Use of the City Field in Florida
Use the following checklist step-by-step to determine whether the "City" field for a segment or place should contain a name or be marked as "None":
NOTE: Mailing addresses alone are not a determining factor for filling in the City field; city limits are. For example, everyone who lives in Leon County has a "Tallahassee, FL" mailing address, but not everyone in Leon County lives within the incorporated city limits of Tallahassee. Most unincorporated county areas should have the City field checked as "None", unless they meet one of the following exceptions.
STEP 1 - Incorporated Municipality. Is it on the list of legally incorporated municipalities? If NO, proceed to Step 2. If YES, check if your segment / place falls within the city limits by using Florida Mapping Resources. If it is not within the city limits, make sure it's not in an adjacent city or eligible location specified below. If not, stop here, you're done.
STEP 2 - Large Census Designated Place. Is it on the list of large Census Designated Places? If NO, then proceed to Step 3. If YES, The geographic boundaries of many CDP's can be found on the US Census Bureau website; use these boundaries. See if the county PA / GIS website listed at Florida Mapping Resources shows the boundaries. If you still can't find defined boundaries for the CDP, take a scroll through along a major roadway in street view to see where FDOT or the county may have placed signs indicating where the CDP begins and ends.
STEP 3 - County Property Appraiser. If you look up a parcel on the roadway in question using a Property Appraiser's website listed at Florida Mapping Resources, does it list your target name as a valid address? If NO, proceed to Step 4. If YES, try to determine the boundaries for use of that City name by checking subsequent parcels in the area or checking county GIS sites listed at Florida Mapping Resources.
STEP 4 - Indian Reservations / Government Installations. Is the segment / place located on an Indian Reservation or Government Installation? If NO, proceed to Step 5. If YES, listing the name of the reservation or installation in the City field may be appropriate. If you think YES, consult a State Manager or Regional Coordinator for more guidance.
STEP 5 - Other Place of Significance. There are many other Census Designated Places and points of interest throughout Florida, but many are small. Does your target location have a major cultural significance (e.g. tourist attraction, county seat, travel milestone (e.g. Yeehaw Junction))? If you think YES, consult a State Manager or Regional Coordinator for more guidance. If NO, then mark the City field as "None". Stop here, you're done. There are no more options.