Title:
CITY_TOWNSHIP_UNORG_TERR
Abstract:
This medium-scale (nominally 1:24,000) dataset represents the boundaries of cities, townships, and unorganized territories (CTUs) in Minnesota. The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office created the initial CTU dataset by updating a municipal boundary file maintained by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Update information was gathered primarily from boundary adjustment records maintained by the Office of Administrative Hearings, Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit. MnDOT has maintained the file since 2014.
Note: Cities and Townships represented in this dataset are political (civil) townships as recognized by the State of MN, not congressional or public land survey townships. Unorganized territory subdivisions are those defined by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, which often differ from those defined by a county.
Purpose:
This dataset is best suited for general reference only -- it is not suitable for precise land measurements or ground surveys. MnGeo created it as part of a legislatively mandated project to calculate a table of township acreage data for the Minnesota Department of Revenue in accordance with state statute (Chapter 366, Article 17, Section 7, Subd. 3).
Note that several state agencies and government units maintain statewide CTU boundary and acreage data for their internal business needs. Though these data may meet the requirements of those individual agencies, there are no authoritative processes in place to provide a standard, regularly maintained universal data set for use by the GIS community at large. This data set is a step toward the long term goal of improving accuracy, standardizing attributes and maintaining statewide boundary and acreage data for ongoing use by the GIS community.
Time Period of Content Date:
2022-04-26
Currentness Reference:
Data is published weekly to the Geo Commons, but maybe maintained on a different cycle. Open package to review specific layer for more detail.
Progress:
Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency:
As needed
Spatial Extent of Data:
State of Minnesota
Bounding Coordinates:
-97.269853
-89.389133
49.404387
43.435244
Place Keywords:
Minnesota
Theme Keywords:
boundaries, cities, city, townships, corporate limits, CTU, city boundary, township boundary, political township boundary, civil township boundary, unorganized territory boundary, municipal boundary, minor civil division boundary, MCD boundary, government unit boundary, unorganized territories
Theme Keyword Thesaurus:
ISO 19115 Topic Category
Access Constraints:
None
Use Constraints:
This dataset is best suited for general reference only. It is not suitable for precise land measurements or ground surveys.
Redistribution conditions: In obtaining this data from MnDOT and MnGeo, it is understood that you and/or your organization have the right to use it for any purpose. If you modify it, you are encouraged to apply responsible best practices by documenting those changes in a metadata record. If you transmit or provide the data to another user, it is your responsibility to provide appropriate content, limitation, warranty and liability information as you see fit.
Contact Person Information:
Justin Roberts
,
Research Analyst Specialist
Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Blvd.
Saint Paul,
MN
55155
Phone: 651-366-3850
Fax: 651-366-3886
Email: linearreferencingsystem.admin.dot@state.mn.us
Associated Data Sets:
CITY_TOWNSHIP_UNORG_TERR
Section 2: Data Quality
Attribute Accuracy:
All of the data sources reviewed and the final dataset were within the National Map Accuracy Standards for 1:24,000-scale maps which is +/- 40 feet (12 meters). The dataset is not intended for legal land survey use, and is best suited for general reference.
General accuracy varies between features due to initial content creation and subsequent boundary adjustment updates. There is a continual effort to capture each approved boundary change at the highest possible accuracy and then to adjust the surrounding area to match. Features that have had recent approved adjustments are generally more accurate than features that have not been edited since the first data was created.
Initial Data Accuracy when CTU data was first created:
MnGeo staff compared the attributes created for this project (the mnctu09 feature class -- see Lineage field for description of how attributes were created) with the Minnesota CTU database (derived from the U.S. Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System or GNIS). The checks were done using ESRI's ArcSDE and ArcMap software:
1. Downloaded CTU records from the Minnesota CTU database: https://www.mngeo.state.mn.us/CTU/index.html
2. Created CTU events (from the CTU records centroid X,Y coordinates) in ArcMap
3. Spatially joined CTU events and mnctu09 feature class
4. Checked and fixed mnctu09 types (e.g., city, township, unorganized territory) that were not equivalent to CTU event types
5. Checked and fixed mnctu09 names that did not match CTU event names
6. Expanded all abbreviations in mnctu09 names (e.g., St. to Saint, Mt. to Mountain)
7. Verified that no blanks existed in any records (except 11 unorganized territories that did not have GNIS_IDs)
Logical Consistency:
In the original dataset, MnDOT's more up-to-date dataset for city, township and unorganized territory boundaries was merged with MnGeo's updated boundary data. The resulting gaps and overlaps were manually fixed to produce a seamless statewide dataset.
In 2010, MnGeo received a CAP grant to investigate methods for improving data accuracy working in an ArcSDE geodatabase environment. The following is a summary of the methods used to create the updated CTU boundary dataset:
1. Set up ArcSDE Geodatabase.
2. Created a feature dataset that includes a line (CTU_l), annexation polygon (CTU_Edits), and city, township and unorganized territory polygon base file (CTU_p).
3. Created annexation lines using advanced COGO tools in Arc Editor. Line files were created using both as-read survey descriptions and digitized georeferenced maps. The line files were saved as Traverse files and rotated when necessary to adjust to PLS 40 and other base layer reference maps.
4. Constructed annexation polygons (CTU_Edits) from the line files (CTU_l) and unioned, then dissolved the polygons with the most recent CTU dataset (mnctu062310).
5. Created topology rules to eliminate gaps and overlaps and recalculated acreage.
6. Exported CTU_p to a shapefile and named it mnctu090110.
Completeness:
The current CTU dataset is continually updated to include all officially approved municipal boundary changes by the Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit (www.mba.state.mn.us/node/home as of the content date in the metadata record.
Township and Unorganized Territory changes generally come from townships and counties via the MnDOT status update process. Other changes come from state and federal government sources (demographers offices, US census, state agencies, etc.)
Historical completeness:
MnDOT's municipal boundary file was selected to be used as the original basemap to update MBA boundary changes because, compared to other available sources, it provided the most comprehensive statewide boundary and acreage coverage and had more recent annexation boundary information.
The most current statewide boundary and acreage coverage, mnctu072011, was used as the basemap to update MBA boundary changes.
Total records: 2747
Cities: 900
Townships: 1785
Unorganized Territories: 62
The GNIS code for 9 unorganized territory records could not be found in the CTU database or on the GNIS website so they were assigned fictitious numbers (999901-999911). Unorganized territories sometimes do not have the same names and boundaries between the two primary sources for their data: individual counties and the U.S. Census Bureau. Therefore, GNIS codes are not established for those with discrepancies. To facilitate joins and relates, fictitious GNIS codes (999901-999911) were assigned.
Horizontal Positional Accuracy:
All of the data sources reviewed and the final dataset were within the National Map Accuracy Standards for 1:24,000-scale maps which is +/- 40 feet (12 meters). The dataset is not intended for legal land survey use, and is best suited for general reference.
General accuracy varies between features due to initial content creation and subsequent boundary adjustment updates. There is a continual effort to capture each approved boundary change at the highest possible accuracy and then to adjust the surrounding area to match. Features that have had recent approved adjustments are generally more accurate than features that have not been edited since the first data was created.
When the data was originally created by MnGeo, the positional accuracy of annexation data varies depending on the quality of the submitted data and the method used to enter the data:
1. When the legal descriptions in the MBA dockets were complete, boundaries could often be entered by using ESRI's Traverse COGO (coordinate geometry) tool which is likely to produce the most accurate results.
2. Dockets that could not be mapped using the Traverse tool were georeferenced and digitized using aerial photography and Public Land Survey 40 quarter-quarter section lines. The quality of the boundary data digitized from georeferenced maps varies depending on the scale and quality of the scanned raster image of the map.
3. Some maps obtained from MBA were digitized based on intent and interpreted using area measurements and relative positions of hand-drawn features on the docket maps and their approximate geospatial relationship to landmarks on aerial photos and roads. In these cases, the areas mapped may be less accurate than data entered using georeferenced maps or the Traverse tool.
Vertical Positional Accuracy:
Not Applicable
Lineage:
OVERVIEW:
The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo), formerly the Minnesota Land Management Information Center (LMIC), created this file by updating a municipal boundary file maintained by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Update information was gathered primarily from annexation and detachment records maintained in the 'docket' system of the Office of Administrative Hearings, Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit (MBA): https://www.mba.state.mn.us
Since 2014, MnDOT has maintained this file.
Depending on the quality of information provided, different processes were used to update and check the data.
-----------------------------------
PROCESS FOR INITIAL DATASET CREATION, April 2009 version
SOURCE DATA:
A. Data file used as a starting point:
MnDOT Municipal (City) Boundaries shapefile (muni_bounds) with updated annexation data through February 2008 (MnDOT was missing approximately 50 annexation dockets from after Feb. 08): Contains city boundary updates based on annexation data received from MBA.
This 2008 version of the data set was prepared for internal use at MnDOT. For documentation of the 2001 version of this data set (MnDOT BaseMap Muni) which is currently the most recent version publicly available online, see: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/gdma/data/metadata/muni.htm
B. Sources used to check and update the muni_bounds data set:
1. MnDOT All_boundaries shapefile
Contains boundary data for cities, townships, and unorganized territories.
2. MnDOT updated municipal boundary data table (Excel format)
Lists all recent (through February 2008) municipal boundary annexation dockets that MnDOT had completed or planned to complete.
3. Municipal Boundary Adjustments (MBA) docket data
Approved annexation and detachment dockets that include legal descriptions and maps of all approved annexations through mid-April 2009.
4. LMIC Adjusted and Unadjusted municipality polygon files
Contain annexations performed on the state's municipalities. The annexation boundaries in the 'adjusted' file were geo-registered (adjusted) to Public Land Survey line data (see data source #5 below). The annexation boundaries in the 'unadjusted' file were not geo-registered to the PLS data set.
5. Control Point Generated Public Land Survey Quarter-quarter Sections
Used to georeference some of the annexation boundaries. Documented at: https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/plan-mndnr-public-land-survey
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Condensed Update History:
UPDATE: July 27, 2011
-Number of records changed from 2748 to 2747 due to City of Tenney dissolution to Campbell Township
-----------------------------------
UPDATE: June 2015
- City of Thomson consolidated into City of Carlton in Carlton County
-----------------------------------
UPDATE: December 2015
Changed the following attribute codes:
Fcode = deleted
GNIS_ID_I = deleted
GNIS_ID_T = deleted (replaced with GNIS_ID)
GNIS_ID = added, replaces GNIS_ID_T (is in text format, not integer)
-----------------------------------
UPDATE: June 2016
- all approved MBA dockets were processed from January 1, 2016 to June 24, 2016
- the number of records changed from 2743 to 2745 due to the following changes:
1. Liberty township in Itasca County split into two unorganized territories: Unorganized 14925 and Unorganized 15025
2. Raymond City expanded from Kandiyohi County into Chippewa County and a record was added for the new portion in Chippewa County.
- Also, the following spelling corrections were made
"Bankcroft" corrected to "Bancroft" - TOWNSHIP(GNIS = 663501)
"Blakely" corrected to "Blakeley" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 663612)
"Clover Leaf" corrected to "Cloverleaf" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 663838)
"Fairhaven" corrected to "Fair Haven" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 664132)
"Lac Qui Parle" corrected to "Lac qui Parle" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 664650)
"OBrien corrected to "O'Brien" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 665196)
"Windmere" corrected to "Windemere" - TOWNSHIP (GNIS = 666013)
"Heikkila Lake" corrected to "Heikkala Lake" - UNORGANIZED TERRITORY (GNIS = 664441)
"Pot Shot Lake" corrected to "Potshot Lake" - UNORGANIZED TERRITORY (GNIS = 665347)
-----------------------------------
Update: September 2017
Unorganized Territories that do not exist in the US Census database (they do not have a GNIS_ID) were created initially with (at the time) fictitious GNIS numbers. These GNIS numbers were discovered to be real GNIS numbers that represent GNIS features outside of MN. In order to lessen the potential for confusion, these GNIS numbers were updated with new fictitious unique GNIS numbers so they do not match any existing features:
Northwest Angle = 9999995
Rainy River = 9999996
Beltrami Forest = 9999997
Gull Lake (Crow Wing County) = 9999998
Gull Lake (Cass County)= 9999999
These features were previously Unorganized Territories with "fictitious" GNIS numbers but were discovered to have real GNIS numbers. These features have been renamed/modified and are now assigned these GNIS_IDs:
Dean Lake = 663937
Lake Number 1 (previously "East Lake") = 664691
Lake Number 2 (previously "West Lake" and "Two Harbors" now merged together) = 664692
------------------------------------
UPDATE: December 31st 2017
- all approved MBA dockets were processed from June 23, 2017 to December 31st 2017.
Errors fixed in December 31st 2017 update:
GNIS_ID for Westfield Township (Dodge County) was discovered to be incorrect (was 665963), it was updated appropriately to be 663374.
During the June 2017 update, some CTUs were inadvertently assigned to an incorrect CTU_Type and/or appear in the wrong county.
Four known examples:
1. Fairfax (GNIS_ID 2394729) should be a City in Renville County, not a Township that appears in Polk County
2. Fairfax Township (GNIS_ID 664128) should be in Polk County, not St. Louis County
3. Fairfield (GNIS_ID 664130) should be a Township in Crow Wing County, not a City that appears in Renville County
4. Fairfield Township (GNIS_ID 664131) should be in Swift County, not Crow Wing County
The December 2016 version of the data was correct. These errors were fixed in the boundary changes made through December 31, 2017.
------------------------------------
UPDATE: April 15th 2018
- all approved MBA dockets were processed from January 1st, 2018 to April 15th, 2018.
- Lutsen Township (Cook County) annexed a portion of the Unorganized Territory of West Cook (locally approved 4-18-2017). This change does not have a corresponding MBA docket number.
- Many boundary geometry corrections to various CTU features were made and will continue to be made throughout the state in an effort to increase overall accuracy of the entire dataset. Specific metadata will be made available in the coming iterations.
------------------------------------
UPDATE: June 30th, 2019:
- all approved MBA dockets were processed as of June 30th, 2019.
- Many general boundary improvements were made throughout the state where positional errors or inaccuracies were encountered.
-field names and overall data schema were updated to match enterprise SDE CTU data at MnDOT for ease of distribution
------------------------------------
UPDATE: November 23rd, 2021:
- Two Reminders: The actual published CTU data is updated weekly (subject to vacation or illness). The date on this metadata file will only change when it, specifically, is updated.
- The most up-to-date information regarding municipal boundary changes can be found at the following public-facing webpage
Boundary Adjustment Reporting System
https://www.mba.state.mn.us/boundary-adjustment-reporting-system-bars-
- On June 6th, 2021 the Township of Credit River incorporated to the city of Credit River (GNIS ID 663886)
- Southeast Aitkin Unorganized Territory (GNIS ID 665648) merged with Millward Township (GNIS ID 664977, directly north) back in the 1990s, but the state was never informed. This has been corrected. This changed the number of records from 2,745 to 2,744.
February 8th, 2022
It was discovered that a portion of the city of North Mankato in Blue Earth County was mistakenly left in Nicollet County. This changed the number of records from 2,744 to 2,745.
Section 3: Spatial Data Organization (not used in this metadata)
Section 4: Coordinate System
Horizontal Coordinate Scheme:
Universal Transverse Mercator
UTM Zone Number:
15
Horizontal Datum:
NAD83
Horizontal Units:
meters
Vertical Datum:
not applicable
Vertical Units:
Not applicable
Depth Datum:
not applicable
Depth Units:
Not applicable
Section 5: Attributes
Detailed Citation:
Table Detail:
CTU attributes (MnDOT)| Field Name | Valid Values | Definition | Definition Source |
|---|
| FID | - | Unique identifier of the city, township or unorganized territory feature assigned automatically by ArcGIS, starting with 0 | Esri |
| COUNTY_GNIS_FEATURE_ID | - | Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) MN County Feature ID | U.S. Board on Geographic Names |
| COUNTY_NAME | - | Name of MN County | MnDOT |
| OBJECTID | - | Unique identifier of the city, township or unorganized territory feature assigned automatically by ArcGIS, starting with 1 | Esri |
| Shape | enumerated | Geometry data of the city, township or unorganized territory feature | Esri |
| Polygon | | |
| COUNTY_CODE | 1 to 87 | 2-digit MN County code for given feature | MnDOT |
| GNIS_FEATURE_ID | - | Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Feature Identification Number | U.S. Board on Geographic Names |
| FEATURE_NAME | - | The name of the city, township or unorganized territory feature | U.S. Board on Geographic Names |
| CTU_CLASS | enumerated | CTU Feature Type | Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit |
| CITY | | Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit |
| TOWNSHIP | | Municipal Boundary Adjustment Unit |
| UNORGANIZED TERRITORY | | USGS |
| POPULATION | - | Population for given feature (where available) | MN State Demographic Center |
| Acres | - | Number of acres within the polygon | Calculated |
