Short answer
Which basemap should I use?
Streets help with address navigation, light and dark views help compare layers, and satellite imagery supplies visual context. None establishes ownership or a precise cadastral boundary.
Change the background, not the meaning
Choose a view with the Atlas basemap control. If an outline is hard to read, check layer opacity and use a contrasting background.
- Streets — names and landmarks.
- Light / dark — comparison of thematic information.
- Satellite — imagery whose capture date and positional accuracy depend on the source.
The public-page preview
The homepage layer diagram is illustrative. Esri imagery loads only when you request the satellite view, and the illustrative polygons are removed. Do not read the diagram as actual zoning.
Sources and their roles
- OSM
Location and urban context, not official ownership, zoning or utility-connection evidence.
- MSDA / GIS
Parcel geometry, functional zoning and municipal layers.
This guide is not a parcel assessment, a current registry extract or a building permit.