Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happened to SpatialStream? A:  We have a new and improved API that is well documented and follows the RESTful standards. While this is the preferred api we still support SpatialStream and use it in several of our applications.  Q: Ar...

Q: How do we measure and validate accuracy? A:  There are various quality control measures that we take to reject certain data if it does not meet a certain quality standard. Due to our curation model we do not have a single accuracy standard for ...

Q: Why does the assessment and address datasets both have addresses? A:  The assessment layer contains situs addresses only and the address layer contains all the possible address, both situs and secondary addresses. Please see Situs vs Sec...

Q: Why are some parcels lacking property attribution? A: Parcel boundaries are often maintained and provided by a separate entity than property attribution. Parcels are frequently maintained by an entity, such as the county GIS, survey, or public...

Q: How is the building footprint product collected? There are many different sources for the data. Some of that is automated much like our parcel harvester and others are manual.  Sources (Some examples, but not limited to)  State government  E...

Q: How are Condos modeled in SmartFabic? A:  Condos typically have a one-to-many relationship between parcel boundaries and property attributes. Condominiums typically have a master parcel, but each condo unit will have a unique tax assessment rec...

Q: Where can I find your zoning data coverage? A:  For each release, we will have a summary of data coverage in the release notes. You can find the detailed coverage information through the Zoning coverage map. Q: How does LightBox handle...

Q: What is a simple way to explain what a Location point is?    A: Locations are either a primary addressed item (building, parcel or address point) or an un-addressed building.  If the location is an addressed item it can have associated items b...

Q: What changes can be expected in SmartFabric throughout versions? Answers: Addresses A minor increase of address counts in the overall address source coverage can be typically expected with every release. Occasional decreases in address cou...

United States Postal Service ( USPS ) data is used as an input source, a validation target and overall guard-rails for the assembly of the SmartFabric address layer. Note: USPS data is delivered monthly, and the most recent USPS delivery is use...

Q: What happens to a LightBox ID when an entity it is assigned to fundamentally changes? A:  When fundamental changes occur with a parcel, a new LightBox ID will be assigned. Example - Parcel There are times when parcel s get split into mult...

PO Boxes Q: Does the Geocoding API set-up to standardize PO Boxes? A: No we do not standardize PO Boxes. Q: Does the Geocoder API validate if a PO Box exists? A: The geocoder does not validate the PO Box - if someone provides us a PO Box th...

Q: How am I notified when my data is ready to be downloaded? A: You will be notified via email with download instructions. Q: How many emails can I have the notifications sent to? A:  We can support as many emails as you provide. Best Pract...

Q: What is a "Primary Address"? A:  A primary address is defined as being the lowest alphanumeric address (based on house number) at a given location/building.  Q: What are the rules for assigning or determining the "Primary Address"? A:  If t...

Q: How long is the evaluation period and are there request limits? A: The typical evaluation is 3 weeks long. During the evaluation period, you will have access to all of the API s that are in the catalog. During that time, a maximum of 2000 req...