Frequently Asked Questions
Find the answers to your questions about Online Map Access and Sidwellmaps.com
- How does the online map access work?
- Can I print out map and/or parcel information from the system?
- Can I get access to more than one county?
- Do you have aerial photography online for all the counties you have listed?
- Can I make copies or reprints of the aerial photography shown on your site?
- Can I print out a full-size aerial photography page?
- Can I sign up for only aerial photography access on SidwellMaps.com?
- What does it mean when you say aerial photography is ortho-rectified?
- Can I subscribe to access your site for a period of less than a month?
- I only need information for a couple of parcels, can I get that information on a per-hit basis?
- Is the data housed at SidwellMaps.com secure?
If you do not find the answer to your specific question listed above, contact our Commercial Services Department.
SidwellMaps.com subscribers with technical questions, should login to the site and view our Help Document Page or contact HelpDesk@sidwellco.com.
1. How does the online map access work?
You can get an idea of how our online map access works by visiting the Test Drive area of our site. These preselected map pages and aerials will give you a glimpse as to what you can view and do with our online system.
If you need help or instruction using the Test Drive area or are a current subscriber who needs assistance in training other employees on how to use the site, check out our Visual Tutorial which is an 18 slide presentation of the functionality of the map viewer used to display maps on SidwellMaps.com.
2. Can I print out map and/or parcel information from the system?
Yes! Users can print out selected portions of parcel maps and information from our site for use in reports and business correspondence. We have also created a "generate printable image" tool on our site which acts as a print preview to show users the end result of their map selection. Selections may then be printed in portrait or landscape (we recommend landscape).
It should be stated, however, that full map page prints, similar to our map atlases, are not possible with this site. Portions of maps and/or map pages may only be printed. Also note, that commercial printing of these map portions for resale, consolidation of these images to create another format for resale, redistribution of the images presented via any other media source, especially the internet, is strictly prohibited and copyright regulations will be enforced.
If you need a full map page print, contact our Commercial Services Department.
3. Can I get access to more than one county?
Yes, multi-county access is available at a discount subscription rate. Click here for pricing information.
4. Do you have aerial photography online for all the counties you have listed?
Aerial Photography is currently displayed online through subscription access for most counties offered with our service. You can view a listing of all counties available and those with aerial photography by clicking here.
Online access to aerial photography requires that a user subscribe to parcel map access for that particular county; aerial photography access is not allowed on a stand-alone basis.
Important note: It should also be stated that not all counties with aerial photography access allow users to view this information in a composite format (parcel lines over the aerial imagery). Most notably, Cook County, Illinois is not offered in a composite format.
If you should need specific aerial photography prints, please be sure to search our Aerial Photography Directory for images in counties that are available for purchase on a per print or digital media basis.
5. Can I make copies or reprints of the aerial photography shown on your site?
The aerial photography images presented through subscription access on SidwellMaps.com are printable and can be saved for use in other presentations in the size they are presented in our map viewer. The amount of information viewable and printable will depend on the scale to which the initial image has been magnified. If you need a full map, aerial, or composite print page, they are available for purchase through our Commercial Services Department.
6. Can I print out a full-size aerial photography page?
No. Full size reproduction of these images, as is the case with our line maps, can not be replicated from the site. Only portions of the images are available in this format.
If you would like information on full-size aerial prints or composite prints (where available), please contact our Commercial Services Department.
7. Can I sign up for only aerial photography access on SidwellMaps.com?
No. In order to have access to aerial photography, a user must be a map access subscriber for the same county. Aerial photography access is not available as a stand-alone product, at this time.
If your business would benefit from this type of access product, please let us know at commercialservices@sidwellco.com.
If you have interest in our Aerial Photography prints or digital products, please view our holdings on our Aerial Photography Directory or call our Commercial Services Department at 630-549-1100 for more information.
8. What does it mean when you say aerial photography is ortho-rectified?
Aerial photography that is ortho-rectified means that the imagery aligns with the parcel line map to which it corresponds and does so within a predetermined tolerance standard.
9. Can I subscribe to access your site for a period of less than a month?
No. The shortest term for access to our site is a one month subscription. Most monthly online access fees are economical, and offer convenient, unlimited hit access. Based on convenience of access, no travel involved to obtain the information and price in relation to a full map print (unless you need a full map print), it's an affordable value. Longer terms, in monthly increments, are always available as well as annual subscriptions.
10. I only need information for a couple of parcels, can I get that information on a per-hit basis?
At this time, parcel information is not offered on a per-hit basis. However, most monthly online access fees are economical, and offer convenient, unlimited hit access. Based on convenience of access, no travel involved to obtain the information and price in relation to a full map print (unless you need a full map print), it's an affordable value.
Individual parcel map pages containing your specified parcel or parcels may be purchased through our Commercial Services Department. Please e-mail them through the link provided here, or contact them at 630-549-1100 during normal business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday.
11. Is the data housed at SidwellMaps.com secure?
Yes! In fact, users of the system are not accessing live data. A copy of the most current information is placed on our secured Internet server each night. Also, the data provided is "view only", users of the system can make no modifications to the data.
