Generating Parcel PIN Numbers:
In the USA and as a person in the GIS field, I have seen a few different elaborate schemes for generating parcel PIN numbers. The majority of the different counties generally use a system similar to PLSS (Public Land Surveying System) but instead of using 6^2 miles like the PLSS, some States generally create their own grid system like in the image below and the county / cities utilizes this grid system for parcel PIN numbers.
The first two numbers of the PIN represent the township in the county. So, if the county has 4 townships, the township would be numbered like below:
Town 1: 01
Town 2: 02
Town 3: 03
Town 4: 04
Generally, there is a layer outlining the townships.
With that said, the first two numbers in the PIN could be 02, which represents Town 2.
Next for the next 4 numbers, they use the numbers in the grid scheme from the state. This would be the red squares in the image below.
If the Parcel is in 8936, our PIN is now 02-8936.
Next, we would move to the next grid, the yellow grid. Also, this grid has a numbering scheme. The GIS person would locate the parcel in the yellow grid and then use the number where the parcel is located.
For this example, we will say it is located in the yellow grid that has the number 20. If the parcel is located in two yellow grids then generally the GIS person eyeballs the centroid of the parcel and wherever the centroid of the parcel is located, that is the grid that is used.
Now the parcel PIN number would be 02-8936-20
To locate the next four numbers of the PIN, the GIS person finds the x and y centroid of the actual parcel and develops a scheme to extracts numbers from the x and y centroid to create the next 4 numbers.
So depending on the software the county is using, this can be done in a few ways. Using ESRI's ArcGIS Pro, a GIS Analyst could use Python or create an addon to get the x and y centroid of the parcel and then generate 4 numbers from the x and y centroid.
For example, let's say we have a x and y centroid like below:
x_cent = 8657896.59033
y_cent = 1202973.78254
The GIS Analyst would use Python or Arcade to generate the next 4 numbers for the PIN.
To generate the next four numbers, the script would extract the fifth number from the x and y centroid so you would have 89.
In order to get the other two numbers, the script would extract the sixth number from the x and y, so the next two numbers would be 97 and we would then have our next 4 numbers, which is below.
Next four numbers = 8997
Parcel PIN Number = 02-8936-20-8997
We are almost done now. There are 4 more numbers. Generally, the GIS Analyst would just tack on four 0 to the end of the Parcel PIN number. This is used in case they are working with something like a trailer park where there is one big parcel owned by an entity that has lots on the parcel. If there were 30 lots on the parcel, the last numbers would be 0030. If the parcel is not divided in lots, the numbers would be 0000.
On that note, and since this pretend parcel does not have lots, our whole Parcel PIN number is below:
Note, here we have 16 digits. In some places they have 18. This is because instead of using two grids they have 3 grids to represent certain areas.
On that note, I hope you find this information useful and informative. There are other ways to generate parcel PIN numbers but in most of the states and counties I know of uses some form of grid system to generate the PIN numbers and they use a method similar to the method described here.
In your geographic location, how do they generate Parcel PIN numbers?
Happy analyzing!!!
#gis #planning #planner #plan #gischat #analyst #land #parcel #property #grid #gridsystem #gisanalyst #gisdev #state #county #country #providence #city #realestate