Understanding Property Boundaries in Natick

We often receive questions about property lines, fences, and yard boundaries. While Town GIS maps and assessor data can be helpful for general reference, they are not legal surveys and should not be used to confirm exact property boundaries.

To determine the true, legal location of a property line, only a licensed professional land surveyor can provide an official survey.

Why a Licensed Surveyor is Required

  • GIS and assessor maps are for tax purposes only

  • Recorded plans and deeds may show boundary information but can require interpretation

  • Field measurement and verification are needed for accurate results

For any project that depends on precise property lines—such as installing a fence, building a structure, or resolving boundary questions—please consult a licensed land surveyor.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring accurate and responsible property boundary determination within the Town.

Natick GIS 22v3

Geographic Information System (GIS)

"A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data. GIS connects data to a map, integrating location data (where things are) with all types of descriptive information (what things are like there). This provides a foundation for mapping and analysis that is used in science and almost every industry. GIS helps users understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context. The benefits include improved communication and efficiency as well as better management and decision-making." -esri

The GIS division serves all boards, departments, and committees.  The division collects, curates, maintains, and shares data relevant to the town. Furthermore, numerous applications and standard maps can be found on the links to the left.

GIS Layers 
The division is responsible for maintaining the entire town’s spatial database. Some of these layers include:
  • Tax parcel, zoning, and other regulatory/civic boundaries.
  • Water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure
  • Built environment (planimetric data)
  • Surface water and wetlands.
  • Natural resources
  • Public safety related data
  • Aerial imagery

FAA part 107 drone operations were added to the division in 2016.  Aerial imagery and video are used to update the spatial database and highlight town activities.  Much of this content is available on Facebook and Youtube.  See links to the left.

Geography is the celebration of people and place


  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7