HISTORY

The assessment cadastre contains the inventory, appraisal, cartographic, and other assessment record elements. Early Oregon assessors who had to design and develop the original map systems will testify to the fact that the primary purpose of the cadastral map was, and still remains the discovery, identification, and inventory of real property. *

One major misconception of the primary function of a cadastral map still prevails - - That the cadastral map is for establishing legal title or ownership of land. This misconception has created many roadblocks in the maintenance of the entire assessment cadastre. Contrary to popular belief, the cadastral map cannot, nor will it ever be able to, offer any kind of indisputable evidence that the boundaries and ownerships are legal. *

PROPERTY OWNERSHIP 

ORS 308.217 Form of assessment and tax rolls; obtaining descriptions of property.

(3) The owner of any real property shall, upon request of the assessor, furnish to the assessor a description of the property from which its area can be computed accurately and the location and boundary lines made certain. [1965 c.344 s.3 (308.217, 308.219 and 308.221 enacted in lieu of 308.220)]

Other important functions of the cadastral map are:

1. to provide a base for the parcel identifier;
2. to provide graphic support to the other elements of the assessment cadastre;
3. to use in determination of the area of land parcels;
4. to use in the property appraisal process; and
5. to be used as a base for soil-type maps. *

Lane County Cartographers are available to help property owners spatially identify their property boundaries on the tax maps. Changes to these maps are made by using the legal descriptions from recorded deeds or other documents of ownership. Filed surveys, by a licensed surveyor are used as a method of verification, when discrepancies may arise, due to increased technology since the early settlers were first granted land claims by the Federal Government.