Blog · September 24, 2026 · Michigan
Washtenaw County, Michigan GIS Parcel Map Guide
Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter, Milan, Manchester and the twenty townships around them are all covered by Washtenaw County’s free MapWashtenaw.
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Washtenaw County is home to the University of Michigan, but most of its land is townships with farms, lakes and small villages. MapWashtenaw is the county’s full-featured public map.
What MapWashtenaw offers
MapWashtenaw opens with a What’s New note, recently mentioning updated soil data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and fresh aerial photography. The toolbar includes markup, open and save, print, export, a simple site map maker, bookmarks, identify, a results table, parcel search, buffering, starred items and latitude and longitude lookup. Training videos explain the basics. One known issue: the scale bar can be wrong when printing a rotated map, so double-check printed distances.
MapWashtenaw sits on our Michigan roster under Washtenaw; the all-county map also gets you there.
How to find property lines in Washtenaw County
- Use Parcel Search to locate the property and copy its parcel number.
- Open the legal description and check whether the lot is in a platted subdivision or described by metes and bounds.
- Order deeds and plats from the Register of Deeds.
- Hire a Michigan professional surveyor before fencing or building near a line.
Our parcel map reading guide walks through the details.
Using the site map and buffer tools
The simple site map tool creates a quick map of a parcel, handy for permit applications that ask for a sketch. The buffer tool draws a distance around a parcel and lists the properties inside it, useful for neighbor notifications or for checking what surrounds a home.
Townships and cities
Washtenaw County has cities like Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter and Milan, plus many townships with their own zoning and assessors. Pittsfield, Scio, Ann Arbor Township and Ypsilanti Township border the cities. Check with the right municipality before building.
Taxable value and uncapping
Michigan caps yearly growth in taxable value at the rate of inflation or five percent, whichever is less. When property transfers, taxable value uncaps and resets to the assessed value the next year, which can raise taxes for a new buyer. Filing a principal residence exemption lowers school taxes on your home.
The Huron River
The Huron River flows through Dexter, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, with parks, dams and paddling routes. Floodplain maps show risk along it. Waterfront lots follow local and state rules.
The Gelman dioxane plume
A plume of 1,4-dioxane from a former manufacturing site spreads under parts of western Ann Arbor and Scio Township. Well use is restricted in affected areas. Buyers should check state records and local well rules.
The Ann Arbor greenbelt
In 2003, Ann Arbor voters approved a millage to protect farmland and natural areas around the city, largely by buying development rights. The county runs its own natural areas preservation program as well. Farms in Scio, Webster, Ann Arbor, Salem and Superior townships may carry conservation easements that keep them in agriculture permanently. The easement stays with the land when it sells, so read the recorded terms before buying a farm near the city.
Ypsilanti and Willow Run
Ypsilanti holds Eastern Michigan University and neighborhoods of older homes, while Ypsilanti Township stretches toward Willow Run, where Ford built B-24 bombers during World War II. Part of that site now serves as a proving ground for connected and automated vehicles. Industrial redevelopment continues there, and parcels near the airport face zoning limits tied to flight paths.
Chelsea, Dexter and the western lakes
The western county rolls into lake country around the Waterloo and Pinckney state recreation areas. Homes near Portage, Joslin and other lakes typically rely on wells and septic. Glacial hills mean steep driveways and wet pockets, so review contours and the new soil data before choosing a building site.
Why the new soils layer matters
The updated NRCS soil data identifies wet, hydric soils and areas that drain poorly. Those details affect septic approval, basements and wetland permitting. The county health department makes the final septic call, but the soils layer gives an early warning.
University land
The University of Michigan owns large tax-exempt holdings in Ann Arbor, including North Campus, medical facilities and research land, plus natural areas like the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Its land shows as exempt, and development next to it follows city zoning.
Printing and exporting tips
For a clean printout, keep the map north-up to avoid the scale bar issue, set the extent you want, and use Export Map for an image file. Bookmarks and starred items save places you check often, such as a family farm or a rental.
Splitting land in a township
Michigan’s Land Division Act limits how many parcels an owner can split off without platting, based on the size of the original tract. Townships review each split for frontage, depth and access. Ask the township assessor or zoning office before promising a buyer a new lot.
Is the Washtenaw County GIS map accurate?
MapWashtenaw draws parcels for tax and planning use, and it does not replace a survey. Aerial imagery and parcel lines can be offset by several feet, especially along roads and older plats. Check the recorded plat and hire a surveyor when a line matters; this comparison of tax maps and surveys goes deeper.
Other Michigan guides
For southeast Michigan, see our Wayne and Oakland guide. The Michigan page links all 83 county viewers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print a site map from MapWashtenaw?
Yes. A simple site map tool creates a quick parcel map.
Why did my taxes go up after buying in Washtenaw County?
Taxable value uncaps after a transfer and resets the next year.
Who handles zoning in Washtenaw townships?
Each township or city handles its own zoning.
Is the MapWashtenaw scale bar reliable when printing?
The county notes it can be wrong on rotated maps.
Open the official Washtenaw County GIS viewer Washtenaw County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey — especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.