Communicating Boundary Changes - Lessons Learned

[joebuckwalter]

We recently went through a large boundary change affecting over 1000 members in our stake. We went from 10 to 11 wards. We found that generating imagery with sufficient resolution that was also easy to share was very challenging.

Ultimately, we discovered the following method by consulting with a friend who had used this method within their stake. I'm sharing it here in hopes that it will be helpful to others.

Click here for a version of the instructions that includes screenshots.


Step-by-Step Guide
1. Log into the Boundary Tool
Log into the boundary tool to begin the process.
2. Find the Boundary Proposal ID
Locate the boundary proposal ID in the URL of your boundary proposal.
3. Plug the Boundary Proposal ID into the URL
Replace 123456 in the following URL with your actual boundary proposal ID:
• URL: https://bl.churchofjesuschrist.org/boun ... 6/map.json
4. Convert the JSON File to KML
The URL will produce a file that can be converted to a KML file. Use any online JSON to KML conversion tool. One recommended tool is:
• Tool: https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/json-to-kml
5. Navigate to Google My Maps
Log into your Google account and navigate to Google My Maps:
• URL: https://google.com/maps/d/u/0/?hl=en
6. Create a New Map
Create a new map in Google My Maps.
7. Import the KML File
Click the "Import" button and select the downloaded KML file.
8. Label and Color the Polygons
Use the Google My Maps interface to label and color the polygons representing the ward boundaries. Consider setting the Base map to satellite view so that people can see their home alongside the new boundaries.
9. Share the Map
Click the "Share" button to generate a link to the map. This link can be published to a stake website and/or sent out via email using the “Send a message” app in Leader & Clerk Resources (LCR). Make the link available during the stake meeting as the boundaries are announced.
This method allows all members to easily see how they are affected by the boundary changes without having to generate and distribute large files or static images.

[BrianEdwards]

That's a great solution, and the OneDrive link is a cool help as well. We definitely could have benefited from this approach in recent years. I'll share with our Stake Clerk -- general members never know about any potential future boundary changes until they're announced, but at least this way he can account for it if the time comes again for more changes.