Vermont GIS officials tell Ways & Means parcel data changes needed to support fair, timely reappraisals

John Adams, director of the Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI), and VCGI parcel program staff told the House Ways & Means Committee on an informational briefing that the statewide parcel dataset underpins many state functions including property valuation, natural-resources permitting and transportation right-of-way work.

The presentation said most Vermont municipalities now maintain digital parcel maps but that differences in how towns define and submit parcel geometry, and a statutory definition that aggregates parcels by common ownership, hinder the state’s ability to track the smallest sellable units of land needed for accurate assessments. “The parcel program…is one major component of what VCGI does,” John Adams said, adding that the office builds the state’s foundational geospatial datasets used by state and local agencies and thousands of citizens.

VCGI staff said the technical problem traces in part to the statutory parcel definition in current law and to uneven municipal submissions. Tim Terway, who oversees the parcel program at VCGI, told the committee that the center’s recommendations—grouped into statutory changes, incentives/funding, technical guidance and technology investments—include amending the parcel definition so the state can track the smallest map unit (what municipalities often call “inactive” or “active” parcels) while preserving the current administrative…