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None of those things, except maybe average are required to be shown on recorded plats. Average is available on public county GIS syystems or in person in publicly available tax information, or on web sites like Zillow.
I am a strong proponent of privacy, but I just don’t see how the principle of privacy can be applied to the location of a boundary line shared with someone else, and that will exist and effect people for generations after you are gone.
The idea of private boundaries cheapens our work. We can’t exersise our quasi-judicial functions under the cover of night. Maybe there is just a fundamental disagreement about the meaning and purpose of our boundary surveys. I like to believe they are something more than liability transfer tools.
- Posted by: @aliquot
The idea of private boundaries cheapens our work. We can’t exercise our quasi-judicial functions under the cover of night.
Yea verily, brother. Well said.
Maybe the quasi judicial authority should also include the limit of liability like a real quasi judicial auth has instead of some ridiculous notion of perpetual liability.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out if this is a real problem. I know many here worry about this. I have never had any problems with this, but of course I could just be lucky.
@aliquot I’m with you on this. The original topic was about increased recording fees. Our clients pay all agency fees so there is no increase cost in doing business for us. Then the topic switched to recording surveys and plats. I’ve been doing this for 25+ years with zero issues at all as it pertains to the actual recording of documents. We’re not really protecting the public if we keep our surveys hidden in the basement, but I guess that’s for each state to determine. I’m just glad to work in recording states.
@aliquot I can honestly say that I don’t know cuz I’m not a licensed surveyor but it would seem kind of ridiculous that someone could sue you 25 years later for something that doesn’t have any bearing at that point in time if you’ve been retired for 20 years
Is my understanding correct that in a Recording State a paper Record of Survey is added to a file for each parcel whenever a surveyor does anything concerning property lines? These files are kept and maintained by the county? And keep growing forever? They must take up more space than the Registry of Deeds. There’s no way the Virgin Islands Govt. could do this. They are seriously challenged by recording deeds and surveys. Occasionally I hear Torrens Registry suggested to prevent surveyors and lawyers from stealing land, but my experience back in Mass. tells me that that would be a disaster here.
@larry-best
That doesn’t happen in THIS recording state (WA).
The filing of surveys varies widely from county to county, but it is electronic in nature. Many counties do not even keep paper (or mylar) at all from what I have been told. Many cross reference surveys by parcel numbers, plat name, etc. Others are fairly basic (1/4 of 1/4 of STR). All of the surveys also end up at the DNR where they are filed with reference to various metadata (in some counties the DNR is the only way to find a survey online). For all of these YMMV depending on the individual processing the document.
-All thoughts my own, except my typos and when I am wrong.It is not our job to take sides, it is not our job to seek what we think is justice. Justice for us is defined by bona fide rights.
Our duty is to the public in the form of protecting the cadaster. Period. Full Stop.
I tell my clients that they pay me, but I work for the cadaster. I make decisions without regard to feelings and without regard to whom is paying me, and that is why they can trust me.
Our feelings about fairness are irrelevant. If we have a professional passion it must be for bona fide rights and for making accurate measurements and maps. If you want to have mercy on someone, forgive their bill and pay their lawyer bill.
In WA to record or not record? The only question is whether a corner was established, reestablished or restored:
WA RCW 58.09040: (1) It shall be mandatory, within ninety days after the establishment, reestablishment, or restoration of a corner on the boundary of two or more ownerships or general land office corner by survey that a land surveyor shall file with the county auditor in the county or counties wherein the lands surveyed are situated a record of such survey…
-All thoughts my own, except my typos and when I am wrong.- Posted by: @larry-best
whenever a surveyor does anything concerning property lines?
I think in most recording states it is only when new monuments are set, or significant discrepancies in measurement are found.
In addition, in PLSS states in is common to require filing a corner record (usually a single letter size sheet) on a section, quarter, or 1/16 corner used if it doesn’t already have an accurate record.
. @chris-bouffard that is total madness. If you as a surveyor, need to establish a boundary with the most evidence that is possible, to protect the public (client AND adjoiners), how in the heck are you going to do it if every surveyor who collected evidence relevant to your survey has it buried in their records and you may or may not be able to get a copy of it. Just the thought of evidence important to the boundaries and public buried in the “private” files of who knows who surveyor would make me not want to practice in that State. What a crock load of self-centered and selfish BS. Sorry if I sugar coated it.
When a new tract is created, it is time to file for sure or you can get spanked. Some of us file every survey we do because those before us did that and that is the only reason we have a clue on how to get started. Plus in PLSSia it is vital to report section corner data. You are messing around with many current and future tracts every time you establish a corner that has been obliterated or lost.
Didn’t that power company in California burn down a quarter of the state a couple years ago? Pretty sure they’re still in business. ???
The municipality is using this information for short and long term planning but they’re not paying for it.
Well, put it on the map, bill them, and then when they don’t pay sue them for theft of services. Present their checklist in court as the contract and walk out the winner.
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