05/18/2026
⚠️Attention - Richland County Residents⚠️
Richland County Zoning & Land Information, in conjunction with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, is currently reviewing and updating GIS address data throughout the county. This information has not been comprehensively reviewed or aligned for many years and, in some cases, has not been updated since addresses were originally assigned. As a result of this review, some residents — including those within the City of Richland Center and surrounding villages — may receive notices regarding address changes.
This project is necessary to ensure county address data properly aligns with established address ranges, mapping systems, and current Next Generation 911 (NG911) standards established by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). NG911 systems rely heavily on accurate GIS addressing and validated address points to ensure emergency calls can be routed and located quickly and precisely.
Most importantly, accurate addressing is critical for the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), which is operated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center and serves as the sole 911 dispatch center for Richland County. Address points are a foundational component of modern public safety systems, helping dispatchers and emergency responders identify the correct location of an incident — particularly in rural areas where landmarks or visible addresses may be limited.
When emergency calls are received, dispatchers rely on GIS and address data to quickly identify locations and send emergency responders without delay. Accurate address points can significantly reduce response times and improve coordination between law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other emergency services. Maintaining accurate GIS data strengthens public safety, supports compliance with statewide and national NG911 initiatives, and improves emergency response capabilities throughout the county.
Additionally, this data is commonly used by GPS systems, online mapping services, and applications such as Google Maps, which will also benefit from improved accuracy
