GIS FAQ

GIS is an acronym for Geographic Information Systems and consists of a computer system for capturing, storing, analyzing and visualizing spatial data.

Bonner County GIS creates, acquires and maintains geospatial data and provides data access via desktop and mobile applications for both internal County staff and the public.  

GIS is an invaluable tool for storing, organizing, analyzing, and viewing data.  A vast majority of decisions made by local governments are impacted, influenced, or constricted by geographical components.  Leveraging GIS provides Bonner County with the ability to make informed decisions, increase productivity, and disseminate knowledge between county departments, offices and the public.  

Bonner county offers several GIS layers for public viewing through our various GIS applications.  The  Bonner County Public Map is for general GIS viewing or browse our more focused applications on our department homepage.

Update schedules for GIS data vary.  Parcels, addresses, and roads are updated daily.  Zoning and land use data is updated as needed.  Aerial imagery is updated yearly.  

Datasets coming from authoritative outside sources are downloaded and updated yearly, although some datasets such as FEMA flood hazard datasets may not be changed for several years or decades.

Bonner County uses many authoritative GIS data layers from outside sources.  We utilize data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Railway Administration, Census Bureau, Idaho Transportation Department, and Idaho State Tax Commission.

Every GIS data layer has its own spatial or positional accuracy. Some layers may be collected by GPS (1-2 meter positional accuracy) while other layers have been digitized at a 1:24,000 scale (~12 meter positional accuracy).  Additionally, errors may be present in data layers due to data age, how it was originally produced, data conversions, or limitations of the collection method. Based on these factors each GIS dataset can be thought to have a buffer around which the true location of the feature falls.  As multiple data layers are added to a map, each with its own positional accuracy, the spatial accuracy of GIS data and the apparent intersection of these GIS data layers need to be taken into consideration.  

No, the GIS department does not do custom map production or printing for the public.  There are tools to create a printable map product from the Bonner County Public Map.

Yes, please visit our data download page to browse GIS data that is available for download.

Apply for an address in unincorporated Bonner County, or the cities of Oldtown, Priest River, Dover, Kootenai, Hope, East Hope or Clark Fork by filling out the Request for Physical Address form either online or in person.  For address requests inside Sandpoint fill out the City of Sandpoint Request for Physical Address form.  For address requests in Ponderay please contact the City of Ponderay.  

The current fees are $130 per address and $250 per road name.

Address requests are usually completed in 7-10 working days.

An address is required for any new or existing structures that will serve as a dwelling (used for any period), a commercial business with in-person customers or for the first structure on a parcel.  

Unincorporated Bonner County addresses are based on 1/1000th of a mile, meaning there are 1000 addresses per mile.  This equates to one address number for each 5.28 interval along a road. An address number is determined by the location where a driveway enters a road.  

The most common reasons that an address may change are:

• A new road name has been assigned
• The address is not in sequence and/or does not run consecutively in the same direction as the county address system.
• The address has incorrect parity (odd/even) as determined by the county address system.
• The driveway does not access the road to which the address is assigned. 
• The driveway to the property has been changed or modified in such a way that any of the above reasons apply

Addresses are finalized and considered permanent when a sign-off from the GIS Department is acquired on a Building Location Permit. Currently, a temporary address is good for two (2) years. If an address expires, a new application and payment will be required. Temporary addresses are not valid for mail but can be used to have utilities brought to the property and for emergency response purposes.

Addresses are assigned to all dwellings, including accessory dwelling units, RV pads and buildings in which businesses that have in-person visits. A single parcel may have multiple addresses.

No. Property owners along private roads are responsible for installing road signs that comply with Section 7 of Title 13 Bonner County Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance.

Please refer to Section 6(E) of Title 13 Bonner County Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance.

If a road name is chosen off the the Pre-approved Road Name List the request typically takes 3-5 days as the names have been approved by the Address Administrator and 911 dispatchers.  If an applicant chooses to submit their own names the process can take significantly longer as the Address Administrator and 911 dispatchers must vet the names.  Additionally, all the submitted names may be denied, which would necessitate more names to be submitted and reviewed.

The driveway fits one or both of the scenarios described in Title 13 Bonner County Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance: Section 6 Road Name Requirements (A): Every existing, proposed, or constructed roadway that provides, or will provide, access to multiple dwellings or buildable lots shall be identified as a street/road by the standards set by the Bonner County GIS Department. 

OR 

Title 13 Bonner County Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance Section 8 Definitions: COMMON DRIVEWAY: A vehicular access serving two or more bare land parcels with the potential to develop, two or more structures on the same parcel, or two or more structures on separate parcels which has an approach to a public road or connects to a private road. Common driveways shall be named.

Record a deed or other legal document that conveys property. It is recommended to seek assistance from a title company or attorney.

Record the Death Certificate in Bonner County. If it is a deceased spouse and you did not establish rights of survivorship, contact our office for an affidavit of non-probate. It is recommended to seek assistance from a title company or attorney.

Your legal description will be on your deed. Your deed can be found through the Bonner County Public Map or the Recording Office Recorded Document Search.

This can be found in the following ways:

• Reference your deed
• Search the Recording Office Recorded Document Search for plats
• Contact the GIS department or the Recording Office

We can provide some basic information, but Bonner County staff are prohibited from determining the legal correctness or contents of your deed. To ensure you are protected, we suggest consulting a title company or real estate attorney before recording your document.

For simple corrections, strikethrough errors on the original deed, add the changes in ink and re-record the document. If needed, legal descriptions and notary sections can be attached and referenced with language like “See attached exhibit A”.  It is recommended to seek assistance from a title company or attorney.

The GIS department cannot review deeds before they are recorded.

We can help you find your legal description, but property line disputes are a private/civil matter that the County cannot arbitrate. If you have a dispute with a neighbor, seek legal advice and/or order a survey from a licensed surveyor.

The Bonner County Public Map should not be relied upon for determining property corners or measurements.  Use the Recording Office Recorded Document Search to find a survey or plat associated with your property. If no such record exists we recommend hiring a surveyor.

We are working towards better accuracy and in the coming years, the parcel lines will be improved. The GIS map does not represent survey-accurate parcel data at this time. Therefore the map cannot be used to determine property corners, placement of boundaries, or any other precise measurement.

Contact the Planning Department to check for compliance and procedures for splitting property.

Check the Bonner County Public Map. If it is not found on the map, it is likely that the document creating a new parcel number has not been processed yet. It can take several weeks for GIS to process these documents and assign new parcel numbers. Call our office with any questions.

For tax purposes only you may fill out our Parcel Combination Request form and return it to us. For planning and building purposes, contact the Planning Department to check for compliance and procedures.

Order a survey or bring an existing survey to our attention.

Easement information can be found on historical deeds and/or plats that pertain to the property in question. You can order a Title Report through a Title Insurance Company, or request Field Sheets (deed history) for a parcel from the Assessor’s Office.  For utility easements, contact the utility company.

Easements are a private/civil matter. Seek Legal Advice