FAQ

1. Why can't I see address and owner information when I zoom to a specific parcel?
2. Why are the parcels and color photo layers not listed in the Map Legend Panel?
3. Are aerial photographs available to the public?
4. Is there information about specific layers found in the map such as last update and accuracy? How often is the layer updated?
5. What coordinate system and projection is used?
6. Can I download data displayed in ActiveMap?
7. Why can I not find or get information about parcels found within the incorporated cities within the ActiveMap website?
8. Who do I contact if I have an issue with the ActiveMap website?
9. How do I turn off my browser's pop-up blocker?
10. What should I do if I see incorrect information on the ActiveMap website?
11. What software does the County of Sonoma use for its GIS?
12. What does "Under Review - Consult Planner" mean?
13. How do I find my latitude/longitude?
14. How do I print a map and/or add a map into a document?
15. Are there requirements to run ActiveMap on a Mac?
16. I am using Internet Explorer (IE) 8 and cannot see the Searches, Help or Resources drop-down menus?
17. I am using Internet Explorer (IE) 9 and cannot see the Searches, Help or Resources drop-down menus?

1) Why can't I see address and owner information when I zoom to a specific parcel?

The ActiveMap website has attempted to provide valuable tools and information for the public while preserving privacy concerns as well. The website has detailed information about the properties found within the unincorporated areas of the county, but does not make available to the public, owner names, addresses or phone numbers.

The following State Code pertains to the display of address & owner information by state & local agencies.

California Gov. Code 6254.21

"No state or local agency shall post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first obtaining the written permission of that individual."

To obtain owner information in regards to a specific property, please contact or visit the Sonoma County Assessor's Office.

Main Office Location
585 Fiscal Drive, Suite 103F
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Main Phone: 707-565-1888
Toll Free: 800-244-1034
Fax: 707-565-3317

2) Why are the parcels and color photo layers not listed in the Map Legend Panel?

There are layers in the map legend content that are scale dependent. This means that as you zoom in or out within the Map Display Area, various layers will either be available or not available for viewing due to a set scale display threshold. By setting scale dependent layers, it helps keep the map display clean and focused on relevant data.

For example, when the Map Display Area is at full County view or as you zoom out past a certain point, the parcel and photo layers will turn off (no longer viewable) nor appear listed in the Map Legend. However, the opposite also holds true. As you zoom in (e.g. 1" = 1,000 Ft.) within the Map Display Area and reach a display scale threshold, the parcels and photo layers will become available within the Map Legend and you can again turn them on or off as needed. Keep in mind that some scale dependent layers automatically turn on when zooming in past a certain point while other layers become available in the Map Legend content yet are turned off.

3) Are aerial photographs available to the public?

The color aerial photographs displayed in the ActiveMap website were flown in August 2004 by AirPhotoUSA. Since the color aerials are not owned by the County of Sonoma, all information or purchase inquiries should be directed to:

DigitalGlobe, Inc (Formerly AirPhotoUSA)
20430 N. 19th Avenue
Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Local: 623-476-3200
Toll Free: 866-278-2378
Fax: 623-582-2632
General Info: info@digitalglobe.com

Black and White Aerial Photography flown in Spring 2000 is not available in ActiveMap, yet is available for download at the County of Sonoma GIS Data Portal.

4) Where can I locate layer information such as last update and accuracy? How often is the layer data updated?

For specific information on the layers found within the ActiveMap website, please open the Layer Descriptions Panel located in the Panel area of the application.

Select the layer you are interested in. Information about the layer will be displayed in the panel. Links are included when more detailed information is available.

Data on the ActiveMap website is updated on a quarterly basis (January, April, July, October) and/or as needed. Each layer listed in the Layer Descriptions Panel has "Last Update" information provided.

5) What coordinate system and projection is used?

The County of Sonoma uses GCS North American 1983 for the geographic coordinate system and NAD 1983 State Plane California Zone II for the projected coordinate system for all our spatial data. Our unit of measurement is US Survey Feet.

6) Can I download data displayed in ActiveMap?

Some of the layers found within the ActiveMap website can be downloaded at no cost at the County of Sonoma GIS Data Portal.

For all other layers not found at this site, please contact:

Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department
2550 Ventura Avenue
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Main Phone: 707-565-1900

7) Why can't I find or get information about parcels within city boundaries in ActiveMap?

The ActiveMap website is a product of the Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department. Their jurisdiction is solely within unincorporated areas of the County. For information on city parcels, please contact the city directly or visit the Sonoma County Assessor's Office:

Main Office Location
585 Fiscal Drive, Suite 103F
Santa Rosa, California 95403
Main Phone: 707-565-1888
Toll Free: 800-244-1034
Fax: 707-565-3317

8) Who do I contact if I have an issue with the ActiveMap website?

The following steps can solve most problems:

1. Clean out your temporary files and cookies from Internet Explorer (IE), as follows. Open IE. From the main menu, select Tools, Internet Options.

   

   Select the General tab. Select the button labeled Delete Cookies. Select the button labeled Delete Files. (This may take several minutes to complete.)

   

   Close IE and proceed to step #2.

2. Add ActiveMap to your trusted sites, as follows. Open IE after completing step #1. Type our website address http://imsportal.sonoma-count.org/activemap into the address box.

   

   Click OK. Close the IE window. Open a new IE window. After our site comes up, go to the Tools menu bar. Click on Internet Options.

   

   Click on the Security tab. Select the Trusted Sites icon (green circle with white check mark). Click the Site... button.

   

   In the text box labeled "Add this Web site to the zone." copy and paste this url: http://imsportal.sonoma-county.org/activemap. Then click the Add button. Click OK. Click OK.

   

   Close out of all Internet Explorer windows. Open a new Internet Explorer window and type in our web site http://imsportal.sonoma-county.org/activemap into the address box.

3. Various anti-virus software will block entry into our website. Please check your settings or temporarily disable your anti-virus software while using ActiveMap.
4. For questions regarding the ActiveMap website, please select the Contact Us link found within the Resources menu on the Main Toolbar.

   

9) How do I turn off my browser's pop-up blocker?

To print a map or property report, your browser's pop-up blocker must be turned off. The following steps will deactivate the pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer (IE):

1. Open IE. From the main menu, select Tools, Internet Options.

   

2. Select the Privacy tab. Uncheck the box labeled Block pop-ups.

   

10) What should I do if I see incorrect information on the ActiveMap website?

Should you find incorrect information within ActiveMap, please select the Contact Us link found within the Resources menu on the Main Toolbar.

11) What software do you use for GIS?

Our core GIS software is ESRI's ArcGIS suite. ActiveMap uses the ESRI ArcServer software.

12) What does "Under Review - Consult Planner" mean?

Should a parcel of interest have zoning and/or land use specified as "Under Review - Consult Planner," the zoning determination is currently under review by the Permit & Resource Management planning staff. For more information and/or to discuss the review process, please call the planner phone at 707-565-1900. In addition, please specify ActiveMap as the source of your zoning and/or land use information inquiry.

13) How do I find my latitude/longitude?

ActiveMap does not provide latitude/longitude coordinates, but other websites such as www.getlatlon.com calculate latitude/longitude for any address point.

14) How do I print a map and/or add a map into a document?

1. Turn on and off any layers you want to within the Map Legend Panel. Toggle layers on or off by clicking on the checkbox next to the layer symbology.
2. In the Main Toolbar, click on the Print Map tool.
   
   



3. To print, choose toolbar File - Print. A print window will appear allowing you to send the map to your selected printer.
   
   To save a map, choose toolbar File - Save As. When saving the map locally, the saved document will display as:
   
   
   
   With every subsequent map saved, this map will be overwritten unless the map file name is renamed. Therefore, with every map saved, ensure to rename the htm and be sure to include the file extension .htm.
   
   Further, with every map saved, there will be an associated folder consisting of several files which will display as:
   
   
   
   In the renaming of the .htm, the associated folder will also have to be renamed exactly the same.
   
   Within the additional file folder, there are several files which will display as:
   
   
   
   The PNG file contains the map display area image and can be inserted into a document as a picture. To note, all of these additional files can be added as well.
   
   

   Note:
   
   a) If you have a buffer or a parcel selected, the selection colors and buffer will not be displayed in the printed map.
   
   b) Within the ActiveMap application you are allowed to search by address, but address & owner information will not be displayed or reported back to the screen. This is because of California Gov. Code 6254.21 which states the following:

   "No state or local agency shall post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first obtaining the written permission of that individual."

   To obtain owner information in regards to a specific property, please contact or visit the Sonoma County Assessor's Office.

15) Are there requirements to run ActiveMap on a Mac?

ActiveMap relies on Microsoft Windows operating system and ESRI ArcGIS Server which poses a challenge to Macintosh (Mac) users. There is a common misconception that there are no options for Mac users who want to use GIS applications such as ActiveMap. However, there are several choices available for Mac OS X users:

• For Mac OS 10.4 and higher, Apple has released a product called BootCamp which allows the Intel-based Macs to load a full version of WinXP or above, and run Windows applications at full speed. Upon boot-up, the user chooses to boot into MacOS or into Windows. Although this setup runs Windows and ESRI ArcGIS applications swiftly, a re-boot is required when switching between operating systems (from Windows to Mac and vice versa). The user must have a properly licensed copy of Windows XP or above and should be familiar with running Windows-based applications.



• Should BootCamp not be the proper solution, consider using a Windows-based tool such as Parallel (Parallels Desktop) or VMware Fusion. Both Windows-based tools are "virtual machine" products which allows the Intel-based Macs to load a full version of Windows (many versions) and run applications at high speed. The user can move back and forth between Windows and Mac OS applications without having to re-boot. The setup works with current versions of ESRI ArcGIS applications though perhaps not quite as fast on a native PC or under BootCamp (since memory is split between the two operating systems). Here again, the user must have a properly licensed copy of Windows XP or above and must be familiar with running Windows-based applications.

16) I am using Internet Explorer (IE) 8 and cannot see the Searches, Help or Resources drop-down menu?

Some ActiveMap users have experienced the inability to view drop-down menus under Searches, Help and Resources using IE8. To view the drop-down menus, follow the steps provided below:

1. Under IE toolbar Tools, select Compatibility View Settings.

   

2. The Compatibility View Setting dialogue box will appear. At the bottom check box Display all websites in Compatibility View and select Close.

   

3. To save browser settings, close IE.
4. Open IE and launch ActiveMap.

17) I am using Internet Explorer (IE) 9 and cannot see the Searches, Help or Resources drop-down menu?

Some ActiveMap users have experienced the inability to view drop-down menus under Searches, Help and Resources using IE9. To view the drop-down menus, follow steps provided at How to use Compatibility View in Internet Explorer 9. Once compatibility view has been set, close IE to save browser settings. Again, open IE and launch ActiveMap.