd). The geographic 

corridor and offset are both part of the incorporated place (yellow 

area), but dwelling units are not.

3.9.1 Geographic Corridors

Figure 21 shows a corridor that has been created where the incorporated place or AIA owns the 

right-of-way, and wishes for that ownership to be displayed on the Census Bureau’s maps, but 

the housing units are not included in the incorporated place or AIA (shown in color). Without a 

corridor, the housing units along this road would be incorrectly geocoded into the incorporated 

place or AIA. Thus, if it is important to the place or AIA that its ownership and/or maintenance of 

the road and/or its rights-of-way be displayed on Census’ maps, a geographic corridor should 

be created. However, the Census does not require places and AIAs to report rights-of-way: 
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 18

maintaining geographic corridors in a nationwide database is not essential to the mission of the 

Census Bureau and the right-of-way should only be included if it is crucial to the place or AIA, or 

if state or local laws require it.

Figure 22 below shows a case where the right-of-way belongs in the unincorporated area, while 

the housing units in Figure 23 are included in the incorporated place (shown in color). While 

depicting this corridor may be important for local purposes, it is not relevant for Census Bureau 

tabulations because no house can be built in a road right-of-way. This type of corridor should 

not be included in a BAS response.

Please note that the Census Bureau does not require places or AIAs to display rights-of-way or 

road maintenance corridors that do not contain or potentially contain housing or population. If 

local or state law does not require depiction of these geographic features, the Census Bureau 

prefers that they be left off BAS submissions. If it is necessary for the place or AIA to depict 

them, they must be submitted as a geographic corridor.

Figure 22. Where the Right-of-way Belongs in the Unincorporated Area

Figure 23. Housing Units in the Unincorporated Area

Geographic corridors can be provided to the Census Bureau if the centerline representation 

results in addresses being assigned to the wrong entity. However, geographic corridors should 

only be created if the addresses along the street do not belong to your governmental unit. To 

indicate a geographic corridor on your map, use the red pencil to draw a line on each side of the 

road. Mark the beginning and end of each line with perpendicular hatch marks. Write the letters 

“GC” beside each line (Figure 24). To remove a geographic corridor or offset, use the red pencil 

to mark the beginning and end of the corridor or offset with perpendicular hatch marks and write 

“remove GC.”
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 19

Figure 24. Indicating a Geographic Corridor by Using a Red Pencil

To indicate a geographic corridor on your BAS return, use the red 

pencil to draw a line on each side of the road. Mark the beginning 

and end of each line with perpendicular hatch marks. Write the 

letters “GC” beside each line.

3.9.2 Geographic Offsets

The Census Bureau is aware that many governments base their legal boundaries on cadastral 

(parcel-based) right-of-way mapping. The Census Bureau bases their maps on spatial data that 

is topologically integrated. This makes the maintenance of geographic offsets inefficient. 

Delineating an entity boundary on the centerline wherever applicable will help to establish more 

accurate population counts. If a boundary is on the front lot line adjacent to a road on the map, 

the Census Bureau strongly prefers that the boundary be delineated on the road centerline 

already shown on the map. If a boundary is on the rear or side lot line, then it should be 

depicted as such. If it is unclear whether a particular line is a front lot line or something else, 

please contact the BAS team for assistance. Generally, if a house or other building could not 

conceivably be built in the area between the potential line and the centerline of the road, then 

the line can be considered a front lot line.

Figure 25 shows a situation in which the place boundary is along the front lot line. In this 

example, the respondent must either delineate the boundary on the road centerline, or create an 

offset. In Figure 26, the place boundary is on the rear lot line, so the respondent should not 

delineate it on the road centerline or create an offset; instead, the respondent should delineate a 

new edge that actually follows the rear lot line.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 20

Figure 25. The Place Boundary is Along the Front Lot Line

Figure 26. The Place Boundary is on the Rear Lot Line

To indicate a geographic offset on your map, use the red pencil to draw a line parallel to the 

road, along which you want the offset to be created. Mark the beginning and end of the line with 

perpendicular hatch marks. Write the letters “OFF” on the side of the road where the geographic 

offset exists (Figure 27).

Figure 27. Depicting a Geographic Offset on a Paper Submission

3.10 County Review and Consolidations

Counties receive boundary information from the Census Bureau for all governmental units within 

their county boundary. Counties should review the names and legal status of active and inactive 

incorporated places and MCDs found on page 3 of the BAS-2 form.

 Active entities are defined as having a functioning government, with elected officials, that 

provides programs and services. 

 Inactive entities have no functioning government or elected officials, receive services solely from 

the county, and should be reviewed by the county during BAS.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 21

Although it is not required, counties may update boundaries for incorporated places and MCDs 

on the county BAS maps. The Census Bureau encourages counties to establish Consolidated 

BAS agreements with local governments in order to consolidate resources, reduce the burden 

on local governments, and avoid duplication of work. Under a Consolidated BAS agreement, the 

county is responsible for reporting boundary changes to the Census Bureau. Participating local 

governments would no longer receive an annual BAS package. One hundred percent 

participation is not required and governments may opt out of the agreement at any time. Contact 

the Census Bureau at <geo.bas@census.gov> for more information on participating in a 

Consolidated BAS (CBAS) agreement or visit the Consolidated BAS website at

<https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/bas/information/consolidated-bas.html>

3.11 Public Land Survey System

Boundaries are often based on nonvisible features, such as Public Land Survey System (PLSS) 

lines (i.e. township, section, range lines, etc.). The Census Bureau is currently working on a 

program through which PLSS lines can be incorporated into the MAF/TIGER System. If any of 

your entity’s existing or new boundaries are known to follow PLSS lines, you should designate 

that on your BAS submission by writing “PLSS” in red pencil next to (and parallel to) the 

appropriate boundary segments. In areas where the Census Bureau has obtained accurate 

PLSS shapefiles, we will then be able to compare these lines to those shapefiles and ensure 

accurate placement of the boundary. 

3.12 New Incorporations

Newly incorporated places should provide the Census Bureau with:

 A copy of the official new incorporation papers, including date of incorporation;

 A map indicating the boundaries of the new incorporation; and

 Contact information for the highest elected official and a contact for the BAS.

3.13 Disincorporations

Disincorporated entities should provide the Census Bureau with a copy of the official papers of 

disincorporation, including the effective date.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 22

PART 4: SIGNING UPDATED MAPS AND RETURNING BAS 

MATERIALS

For each map sheet that has changes, fill in the Signature Box on one copy of the map:

 Print your name, your position, your telephone number, and the date; and

 Sign your name in the Signature area.

Figure 28. BAS Paper Map Signature Box

Use the postage-paid envelope to return the set of signed maps and the BAS form to the 

Census Bureau. You may also send an e-mail to geo.bas@census.gov or fill out the Annual 

Response form located at the following address 

<http://www.census.gov/geo/partnership/bas/bas_ar_form.html>.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page 23

APPENDICES
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page A-1

APPENDIX A ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION OF CHANGES 

FORMS

A1 Places
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page A-2

A2 Counties and Equivalent Areas 
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page A-3

A3 Minor Civil Divisions
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page A-4

A4 Reservations and Off-Reservation Trust Land
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-1

APPENDIX B MTFCC DESCRIPTIONS

The MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) is a 5-digit code assigned by the 

Census Bureau to classify and describe geographic objects or features in Census Bureau 

MAF/TIGER products.

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

C3022 Mountain Peak or 

Summit

A prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the 

Earth’s surface.

C3023 Island An area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low 

wetland [including archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, 

isla, isle, key, moku and rock].

C3024 Levee An embankment flanking a stream or other flowing water 

feature to prevent overflow.

C3026 Quarry (not water-filled), 

Open Pit Mine or Mine

An area from which commercial minerals are or were removed 

from the Earth; not including an oilfield or gas field.

C3027 Dam A barrier built across the course of a stream to impound water 

and/or control water flow.

C3061 Cul-de-sac An expanded paved area at the end of a street used by 

vehicles for turning around. For mapping purposes, the Census 

Bureau maps it only as a point feature.

C3062 Traffic Circle A circular intersection allowing for continuous movement of 

traffic at the meeting of roadways.

C3066 Gate A movable barrier across a road.

C3067 Toll Booth A structure or barrier where a fee is collected for using a road.

C3071 Lookout Tower A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for 

observation.

C3074 Lighthouse Beacon A manmade structure, higher than its diameter, used for 

transmission of light and possibly sound generally to aid in 

navigation.

C3075 Tank/Tank Farm One or more manmade structures, each higher than its 

diameter, used for liquid (other than water) or gas storage or for 

distribution activities.

C3076 Windmill Farm One or more manmade structures used to generate power from 

the wind.

C3077 Solar Farm One or more manmade structures used to generate power from 

the sun.

C3078 Monument or Memorial A manmade structure to educate, commemorate, or 

memorialize an event, person, or feature.

C3079 Boundary Monument 

Point

A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve 

and identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.

C3080 Survey Control Point A point on the ground whose position (horizontal or vertical) is 

known and can be used as a base for additional survey work.

C3081 Locality Point A point that identifies the location and name of an unbounded 

locality (e.g., crossroad, community, populated place or locale).

C3085 Alaska Native Village 

Official Point

A point that serves as the core of an Alaska Native village and 

is used in defining Alaska Native village statistical areas.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-2

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

G2100 American Indian Area A legally defined state- or federally recognized reservation 

and/or off-reservation trust land (excludes statistical American 

Indian areas).

G2120 Hawaiian Home Land A legal area held in trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians.

G2130 Alaska Native Village 

Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity that represents the residences, 

permanent and/or seasonal, for Alaska Natives who are 

members of or receiving governmental services from the 

defining legal Alaska Native Village corporation.

G2140 Oklahoma Tribal 

Statistical Area

A statistical entity identified and delineated by the Census 

Bureau in consultation with federally recognized American 

Indian tribes that have no current reservation, but had a former 

reservation in Oklahoma.

G2150 State-designated Tribal 

Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the 

Census Bureau by a state-appointed liaison for a staterecognized American Indian tribe that does not currently have a 

reservation and/or lands in trust.

G2160 Tribal Designated 

Statistical Area

A statistical geographic entity identified and delineated for the 

Census Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe 

that does not currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation 

trust land.

G2170 American Indian Joint 

Use Area

An area administered jointly and/or claimed by two or more 

American Indian tribes.

G2200 Alaska Native Regional 

Corporation

Corporate entities established to conduct both business and 

nonprofit affairs of Alaska Natives pursuant to the Alaska 

Native Claims Settlement Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-203). 

There are twelve geographically defined ANRCs and they are 

all within and cover most of the State of Alaska (the Annette 

Island Reserve-an American Indian reservation-is excluded 

from any ANRC). The boundaries of ANRCs have been legally 

established.

G2300 Tribal Subdivision Administrative subdivisions of federally recognized American 

Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or Oklahoma 

tribal statistical areas (OTSAs). These entities are internal units 

of self-government or administration that serve social, cultural, 

and/or economic purposes for the American Indians on the 

reservations, off-reservation trust lands, or OTSAs.

G2400 Tribal Census Tract A relatively small and permanent statistical subdivision of a 

federally recognized American Indian reservation and/or offreservation trust land, delineated by American Indian tribal 

participants or the Census Bureau for the purpose of presenting 

demographic data.

G2410 Tribal Block Group A cluster of census blocks within a single tribal census tract 

delineated by American Indian tribal participants or the Census 

Bureau for the purpose of presenting demographic data.

G3100 Combined Statistical 

Area

A grouping of adjacent metropolitan and/or micropolitan 

statistical areas that have a degree of economic and social 

integration, as measured by commuting.

G3110 Metropolitan and 

Micropolitan Statistical 

Area

An area containing a substantial population nucleus together 

with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic 

and social integration with that core, as measured by 

commuting. Defined using whole counties and equivalents.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-3

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

G3120 Metropolitan Division A county or grouping of counties that is a subdivision of a 

Metropolitan Statistical Area containing an urbanized area with 

a population of 2.5 million or more.

G3200 Combined New England 

City and Town Area

A grouping of adjacent New England city and town areas that 

have a degree of economic and social integration, as measured 

by commuting.

G3210 New England City and 

Town Metropolitan and 

Micropolitan Statistical 

Area

An area containing a substantial population nucleus together 

with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic 

and social integration with that core, as measured by 

commuting. Defined using Minor Civil Divisions (MCDs) in New 

England.

G3220 New England City and 

Town Division

A grouping of cities and towns in New England that is a 

subdivision of a New England City and Town Area containing 

an urbanized area with a population of 2.5 million or more.

G3500 Urban Area Densely settled territory that contains at least 2,500 people. 

The subtypes of this feature are Urbanized Area (UA), which 

consists of 50,000 + people and Urban Cluster, which ranges 

between 2,500 and 49,999 people.

G4000 State or Equivalent 

Feature

The primary governmental divisions of the United States. The 

District of Columbia is treated as a statistical equivalent of a 

state for census purposes, as is Puerto Rico.

G4020 County or Equivalent 

Feature

The primary division of a state or state equivalent area. The 

primary divisions of 48 states are termed County, but other 

terms are used such as Borough in Alaska, Parish in Louisiana, 

and Municipio in Puerto Rico. This feature includes 

independent cities, which are incorporated places that are not 

part of any county.

G4040 County Subdivision The primary divisions of counties and equivalent features for 

the reporting of Census Bureau data. The subtypes of this 

feature are Minor Civil Division, Census County 

Division/Census Subarea, and Unorganized Territory. This 

feature includes independent places, which are incorporated 

places that are not part of any county subdivision.

G4050 Estate Estates are subdivisions of the three major islands in the United 

States Virgin Islands (USVI).

G4060 Subbarrio (Subminor 

Civil Division)

Legally defined divisions (subbarrios) of minor civil divisions 

(barrios-pueblo and barrios) in Puerto Rico.

G4110 Incorporated Place A legal entity incorporated under state law to provide generalpurpose governmental services to a concentration of 

population. Incorporated places are generally designated as a 

city, borough, municipality, town, village, or, in a few instances, 

have no legal description.

G4120 Consolidated City An incorporated place that has merged governmentally with a 

county or minor civil division, but one or more of the 

incorporated places continues to function within the 

consolidation. It is a place that contains additional separately 

incorporated places.

G4210 Census Designated 

Place

A statistical area defined for a named concentration of 

population and the statistical counterpart of an incorporated 

place.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-4

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

G4300 Economic Census Place The lowest level of geographic area for presentation of some 

types of Economic Census data. It includes incorporated 

places, consolidated cities, census designated places (CDPs), 

minor civil divisions (MCDs) in selected states, and balances of 

MCDs or counties. An incorporated place, CDP, MCD, or 

balance of MCD qualifies as an economic census place if it 

contains 5,000 or more residents, or 5,000 or more jobs, 

according to the most current data available.

G5020 Census Tract Relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a County or 

equivalent feature delineated by local participants as part of the 

Census Bureau’s Participant Statistical Areas Program.

G5030 Block Group A cluster of census blocks having the same first digit of their 

four-digit identifying numbers within a Census Tract. For 

example, block group 3 (BG 3) within a Census Tract includes 

all blocks numbered from 3000 to 3999.

G5035 Block Area Grouping A user-defined group of islands forming a single census 

tabulation block. A BAG must: (1) consist of two or more 

islands, (2) have a perimeter entirely over water, (3) not 

overlap, and (4) not cross the boundary of other tabulation 

geographies, such as county or incorporated place boundaries.

G5040 Tabulation Block The lowest-order census defined statistical area. It is an area, 

such as a city block, bounded primarily by physical features but 

sometimes by invisible city or property boundaries. A tabulation 

block boundary does not cross the boundary of any other 

geographic area for which the Census Bureau tabulates data. 

The subtypes of this feature are Count Question Resolution 

(CQR), current, and census.

G5200 Congressional District The 435 areas from which people are elected to the U.S. 

House of Representatives. Additional equivalent features exist 

for state equivalents with nonvoting delegates or no 

representative. The subtypes of this feature are 106th, 107th, 

108th, 109th, and 111th Congressional Districts, plus 

subsequent Congresses.

G5210 State Legislative District 

(Upper Chamber

Areas established by a state or equivalent government from 

which members are elected to the upper or unicameral 

chamber of a state governing body. The upper chamber is the 

senate in a bicameral legislature, and the unicameral case is a 

single house legislature (Nebraska).

G5220 State Legislative District 

(Lower Chamber)

Areas established by a state or equivalent government from 

which members are elected to the lower chamber of a state 

governing body. The lower chamber is the House of 

Representatives in a bicameral legislature.

G5240 Voting District The generic name for the geographic features, such as 

precincts, wards, and election districts, established by state, 

local, and tribal governments for the purpose of conducting 

elections.

G5400 Elementary School 

District

A geographic area within which officials provide public 

elementary grade-level educational services for residents.

G5410 Secondary School 

District

A geographic area within which officials provide public 

secondary grade-level educational services for residents.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-5

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

G5420 Unified School District A geographic area within which officials provide public 

educational services for all grade levels for residents.

G6120 Public-Use Microdata 

Area

A decennial census area with a population of at least 100,000 

or more persons for which the Census Bureau provides 

selected extracts of household-level data that are screened to 

protect confidentiality.

G6300 Traffic Analysis District An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations 

(MPOs) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for 

tabulating journey-to-work and place-of-work data. A Traffic 

Analysis District (TAD) consists of one or more Traffic Analysis 

Zones (TAZs).

G6320 Traffic Analysis Zone An area delineated by Metropolitan Planning Organizations 

(MPOs) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) for 

tabulating journey-to-work and place-of-work data.

G6330 Urban Growth Area An area defined under state authority to manage urbanization 

that the Census Bureau includes in the MAF/TIGER® System in 

agreement with the state.

G6350 ZIP Code Tabulation 

Area (Five-Digit)

An approximate statistical-area representation of a U.S. Postal 

Service (USPS) 5-digit ZIP Code service area.

G6400 Commercial Region For the purpose of presenting economic statistical data, 

municipios in Puerto Rico are grouped into commercial regions.

H1100 Connector A known, but nonspecific, hydrographic connection between 

two nonadjacent water features.

H2025 Swamp/Marsh A poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy, 

possibly covered with open water [includes bog, cienega, 

marais and pocosin].

H2030 Lake/Pond A standing body of water that is surrounded by land.

H2040 Reservoir An artificially impounded body of water.

H2041 Treatment Pond An artificial body of water built to treat fouled water.

H2051 Bay/Estuary/Gulf/Sound A body of water partly surrounded by land [includes arm, bight, 

cove and inlet].

H2053 Ocean/Sea The great body of salt water that covers much of the earth.

H2060 Gravel Pit/Quarry filled 

with water

A body of water in a place or area from which commercial 

minerals were removed from the Earth.

H2081 Glacier A body of ice moving outward and down slope from an area of 

accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on 

the top or side of a mountain or mountainous area [includes ice 

field and ice patch].

H3010 Stream/River A natural flowing waterway [includes anabranch, awawa, 

branch, brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, and run].

H3013 Braided Stream A natural flowing waterway with an intricate network of 

interlacing channels.

H3020 Canal, Ditch or 

Aqueduct

An artificial waterway constructed to transport water, to irrigate 

or drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or to 

serve as a waterway for watercraft [includes lateral].

K1225 Crew-of-Vessel Location A point or area in which the population of military or merchant 

marine vessels at sea are assigned, usually being at or near 

the home port pier.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-6

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

K1231 Hospital/Hospice/Urgent 

Care Facility

One or more structures where the sick or injured may receive 

medical or surgical attention [including infirmary].

K1235 Juvenile Institution A facility (correctional and non-correctional) where groups of 

juveniles reside; this includes training schools, detention 

centers, residential treatment centers and orphanages.

K1236 Local Jail or Detention 

Center

One or more structures that serve as a place for the 

confinement of adult persons in lawful detention, administered 

by a local (county, municipal, etc.) government.

K1237 Federal Penitentiary, 

State Prison, or Prison 

Farm

An institution that serves as a place for the confinement of adult 

persons in lawful detention, administered by the federal 

government or a state government.

K1238 Other Correctional 

Institution

One or more structures that serve as a place for the 

confinement of adult persons in lawful detention, not elsewhere 

classified or administered by a government of unknown 

jurisdiction.

K1239 Convent, Monastery, 

Rectory, Other Religious 

Group Quarters

One or more structures intended for use as a residence for 

those having a religious vocation.

K1246 Community Center Community Center.

K2110 Military Installation An area owned and/or occupied by the Department of Defense 

for use by a branch of the armed forces (such as the Army, 

Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard), or a state owned 

area for the use of the National Guard.

K2165 Government Center A place used by members of government (either federal, state, 

local, or tribal) for administration and public business.

K2167 Convention Center An exhibition hall or conference center with enough open space 

to host public and private business and social events.

K2180 Park Parkland defined and administered by federal, state, and local 

governments.

K2181 National Park Service 

Land

Area—National parks, National Monuments, and so forth—

under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

K2182 National Forest or Other 

Federal Land

Land under the management and jurisdiction of the federal 

government, specifically including areas designated as National 

Forest, and excluding areas under the jurisdiction of the 

National Park Service.

K2183 Tribal Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of an 

American Indian tribe.

K2184 State Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a 

state government.

K2185 Regional Park, Forest, 

or Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a 

regional government.

K2186 County Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a 

county government.

K2187 County Subdivision 

Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a 

minor civil division (town/township) government.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-7

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

K2188 Incorporated Place Park, 

Forest, or Recreation 

Area

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of a 

municipal government.

K2189 Private Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area

A privately owned place or area set aside for recreation or 

preservation of a cultural or natural resource.

K2190 Other Park, Forest, or 

Recreation Area (quasipublic, independent 

park, commission, etc.)

A place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a 

cultural or natural resource and under the administration of 

some other type of government or agency such as an 

independent park authority or commission.

K2191 Post Office An official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing 

and distributing mail and other postal material.

K2193 Fire Department Fire Department.

K2194 Police Station Police Station.

K2195 Library Library.

K2196 City/Town Hall City/Town Hall.

K2400 Transportation Terminal A facility where one or more modes of transportation can be 

accessed by people or for the shipment of goods; examples of 

such a facility include marine terminal, bus station, train station, 

airport and truck warehouse.

K2424 Marina A place where privately owned, light-craft are moored.

K2432 Pier/Dock A platform built out from the shore into the water and supported 

by piles. This platform may provide access to ships and boats, 

or it may be used for recreational purposes.

K2451 Airport or Airfield A manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft [including 

airstrip, landing field and landing strip].

K2452 Train Station, Trolley or 

Mass Transit Rail 

Station

A place where travelers can board and exit rail transit lines, 

including associated ticketing, freight, and other commercial 

offices.

K2453 Bus Terminal A place where travelers can board and exit mass motor vehicle 

transit, including associated ticketing, freight, and other 

commercial offices.

K2454 Marine Terminal A place where travelers can board and exit water transit or 

where cargo is handled, including associated ticketing, freight, 

and other commercial offices.

K2455 Seaplane Anchorage A place where an airplane equipped with floats for landing on or 

taking off from a body of water can debark and load.

K2456 Airport—Intermodal 

Transportation 

Hub/Terminal

A major air transportation facility where travelers can board and 

exit airplanes and connect with other (i.e. non-air) modes of 

transportation.

K2457 Airport—Statistical 

Representation

The area of an airport adjusted to include whole 2000 census 

blocks used for the delineation of urban areas

K2458 Park and Ride 

Facility/Parking Lot

A place where motorists can park their cars and transfer to 

other modes of transportation.

K2459 Runway/Taxiway A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by airplanes for 

taking off and landing at an airport.

K2460 Helicopter Landing Pad A fairly level and usually paved expanse used by helicopters for 

taking off and landing.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-8

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

K2540 University or College A building or group of buildings used as an institution for postsecondary study, teaching, and learning [including seminary].

K2543 School or Academy A building or group of buildings used as an institution for 

preschool, elementary or secondary study, teaching, and 

learning [including elementary school and high school].

K2545 Museum, Visitor Center, 

Cultural Center, or 

Tourist Attraction

An attraction of historical, cultural, educational or other interest 

that provides information or displays artifacts.

K2561 Golf Course A place designed for playing golf.

K2582 Cemetery A place or area for burying the dead [including burying ground 

and memorial garden].

K2586 Zoo A facility in which terrestrial and/or marine animals are confined 

within enclosures and displayed to the public for educational, 

preservation, and research purposes.

K3544 Place of Worship A sanctified place or structure where people gather for religious 

worship; examples include church, synagogue, temple, and 

mosque.

L4010 Pipeline A long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, 

with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport fluid 

(e.g., crude oil, natural gas), especially over great distances.

L4020 Powerline One or more wires, often on elevated towers, used for 

conducting high-voltage electric power.

L4031 Aerial Tramway/Ski Lift A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers 

suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers.

L4110 Fence Line A man-made barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., 

usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent 

entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary.

L4121 Ridge Line The line of highest elevation along a ridge.

L4125 Cliff/Escarpment A very steep or vertical slope [including bluff, crag, head, 

headland, nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim and 

rimrock].

L4130 Point-to-Point Line A line defined as beginning at one location point and ending at 

another, both of which are in sight.

L4140 Property/Parcel Line 

(Including PLSS)

This feature class may denote a nonvisible boundary of either 

public or private lands (e.g., a park boundary) or it may denote 

a Public Land Survey System or equivalent survey line.

L4150 Coastline The line that separates either land or Inland water from 

Coastal, Territorial or Great Lakes water. Where land directly 

borders Coastal, Territorial or Great Lakes water, the shoreline 

represents the Coastline. Where Inland water (such as a river) 

flows into Coastal, Territorial or Great Lakes water, the closure 

line separating the Inland water from the other class of water 

represents the Coastline.

L4165 Ferry Crossing The route used to carry or convey people or cargo back and 

forth over a waterbody in a boat.

P0001 Nonvisible Linear 

Legal/Statistical 

Boundary

A legal/statistical boundary line that does not correspond to a 

shoreline or other visible feature on the ground.

P0002 Perennial Shoreline The more-or-less permanent boundary between land and water 

for a water feature that exists year-round.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-9

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

P0003 Intermittent Shoreline The boundary between land and water (when water is present) 

for a water feature that does not exist year-round.

P0004 Other non-visible 

bounding Edge (e.g., 

Census water boundary, 

boundary of an areal 

feature)

A bounding Edge that does not represent a legal/statistical 

boundary, and does not correspond to a shoreline or other 

visible feature on the ground. Many such Edges bound area 

landmarks, while many others separate water features from 

each other (e.g., where a bay meets the ocean).

R1011 Railroad Feature (Main, 

Spur, or Yard)

A line of fixed rails or tracks that carries mainstream railroad 

traffic. Such a rail line can be a main line or spur line, or part of 

a rail yard.

R1051 Carline, Streetcar Track, 

Monorail, Other Mass 

Transit

Mass transit rail lines (including lines for rapid transit, 

monorails, streetcars, light rail, etc.) that are typically

inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic and whose tracks are 

not part of a road right-of-way.

R1052 Cog Rail Line, Incline 

Rail Line, Tram

A special purpose rail line for climbing steep grades that is 

typically inaccessible to mainstream railroad traffic. Note that 

aerial tramways and streetcars (which may also be called 

“trams”) are accounted for by other MTFCCs and do not belong 

in R1052.

S1100 Primary Road Primary roads are generally divided, limited-access highways 

within the interstate highway system or under state 

management, and are distinguished by the presence of 

interchanges. These highways are accessible by ramps and 

may include some toll highways.

S1200 Secondary Road Secondary roads are main arteries, usually in the U.S. 

Highway, State Highway or County Highway system. These 

roads have one or more lanes of traffic in each direction, may 

or may not be divided, and usually have at-grade intersections 

with many other roads and driveways. They often have both a 

local name and a route number.

S1400 Local Neighborhood 

Road, Rural Road, City 

Street

Generally a paved non-arterial street, road, or byway that 

usually has a single lane of traffic in each direction. Roads in 

this feature class may be privately or publicly maintained. 

Scenic park roads would be included in this feature class, as 

would (depending on the region of the country) some unpaved 

roads.

S1500 Vehicular Trail (4WD) An unpaved dirt trail where a four-wheel drive vehicle is 

required. These vehicular trails are found almost exclusively in 

very rural areas. Minor, unpaved roads usable by ordinary cars 

and trucks belong in the S1400 category.

S1630 Ramp A road that allows controlled access from adjacent roads onto a 

limited access highway, often in the form of a cloverleaf 

interchange. These roads are unaddressable and do not carry 

a name in the MAF/TIGER System.

S1640 Service Drive usually 

along a limited access 

highway

A road, usually paralleling a limited access highway, that

provides access to structures along the highway. These roads 

can be named and may intersect with other roads.

S1710 Walkway/Pedestrian 

Trail

A path that is used for walking, being either too narrow for or 

legally restricted from vehicular traffic.

S1720 Stairway A pedestrian passageway from one level to another by a series 

of steps.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page B-10

MTFCC Feature Class Feature Class Description

S1730 Alley A service road that does not generally have associated 

addressed structures and is usually unnamed. It is located at 

the rear of buildings and properties and is used for deliveries.

S1740 Private Road for service 

vehicles (logging, oil 

fields, ranches, etc.)

A road within private property that is privately maintained for 

service, extractive, or other purposes. These roads are often 

unnamed.

S1750 Internal U.S. Census 

Bureau use

Internal U.S. Census Bureau use.

S1780 Parking Lot Road The main travel route for vehicles through a paved parking 

area.

S1820 Bike Path or Trail A path that is used for manual or small, motorized bicycles, 

being either too narrow for or legally restricted from vehicular 

traffic.

S1830 Bridle Path A path that is used for horses, being either too narrow for or 

legally restricted from vehicular traffic.

S2000 Road Median The unpaved area or barrier between the carriageways of a 

divided road.

Note: The information in this table was last updated in November 2017.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-1

APPENDIX C READING A MAP

C1 Scales

A map is a paper or digital representation of an area. Naturally, the map is always smaller than 

the area it represents, so nearly all maps are equipped with a scale, which depicts the ratio of 

distance on the map to the actual distance on land. The scale can be designed any number of 

ways, but two of the most common scales are ratio scales (Figure C1), which describe a ratio 

between the map and the real world (e.g., 1: 24,000), and bar scales, which depict that 

relationship graphically by displaying how much a certain distance on the map represents in the 

real world (Figure C1). In other words, if a map has a ratio scale of 1: 24,000, it means that one 

inch on the map represents 24,000 inches on the ground. (This works with any unit of 

measurement, so long as the unit being used on the map is the same as – or properly converted 

from – the unit being depicted on the ground.) Often a map will have both types of scale.

Figure 29. Bar Scale

The map from which this scale was taken has a ratio scale of 

1:15,000. The bar scale shows distances in kilometers and miles.

A bar scale will often be a set length (e.g., one inch), and/or represent a set distance (e.g., one 

mile). You can use the bar scale to determine distance on your map by using a ruler. Simply 

place the ruler on the map to determine the distance on the map; then place the ruler along the 

bar scale, which will show how much that distance represents on the ground.

Maps that display a small area, but with a relatively large amount of detail, are considered largescale maps (see Figure C2). A map that displays a large area, but shows less detail, is called a 

small-scale map (see Figure C3). This is because the representative fraction of a large-scale 

map (e.g., 1/7,500 or 1:7,500) is a larger fraction than that of a small-scale map (e.g., 1/250,000 

or 1:250,000).

Figure 30. Large Scale Map

A large-scale map shows a greater amount of detail; this example 

displays streets, parks, churches and restaurants.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-2

C2 Compass Rose

All maps should have some sort of diagram depicting at least one – but sometimes all – of the 

cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) that the map reader can use to orient the map. 

This diagram is sometimes called a compass rose (see Figure C4). A compass rose can have 

any number of designs, and north can be shown in any direction on the map, but most maps are 

oriented with north at the top of the map. It is important to check the compass rose when 

beginning to read a map, in order to determine the direction in which the map is oriented (i.e., 

which direction is at the top of the map).

Figure 31. Compass Rose

C3 Legend

Because a map is a graphic representation of a real-world area, naturally, it is necessary, and 

convenient, to symbolize real world features with representative symbols. These symbols can 

take any form, so long as they are consistent within any individual map. In order to describe 

what each symbol means, most maps have a legend (see Figure C5). The legend is typically 

located on the side or bottom of the map – they can be anywhere, so long as they do not 

obstruct the integral parts of the map. Typically, the legend will have a small example of each 

symbol (e.g. a line, or a picture of a tent), and next to the symbol, in text, a brief description of 

what is being depicted (e.g. “road”, or “campground”).

Figure 32. Legend Describing What Each Symbol Means

Sometimes a map needs to depict multiple features concurrently. This is because some lines 

are the boundaries of multiple geographies at the same time (i.e. a county boundary can also be 

a city boundary, a voting district boundary, and even a highway or river). Such instances can be 

depicted in various ways, but Census Bureau maps depict coincident lines by alternating the 

symbols for each type of line as shown in Figure C6 below. In other words, if a line is both a 

county boundary (symbolized by a series of squares) and a city boundary (a series of circles), 
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-3

that boundary will be depicted as a series of alternating squares and circles for the length of the 

concurrency.

Figure 33. Map Depicting Multiple Features Concurrently

In this case, the city and the county boundaries are coincident, and 

run through the middle of the river.

In situations where higher-level geographies (e.g. national, state, county, or county 

subdivisions) coincide, the Census Bureau’s maps display only the symbol of the highestranking of these boundaries. In other words, if a particular boundary is shared by both a state 

and county, only the symbol representing the state boundary will be displayed.

C4 Index Maps

In order to decide which map you need to use for your BAS submission, it is necessary to view 

the entity as a whole, and choose the correct parent map sheet based on its location within the 

entity. You can do this by referring to the index map (Figure 34), a relatively small-scale map 

that shows the entire entity, and the location and number of all parent map sheets within that 

entity. Each parent map sheet has a numerical locator which differentiates it from the other 

parent map sheets associated with that entity. The numbering begins with the northern and 

western-most parent map sheets, and continues left-to-right, in much the same pattern as words 

in a book. By referring to the index map, you can then determine which parent map sheet(s) you 

need to use for your BAS submission, and then access it based on its number on the index 

map. 
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-4

Figure 34. Index Map

The Index Map sheet shows the location of all parent map sheets 

and inset map sheets within an entity.

The index map is not appropriate for BAS submissions. Its purpose is as a reference or index of 

parent maps, and it will not be accepted as a BAS submission.

C5 Inset Maps

In some instances, in highly congested areas, even a parent map sheet provides insufficient 

detail for BAS purposes. In such cases, rather than using a parent map, the area is depicted 

within an inset map (Figure 36). This refers to a map with a very large scale, so that it displays 

a smaller area than the parent map sheet, but with greater detail. On the index map, an inset 

map is represented by a green outline, and is assigned a number preceded by a letter (i.e. A1, 

A2, B1, etc.), as shown in Figure 35 on the next page. Inset maps are only found in areas with 

a large number of features, and as such are used less often than parent maps.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-5

Figure 35. An Inset Map as it is Displayed on the Index Map

Figure 36. Inset Maps

Inset maps show areas of relative congestion at a large scale, 

allowing a greater amount of detail.

C6 Parent Maps

Many entities2, such as incorporated places and counties, are too large to be shown on a single 

map; that is, the scale is too small to allow the necessary details for BAS updates. Thus, it is 

necessary to separate the entity into sections, each of which has its own map, called the parent 

map sheet3(Figure 37). Thus, a single entity is often represented with numerous map sheets, 

with each parent map sheet showing a small section of the entity. Each parent map is assigned 

 

2 Entity refers to any local governmental unit, e.g. a county, incorporated place, or minor civil division.

3Within the scope of BAS, the terms ‘map’ and ‘map sheet’ have the same meaning, and they are used 

interchangeably throughout this document. 
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-6

a number, beginning with the number one and increasing progressively for each additional 

parent map sheet (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). In this way, viewing and editing map sheets becomes 

more manageable, and it becomes possible to depict an area with the level of detail necessary 

to make changes or challenges. In most instances, the parent map is the one that should be 

used for BAS submissions.

Figure 37. The Parent Map

The parent map sheet shows a section of an entity at a relatively

large scale.

In the bottom right-hand corner of the parent map sheet, there is a key to the parent map 

sheet’s location in relation to adjacent map sheets as shown in Figure 37 above. A larger 

example of this key is shown in Figure 39. This way, if you need to refer to an adjacent map 

sheet, you can quickly determine which one you will need.

2 3

5 6

8 9

Figure 38. The Key to Adjacent Sheets

The key to adjacent sheets shows where the parent map sheet lies 

in relation to adjacent sheets.
Boundary and Annexation Survey Respondent Guide: Paper Page C-7

Next to the key to adjacent sheets, there is a small outline of the entire entity (the inside of 

which is colored yellow), and a blue outline of the parent map sheet. This key displays the 

location of the map sheet in relation to the entity as a whole as is shown in Figure 39 below.

Figure 39. The Sheet Location within Entity key

The sheet location with entity key shows where the parent map 

sheet is located within the entity to which it belongs.