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Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's

1. What is AIMS?

2. How does GIS help me?

3. Do I need a username and password to access Johnson County Online Mapping?

4. How do I become a data partner and how much does it cost to license data?

5. Do you offer any data for free?

6. Do you have a key to coded values, like zoning, land use, etc?

7. What are AIMS Coordinator’s Meetings and how do I get involved?

8. How do I order a map?

9. How do I obtain a plot plan?

10. How can I get the easements that are on my property?

11. I am building a new structure on my property, what do I need to get a permit?

12. Can I obtain property ownership information through Johnson County Online Mapping?

13. How do I obtain a custom map?

14. Do you sell paper maps of Johnson County?

15. How current is the map data on your website?

16. How accurate is the map data on your website?

17. How do I report map errors in Online Mapping?

18. Why can’t I get the property ID or other labels to show up on the map I print from the Johnson County Online Mapping application?

19. How can I get the X,Y (latitude, longitude) of my property?

20. Do you have old aerial photographs of Johnson County?

21. Can I reproduce your data/maps in my own documents?

22. Do you have information for areas other than Johnson County?

1. What is AIMS?

AIMS stands for Automated Information Mapping System and is a group within the Department of Technology & Innovation within Johnson County government. AIMS is a Geographic Information System, or GIS. A GIS is a computerized system for managing large amounts of information that is geographically referenced or related to a location. In other words, a GIS is smart maps. An integrated GIS is generally a "turnkey" system operating on a computer system in a client/server environment. It often has plotter, digitizer, or color printer devices attached to the computer or on the network. The GIS also includes software for graphic processing, database management, and spatial analysis and modeling. The AIMS database integrates graphic and nongraphic data. Return to the top

2. How does GIS help me?

By combining locational information with tabular information, GIS provides users the ability to make very informed decisions with improved efficiency at less cost. AIMS enhances this ability by making the county’s maps and data available online. GIS is used in many arenas including emergency management and response, property appraisal, public works, health services, and economic development. Return to the top

3. Do I need a username and password to access Johnson County Online Mapping?

No username and password is needed to access the online mapping application. Simply click the "Online Mapping" button in the upper left of the homepage to be directed to the application.

If you subscribe to additional myAIMS services, you will need the username and password given to you at the time of subscription to access your additional applications. Return to the top

4. How do I become a data partner and how much does it cost to license data?

Being an AIMS partner provides you with access to AIMS data, input on AIMS projects, and the opportunity to participate in the AIMS Coordinator’s Meetings. Typically, AIMS data partners are composed of cities, utilities, school districts, engineering firms, and miscellaneous organizations. If you are interested in becoming a data partner, please contact AIMS at 913-715-1600 or go to the How to Become a Data Partner page. Return to the top

5. Do you offer any data for free?

Public domain data obtained and archived by AIMS, but of which AIMS was not the originator, is available at no charge. All AIMS’ sourced data must be licensed. Please contact the Mapper of the Day at 913-715-1600 or to see what data we offer. Return to the top

6. Do you have a key to coded values, like zoning, land use, etc?

Yes, values for coded layers can be found at the Feature Code Lookup page. Return to the top

7. What are AIMS Coordinator's Meetings and how do I get involved?

AIMS Coordinator Meetings are intended for anyone interested in GIS and becoming more familiar with GIS at the county, city or business level in the Kansas City metropolitan area. AIMS Coordinator meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month and are hosted at various locations throughout the area. The meetings consist of data updates, product, software and application development, and collaborative GIS efforts throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan area. View the AIMS Coordinator's Group page. Return to the top

8. How do I order a map?

AIMS offers three types of standard maps: planimetric, property, and aerials. Maps can be ordered either over the phone by calling the Mapper of the Day at 913-715-1600 or by emailing your map order to Return to the top

9. How do I obtain a plot plan?

Plot plans can be printed directly from the AIMS homepage under the "Quick Links" section. Enter a valid Johnson County address in the box under "Location Maps & Information", select Plot Plan from the drop down menu and click go. From this page, you can simply send the generated plot plan to your printer. A plot plan can also be obtained by calling the Mapper of the Day at 913-715-1600 or by going online at Johnson County Online Mapping and printing it free of charge. Return to the top

10. How can I get the easements that are on my property?

AIMS does not have easements in the GIS system. Plats, which are available online, may contain some easements. Easements that are not associated with a plat but with a deed or other official document should be researched at the Department of Records and Tax Administration. Return to the top

11. I am building a new structure on my property, what do I need to get a permit?

Each city within Johnson County has different requirements to issue building permits. It is best to check with your city. A good place to start is to print off a plot plan (Question #9). Return to the top

12. Can I obtain property ownership information through Johnson County Online Mapping?

Ownership information is available through Johnson County Online Mapping on a per parcel basis using the "Search Owner" field on the left-hand side of the application or by entering an owner name in the "Search for Location" box at the top of the screen. This information is also available through Location Services on the County's homepage. For additional information, please contact the Records and Tax Administration office at 913-715-0775. Return to the top

13. How do I obtain a custom map?

If one of our standard maps does not meet your needs, AIMS will work with you to get exactly the information you need. Contact for more information and see our page regarding map requests. Return to the top

14. Do you sell paper maps of Johnson County?

Yes, AIMS offers several maps of the county with themes suchs a roads, school districts, and land use. Visit the Maps page for a list of maps available for sale. Return to the top

15. How current is the map data on your website?

Property information is uploaded to AIMS on a nightly basis. Property changes are typically updated within two weeks of a request by the Department of Records and Tax Administration (RTA). Orthophotography is captured in the spring of even years and released in the late summer or fall of that year. Please see the Aerial Imagery page for years available. Planimetric data (e.g. buildings, pavement edge, water features) is updated every two years in coordination with aerial imagery capture. All other GIS datasets are updated daily, weekly, quarterly, or yearly. To inquire about specific dates for a dataset in your area, please contact the Return to the top

16. How accurate is the map data on your website?

This question is most often related to property and aerial photography data. Property data is considered to be accurate to within a few feet in most areas of the county. There are, however, several known areas where errors can exceed 10 feet. As such, property data should be used for planning purposes only and a survey should be conducted to locate the property boundary (search for Johnson County surveyors). Starting in 2015, Johnson County embarked on a multi-year initiative to improve the spatial accuracy of the tax parcel data. Using enhanced methods and procedures, this initiative will establish the highest level of confidence in the tax parcel data. For project progress, contact the Mapper of the Day. More detailed information about our imagery, including resolution and scale, is available on the Aerial Imagery page. AIMS has no control over the accuracy, currency, or completeness of publicly available basemaps provided by Google, Bing, and ESRI that we overlay our data with. Please view the associated metadata for all accuracy information. Return to the top

17. How do I report map errors in Online Mapping?

AIMS often receives questions regarding errors related to street names, business locations, and GPS routing. Here are some quick tips to help you report possible mapping errors. If the Base Map within Online Mapping (upper right corner) is set to ‘JoCo Map’, then you are viewing Johnson County data. Please report any errors to [email protected] and AIMS staff will work with the appropriate parties to make sure the error is fixed. If the Base Map is not set to ‘JoCo Map’, then you are viewing a private company’s data. The following link will help you to report map errors in Google, Apple, etc. that can also negatively impact GPS devices: GPS.gov. Return to the top

18. Why can’t I get the property ID or other labels to show up on the map I print from the Johnson County Online Mapping application?

Property labels are only available at certain scales due to the complexity of sending large amounts of data across the internet. Zoom in more to get the option to label the property. The property polygon must also be checked for drawing. If you need a map of a larger area with labels contact the Mapper of the Day (913-715-1600) to get an estimate. Return to the top

19. How can I get the X,Y (latitude, longitude) of my property?

You can receive the X, Y of the centroid of your property or of a corner of the property by going to Johnson County Online Mapping and zooming to your parcel of interest. Then hover the cursor over the point of interest and in the lower left corner of the browser status bar the stateplane coordinate will be displayed. This unit is in feet. Using freeware off of the internet or commercial packages you can convert it to Latitude and Longitude if necessary. Return to the top

20. Do you have old aerial photographs of Johnson County?

AIMS houses digital aerial photography dating back to 1991, along with historic imagery from 1941 and 1954. Johnson County Public Works has microfilm versions of the 1941 and 1954 imagery, as well as photos from 1973, 1986, and 1990. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS), and the U.S. Geological Survey also archive historical aerial photographs. Return to the top

21. Can I reproduce your data/maps in my own documents?

Yes, you may reproduce AIMS’ maps and data in your own documents. However, you must cite AIMS as the source of your data. Please be sure to read the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy. Return to the top

22. Do you have information for areas other than Johnson County?

No, AIMS only houses information regarding Johnson County, KS. If you are interested in surrounding county, regional, or state websites, visit AIMS Related Links, and scroll down to the appropriate group. Return to the top