I have applied for comity licensure in Washington State. Assuming all goes well with the application I will sit for the State exam in April. I would appreciate any advice from anyone with recent success. I am NOT fishing for confidential information. My goal is to familiarize myself with a manageable group of helpful texts.
My background in general PLSS, geodesy, law, etc. is solid. My weakness would be local customs and some State law. We don't deal much with tidelands here in Idaho...
Thanks in advance, Tom
> I have applied for comity licensure in Washington State... I would appreciate any advice from anyone with recent success.
T-Ray is right, water boundaries are a big deal in Washington. Because much of the high priced real estate in Seattle/Tacoma is at, near, or below the natural high water mark.
When I wrote the test (2000) there was a document - already pretty long in the tooth then- called "Report 14", which I think is still available - free- on the LSAW website. A few years back LSAW paid Jerry Broadus to do a major update of it. They aren't giving that one away, but I highly recommend you get your bionic paws on it.
Jerry's book:
Washington State Common Law of Surveys and Property Boundaries
This will be your best resource for taking the test and best reference for when yu are doing wor in Washington. I use it all thetime.
LSAW STORE has it.
All good advice. Jerry's book is necessary, or some other method to know the cases and laws. Specifically, riparian law. Knowing how to survey in the PLSS is necessary as well.
This is a good resource as well, and a bit hard to find sometimes:
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/Surveys/Pages/eng_plso_ref_guides_and_downloads.aspx
T-Ray and Norman OK are correct, water boundaries will play big in the Washington Exam. When I sat for the exam in 2003 (you're letting your Canadian roots show Norman) it made up the lions share of the 25 questions. Another area you may want to pay close attention is the PLSS. I'm not sure where you from but a special situation in the western portion of the Oregon Territory is the Donation Land Claim. The test also picked up on the the sectional break down on Indian lands.
Good luck
John Putnam, PLS
OR, CA, WA & ID
I completely agree on Report 14.
Thanks all for the great advice. I have already placed the Waterfront Titles and DNR stuff in a binder. The LSAW book store is where my Christmas list is coming from...
The Board called this morning and informed me that Utah had reported me as a PE. After a few calls and e-mails it was fixed (big thanks to Carol V).
There will certainly be more questions as the process rolls along, so expect me to pick your brains again...
Thanks again, Tom
The refresher classes through North Puget Sound and South Puget Sound LSAW were a big help. Those start in January, weekly, well worth trucking west for the water boundary seminars.
If you can find the CDs of the LSAW conference handouts, there is some great stuff from Frank Fischer that was a good complement to Leroy Middleton's book. Feel free to email for more info.