Privacy Policy

CRATER Property Explorer & Western Washington Property Screening

Effective date: October 15, 2026 · Last updated: October 15, 2026

Crater Land Use Consulting LLC ("CRATER," "we," "us") operates CRATER Property Explorer and the Western Washington Property Screening website linked from craterluc.com/property-screening. This policy explains how information is handled when you browse maps, screen a property, save or share a property, or request professional assistance through these services.

1. Information used by the service

Property searches and maps

The service uses the county, parcel number, map area, selected property coordinates, and parcel geometry needed to retrieve published mapping and screening results. Relevant queries are sent directly from your device to the applicable mapping providers. Published records can contain property addresses, ownership information, parcel boundaries, and environmental information. Searching for a property does not establish that you own or occupy it.

Find my location is optional. When you tap it, your browser or the updated mobile app requests foreground location permission and obtains a single position and accuracy estimate to center the map. Precise or approximate location depends on your device permission and settings. We do not track your location in the background or store the GPS marker in your drawing exports. Centering the map causes map bounds, parcel queries and tile requests around your position to be sent to mapping providers; those requests may reveal your location. CRATER does not save the GPS reading to a customer record. Tap Hide location to remove the marker and revoke permission in your device or browser settings if desired. The older preview app does not support this feature. Camera, microphone, contacts and photo-library access are not used. A property you manually select is separate from your physical location. Mapping and hosting providers receive your IP address as part of network requests, which can indicate an approximate location.

Requests you send to CRATER

If you submit the professional review request form, we receive the information included in the submission, such as your name, email address, phone number, requested service, county, parcel number, property address, project description, acknowledgment, and screening record. The form can prefill property and screening details from your current search. Those form details are sent to CRATER through Wix when you submit the request. Typing a project description into the preliminary screening tool does not by itself submit a professional review request.

Saved properties, drawings and sharing

Drawing, measurement and buffer calculations run on your device. Drawings include coordinates, names and buffer distances; they remain in memory until you explicitly save them in local website storage or export/share them. Save on this device replaces the locally saved drawing set. Clear all drawings removes the current and locally saved drawing set. Device backups may retain copies. Drawings are separate from saved property bookmarks. Exporting or sharing sends the drawing coordinates and notes to the destination you choose. It does not automatically submit them to CRATER or a permitting agency.

The mobile app stores saved property bookmarks on your device: county, parcel number, property address, and screening date. Bookmarks are not synchronized to a CRATER customer account. The bookmark list does not store your project notes or the complete screening record. Local bookmark storage is not a separate encrypted vault and may be included in device backups or transfers depending on your operating system and settings.

When you choose Share or print/save a screening, information is passed to the destination or application you select. That destination handles the shared information under its own terms and privacy practices.

Technical information and local storage

Wix hosts the screening website and provides its forms and visitor authentication. The embedded website stores an anonymous Wix visitor token in local storage to support its API requests. This token is a technical visitor identifier, not a customer login. Hosting, API, and mapping providers may process IP addresses, browser or device information, request details, timestamps, and operational or security logs to deliver, protect, and troubleshoot their services. Their retention practices are governed by their respective policies.

2. How we use information

• Retrieve and display parcel, imagery, jurisdiction, and environmental mapping and screening results.
• Keep the property bookmarks you choose to save on your device and carry out sharing you initiate.
• Respond to inquiries, confirm service scope, fees and scheduling, and perform professional services you request.
• Maintain service operation and security, resolve problems, respond to privacy requests, and meet applicable recordkeeping obligations.

The current version has no customer account registration, advertising placements, or enabled in-app checkout. It does not collect payment card details. A request for professional services does not itself charge you. Future payment or account features will require updated disclosures before use.

3. Providers and disclosures

Information is disclosed as needed to operate the services and carry out your requests:

• Wix: website hosting, anonymous visitor authentication, form delivery, and storage of submissions in CRATER's Wix account. See the Wix Privacy Policy.
• Mapping providers: applicable county GIS services, Washington WaTech and ArcGIS-hosted data, Oregon Water Resources Department and participating counties, Oregon DLCD and ODOT, Washington DNR, Ecology, WSDOT/OFM, USFWS/USGS, FEMA, the U.S. Census Bureau, and OpenStreetMap. Depending on the feature used, these providers receive parcel queries, property geometries, map bounds or tile requests, along with network information such as your IP address. Each screening identifies its source layers; see the official resource links and OpenStreetMap Foundation Privacy Policy.
• Communications and sharing services: email, telephone, and other applications you choose to contact CRATER or share information.
• Authorized professional assistance and required disclosures: information may be disclosed to service providers helping CRATER fulfill your request, with your direction, or when reasonably necessary to comply with law, protect rights, or address security issues. A service request is not automatically submitted to a permitting agency.

CRATER does not sell personal information or use these services to share personal information for targeted advertising. Mapping and hosting providers process requests under their own applicable terms. Their systems may be located in the United States or other countries.

4. Retention and deletion

Saved bookmarks remain on your device until you remove them or clear the app's local data. Device backups may retain separate copies. Website visitor tokens remain in browser or embedded website storage until cleared or replaced. Clearing a bookmark or local storage does not delete a request previously submitted to CRATER.

CRATER retains submitted requests, communications, and professional project records for as long as needed to respond, provide the requested services, maintain relevant business records, resolve disputes, and satisfy legal or professional obligations. The retention period depends on the purpose and type of record; it is not automatically limited to the time you use the app. Provider-controlled security logs and backups follow the provider's retention processes.

To request access, correction, or deletion of information CRATER holds, email ryan@craterluc.com with the subject "CRATER privacy request." Identify the email address used for your request and enough information to locate the record. Do not send passwords or sensitive identity documents. We may need to verify your identity before acting. We will respond as required by applicable law and explain any information that must be retained. No customer account exists in this version, so there is no account to close.

5. Your choices

You can browse the free tool without submitting a professional review request. You can remove individual bookmarks in the app's Saved tab, clear app data through your device settings, and clear website storage through your browser settings. Clearing storage may reset the visitor session. You can decline to share a result or contact CRATER directly instead of using the form. Avoid entering confidential or unnecessary personal information in project descriptions.

6. Security

The service uses HTTPS for its hosting and API connections. CRATER uses its service providers' access controls to manage submitted records. No transmission or storage system is completely secure. Protect your device and email account; saved property bookmarks are accessible to someone who can access the app on your device.

7. Children

The service is intended for property research and professional land-use inquiries and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly solicit personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

8. External websites and changes

Official agency tools and other external websites have their own privacy practices. This policy applies to CRATER Property Explorer and the screening website, rather than every website linked from them. We will update this page when service features or information practices change and revise the date above. Where required, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent.

Street address search

When you submit a street address search, the selected state, county and street search terms are sent to the applicable public county or state parcel service. Address searches use published property addresses, not owner mailing addresses. Search terms are not added to your local property bookmarks. Mapping providers may retain operational request logs under their own policies.