I’ve been working this weekend on a presentation about an area that is the poster child of messed up legal descriptions vs. lines of occupation. One lifetime is too short to try to explain the situation here, so I’ll spare y’all the grief.
This presentation is for lay people and attorneys concerning this “survey vortex” and when we’ve discussed it in the past they always get hung up on the concept of “aliquot parts” legal descriptions as opposed to metes and bounds. So in my power point I put together a slide to (hopefully) explain the concepts and differences.
I don’t have a way to share a power point slide show, so I exported the slide to a video. Keep in mind that the animation doesn’t stand alone - a lot of this will rely on narration during each step of the presentation – explaining what the section and quarter corners are – why distances are +/- …it’s extremely simplified for the audience of non-surveyors.
To me it makes sense, but if any of you see where I can make it clearer for the general public, please chime in. Since the video was exported without timing stops, you might have to hit pause to make sense of it. Exporting an animated PowerPoint slide without Recorded timings just pukes it all out within the allotted time. Thanks in advance:
http://s151.photobucket.com/user/ropestretcher/media/misc/Aliquot-PPT-slide_zps098e5053.mp4.html
I think there was a bunch of text in the last frame, but there wasn't enough contrast with the background to read it.
Saw this picture of a "survey vortex"
You are using aliquot distances (660') for lines that do not appear equal in length. Generally metes and bounds are required exactly because aliquot is inadequate to precisely place the lines.
You should also include bearings, especially for the nonparallel lines.
Paul in PA
Thanks Jim. That text is individual metes/bounds calls which appear with the map animation and fade out when the next course begins. In realife it is legible after it fades. The movie resolution is not so good.
I like it.
Words are just words. What actually exists, based upon the findings of a well-trained surveyor, is what is important to the landowner and the adjoining landowners.
A prime example of that statement is the proper application of the words "north,south,east and west" when used in a description. It is even more important to analyze how those directions are used in the descriptions of all properties adjoining the subject tract.
It is short and sweet which is great. It is easy to get that glassy eyed look if going into detail with laypersons. I was teaching a surveying class to a couple of very young realtors recently and was enthusiastically going over some technical aspects of surveying when I realized I had lost them and they didn't care or vice versa.
A small difference in how I write metes and bounds descriptions is the terminology for the "Point of Beginning" vs the "Point of Commencement". This is probably immaterial to the audience you are addressing but I use the term, "point of commencement" for a good physical location easily referenced but not at a property corner of the subject parcel. The term, "point of beginning" is reserved for the start of the metes and bounds description of the subject parcel, also a scanning/lidar publication.
Good point Tom. Thanks.
And there's the rub, Paul. Lots of perfectly good aliqout lands were sold off w/ m & b (un-surveyed) descriptions. That's not at issue here, I just wanted to walk them through a m&b which roughly equates the aliqout description. 20 slides later I go into the details of what it entails to write correct descriptions for these lands. Money, basically. Lots of money.
Commencing at the Brass Cap set by Smith in July 1967 at the Northwest Corner of Section 11, Township 1 South, Range 26 East of the Willamette Meridian;
Thence S 00° 27' 14" E along the West section Line of said Section 11 a distance of 345.67 feet to A 5/8" X 30" steel rebar with a plastic cap marked LS 0000 set by me during a survey for Jones in 2013 as his Northwest Corner and being the Point of Beginning of this Description;
Thence................
Typical of how I like to do it, when starting a description outside of the tract of interest, A way to place it in the world without confusion. One "Point of" per description is ample.
jud
> The term, "point of beginning" .....
..., also a scanning/lidar publication.
😀
Thanks for the laugh.
I as told to use "on the south line of Section xx-xxx-xx or on the south line of said sectoin" not "along the Section line"
Calling the bearing first defines the section line, then we have the record of survey with its narrative, which if done properly will trump any Attorneys attempt to muck things up.
jud