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Set a pin for a client a few years back under somewhat contentious circumstances. After I’d left, the client dug out the dirt around it and slipped an 12″ sonotube form over the pin and filled it flush with cement. Wasn’t too long after that got a call from another surveyor who was working on subdividing the adjacent property (the source of the contention), all bent out of shape he couldn’t pin cushion my corner because ‘some knucklehead’ had concreted in my pin.
Willy“…they are both pretty much spot-on in the visual aspect of the plat map in the GIS website…”
Don’t expect too much accuracy from the county GIS. My company created the GIS property ownership layers for 6 Florida counties, and when you realize how property lines are typically located in a GIS you begin to understand there is little the GIS creator can do to produce a survey accurate map. For the work we did in Florida (I assume is typical for most low-budget county GIS), there was zero field survey location work.
The framework upon which the GIS is typically built is orthometric aerial photography. For areas mapped by subdivision plats, the GIS creator obtains or builds a drawing of the lots, then reduces or enlarges the drawing to the scale of the GIS, then overlays and rotates the lot line drawing, using roads and fence lines identifiable on the photograph to line up with, then ‘drops’ the lot lines onto the GIS. For areas with random parcels and lying outside platted subdivisions, photo identifiable fence lines and roads serve as the basis for placing boundary lines in the GIS.
My oldest son, an elected County Property Appraiser (as well as a Prof. Surveyor), frequently deals with land owner complaints over where ‘his’ GIS map shows their boundary lines. Apparently, confusion over GIS accuracy for property boundaries is a common problem. The reality is that the general public base their own ‘survey’ work on the low accuracy county GIS which was probably created at the astronomical cost of about $1 per parcel.
The reason I have a rock drill and 7/8in masonry bit is to set monuments in concrete, rock and other type bits for other objects.
When I find a monument within half a foot of my computations in a rural area, I usually accept the one in place, unless the one I find is in a metro area where every 0.01ft is worth a lot of money. Then I put my “mcmillimeter” hat on and will correct the situation as needed. ????
0.02
Ah, the legendary “soup-can” monument. I tell clients about this all the time. I tell them, sternly, do not pull the pin OUT of the ground; Dig around it and deep enough for the can. I’ve never actually done one because I would have to dig it with post-hole diggers and be all fancy about it. I sure like finding them, though. It means the landowner cares about it and is willing to invest in his own boundaries.
Yes those are the typical subdivision mons used in Mi. 4″ conc. 4′ long with 1/2″ iron through the middle. But yes some homeowners will make the coffee can mon out of there 1/2″ 18″ rebar but should be able to tell the difference quit easily.
Stupid is as stupid does.
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