Good Morning,
Long time reader, first time poster. We have a client that we have done hundreds of ALTA survey's for (yes hundred's!). I have just completed one that was 2 separate tracts of land, owned by 2 different owners that was side by side. I was able to put everything on one plat, even though it was technically 2 different ALTA survey's. The client now want's (insist's)a property description that combines the 2 properties and is to be shown on the plat. Is there a reason not to do this? Can we still call it an ALTA survey? I am not sure how the title people would look at this.The survey is in Tennessee and is subject to planning commission regulations that would combine the property before a site plan could be submitted.
Thanks,
C.C.
Clay,
That is a first for me. What part of Tennessee? I am in West Tennessee.
If you do write the description, I would definitely include verbage that indicates the description is a composite/compilation type description, and I would also include a note on the face of the survey that clearly spells out that the property must be combined by the planning commission in order to create one parcel.
Good luck, sometimes it is hard to get the client to understand. Each jurisdiction is different.
Clay,
What was the reasoning behind combining both ALTAs on the same map? In the past I have prepared ALTA/pre-design surveys covering multiple properties on projects that will span them all. In the end they will be owned by one entity and a combined description is not big deal. If on the other-hand the properties will remain individual I would probably include both the individual descriptions as well as the combined. Remember, the ALTA/ACSM standards do not require that the boundary be of record, just that they comply with the description (as in the case with lease sites and such).
Just my $0.25 worth.
Although I live in West Tennessee, the property is Middle Tennessee. The client required us to put both properties on one plat due to the fact that they were side by side, and yes there was 2 record descriptions and 2 title commitments that was shown, It was a first for me, not sure what they will do with the combined description.
I would not describe them as a single parcel unless the owners want them to be a single parcel. You said two owners, currently? and then one later after a purchase?
Around here if you describe two parcels as one and that description is used in a deed then the parcels have been merged and cannot be re-divided without planning board action.
Dtp