Abstract

Authoritative Data for an American Multipurpose Cadastre
Track: Cadastral and Land Records
Authors: Earl Epstein, Bernard Niemann

Authoritativeness is one of several important ingredients for data in a successful American Multipurpose Cadastre (AMPC). Details of these ingredients are determined by the context in which the data are used. A major context for data use is active land planning and management.

The land information-cadastral data used for active land planning and management are about interests in land, encompassing both the nature and extent of these interests. The law and legal process of active land planning and management determines the role and status of particular data. This determination can be used to establish data authoritativeness in a formal, measureable manner.

The law and legal process of active land planning and management is used to define, in a practical way, the authoritative data in an AMPC. We present a general definition of authoritative data, a range of stages, and an illustrative table of examples.