GIS

The Equalization Department performs various important duties for Crawford County.

Purpose:  To set county equalized and verify taxable values for the tax base of Crawford County.  To create and maintain a graphic representation of legal descriptions for all property located within the county, and to assist local units of government in all matters concerning assessment administration as mandated by Michigan State Law.

Our role is to assist the Crawford County Board of Commissioners in equalizing the assessed value of our county.  This is accomplished by adding to, or deducting from, the assessed valuation of each class of property.  We collect data from the local real estate market, analyze the data, and determine the average level of assessment represented by that data.

We compile sampling data, statistics and prepare reports on all property valuations in the county for use by the Finance Committee, and annually assist the Board of Commissioners by preparing the Equalization Report.

We are also charged with reviewing and preparing reports for the millage rollback calculations throughout the County, and administering requirements mandated by Proposal A and any additional mandated requirements.

We, here at the Crawford County Equalization Department, are using all the tools available to us, so that all properties within our jurisdiction are being valued equally and fairly.  Uniformity in comparable properties is our primary goal.

Statewide Search for Subdivision Plats

This system provides access to digital images, with print capability, of the plats and related documents of land subdivisions in the State of Michigan’s plat files. The State of Michigan began maintaining a file of all plats in the state in 1873. A copy of all plats prepared after that date were filed with the State. Beginning in 1909 and completed in 1911, a copy of all plats on file with the 83 county Register of Deeds and recorded prior to 1873 were duplicated and the duplicate copies incorporated into the State’s files. This system includes all plats in the State of Michigan beginning with the plats created under the 1821 territorial act for recording town plats.The related documents include court orders, municipal resolutions, municipal ordinances, surveyor’s affidavits, and county road commission’s resolutions. Generally these documents alter a plat on file in some way.

Currently, there are over 66,000 plats on file and images for over 99% of those plats are available here. Related documents with available digital imagery are automatically accessed with the plat as additional page(s). Not all related documents are available in digital form. Additional related documents might exist that affect a plat and may be available at the county Register of Deeds.