[Tagging] Update - RFC - Special Economic Zones

Brian M. Sperlongano zelonewolf at gmail.com
Tue Nov 3 17:13:09 UTC 2020


I appreciate the pointed questions offered here.  See responses in-line:

On Tue, Nov 3, 2020 at 4:37 AM Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> my opinion is that stuff that is not visible on the ground and not
> meaningfully editable by mappers needs a very strong reason to be mapped
> at all.
>
> 1. Are SEZ boundaries visible on the ground (signage, physical separation)?
>

Both types of SEZ boundaries exist.  Some are tagged with signage and
physical separation (as in the example photo in the proposal) and others
are legally-defined but invisible lines.  This is the exact same situation
as with all other values of boundary.  boundary=administrative,
boundary=postal_code, boundary=protected_area, and
boundary=aboriginal_lands are all examples of boundaries which sometimes do
and sometimes do not manifest in physical features on the ground.  Mapping
SEZs is consistent with this usage, and has been listed in the wiki under
the tag protect_class=23 for 10+ years.

If SEZs should not be mapped by this criterion, then all 2 million usages
of the key boundary= should also not be mapped.  We have formed a consensus
through usage that boundaries of various types should be mapped, regardless
of whether or not those boundaries physically manifest in features on the
ground.


> 2. If not, do SEZ boundaries usually coincide with existing
> administrative boundaries (counties X and Y as well as the city of Z
> together form the SEZ)?
>

Both cases exist.  Some SEZs are defined in terms of existing boundaries,
and others have dedicated boundaries.  This is similar to the case of
boundary=postal_code.


> 3. If not, how would you get your hands on the SEZ boundary?
>

By definition, an SEZ is an area in which laws are different from outside
the zone.  Implicit in that definition is the requirement that the boundary
be legally defined.  It is in those legal definitions that mappers can plot
such zones.  This is no different from the manner in which we are able to
map boundary=administrative and boundary=postal_code.

4. In how far is it useful for mappers to modify the SEZ boundary based
> on their knowledge or aerial imagery?


In places where the SEZ manifests in physical objects (signs, fences,
entrances, etc.), such knowledge or aerial imagery is indeed useful for
mapping such boundaries.  In the absence of these, mappers can use legal
definitions.  This is again no different from how we deal with
boundary=administrative.
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