A survey tech just follows a set of guidelines. He RESURVEYS every Section of land, determines all 8 corners, (Typical Section) criss crosses the section, for a C/1/4, and proceeds to survey.
ANY corner that is not "Set properly" gets rejected. The VALUE of ERROR, to reject a monument is NOT important to a technician. Anything goes. if it is "Wrong" by 0.02', it is WRONG to a technician. Or 10', or 30'.
Some "Surveyors", are just habitual technicians.
Along comes a "Technician, with a surveyor license", Resurveys the section, and pontificates "Aren't you lucky, you got the truth this time"? (While tearing up the whole neighborhood)
?ÿ
Along comes a "Professional Surveyor", does his research, finds that the 1/16 corner has been in USE for 52 years, and 32 pieces of title are TIED to this ERRONEOUS (According to the technician) 1/16 corner, and he simply finds this previously set corner, (Even if the monument is gone) and sets it back, where it has "been for 52 yrs.".
My point is that there is more to being a "Surveyor", than a checklist, and procedure. Time, usage, and evidence that things were laid out long ago IS an option for the PROFESSIONAL surveyor.
I like to KNOW BOTH, and SKIP NEITHER....Um, NOTHING. Now you are a surveyor, not just a technician.
What do you do when you find 3 monuments, for a 1/16 corner, and 4 pieces of title tied to the fence corner, 4 pieces tied to a rebar in the pavement, 30' away, and 4 pieces of title tied to a computed position, (Monument is gone now, but did exist at one time) that differs from the other 2 positions. This DEMANDS you to perform a CIS. (Community Impact Study), pick something, maybe a combination of ideas, DOCUMENT it, and hope you did not miss anything important. File a plat. LEAVE FOOTPRINTS. And, be a PROFESSIONAL.
Research, office, Courthouse, field, Analyze, consider. Spend time. Get a solid position.
That's what I think it means.?ÿ
OK, carry on.....
This is my tribute to Dr. Knowles. (Did you see that? "Know" is part of the same word, and Knowles, is the good Doc's name. In these "Compromise Solutions", you may choose to HOLD time, as the most important factor. Meaning, the oldest position out there. Or, most used position, (More title tied to it than any other), or CONSTRUCTION. There was a ROAD constructed to it, and now the "Road" effects location. Or a building. Or whatever.
Be in the know. Be willing to prioritize. Leave footprints. Don't leave ambiguity out there. REDUCE, remove, eliminate ambiguity.
If you do a GOOD job, and I find a copy, I'll probably yield to your judgement.
Now you "know" what I think.
Carry on...
Nate
well said Nate.
Might I add: if you are unsure and are pondering those points you are a Technician
Was the Tech working for an alphabet agency? Just watched that very thing happen last year. The old 1/16th monuments didn't mean anything, time to reset them and "take back" that gov land.
This is why surveyors get paid the big bucks and techs do not. Must be able to afford the truck load of Mylanta to calm the digestive system.
Don't leave ambiguity out there.
Amen.
The Tech is righting the wrongs of all the surveyors that preceded him, and frustrating the ones that follow him.
@mightymoe no idea if your critrism is warranted or not, but boundary law does differentiate between private and public land owners in many situations.
Does it make any difference if it is a quarter section as apposed to a quarter acre?
My inner Technician is often in conversation with my outer surveyor, sometimes he prevails. Some of those conversations have been going on for many years after a decision was reached.
@holy-cow i am sorry but two commercials from the 90’s just flashed in my brain 1. R-O-L-A-I-D-S 2. Tum T Tum Tum Tums.
Many of the problems we face require both technical and professional expertise. Part of being a licensed surveyor is knowing when to apply them and in what amounts.
Technical knowledge is not inherently bad, and I have known a few surveyors who wouldn't be able to competently perform a survey if it weren't for those lowly technicians working under them.
Don't make the mistake of creating an artificial barrier between two required components of our profession, or between us and the folks who are prime candidates for making that next jump.
“The main rule to follow is ‘beware of the rules.’ This is the reason why the accomplished property surveyor is not a technician, and why an engineer with measuring ability is not automatically a property surveyor.”
Ira Tillotson
I bought his book at the recommendation of the presenter at the SDSPLS last year and look forward to finishing it.
I had not heard of him before that.
Where does Survey Monkey fall? I think that is what I am.