Here's a deep one for the intelligencia:
Most of the surveys I've seen seem to have the metes and bounds going clockwise around the parcel. I've gotten used to running traverses counter clockwise, such that most of the Angle to the Right observations are acute. I know the DC doesn't care, nor does it impact the survey (angles are angles are angles), but it raises the question(s):
1. When drawing surveys, is it always proper to call them in a clockwise manner?
2. Is it usual to survey in one direction or another? Does it matter?
Makes no difference to me, either way.
There may be local customs and an odd small community statute here and there. Had a client tell me once as we were walking his land on day one that in order for a description to be valid it had to run clockwise. I'm certain I've seen and written as many one way as the other.
Once upon a time, there was a software suite, that liked it clockwise only. We are still stuck with the leftovers.
It's always clockwise here when drawing plats.
The old deeds though are always counter clockwise.
I'm not sure the exact year it changed but we reversed course so it seems.
I run my traverse based on terrain. I'd rather walk down a big ol' steep hill than up it.
Holy Cow, post: 334499, member: 50 wrote: Makes no difference to me, either way.
Me either as long as it closes. B-)
I had a job where the lawyer said he need the descriptions and the map to read clockwise.
There were two parcels side by side, one line ran NE on one and SW on the other, he insisted we show "both" bearings. (N-E & S-W).
He couldn't quite understand why the same line had 2 "different" bearings.
I have never seen a convention either way...
Question: when you are drawing a plat with two adjoining figures/lots which one gets labeled clockwise? do you double label?
PS: ^^^see above^^^ I type slower
Always clockwise here. When you see a counterclockwise one around here it looks like the person doesn't know what they're doing. (Akin to contours through a building).
If I'm doing a subdivision with a new line in the middle for example I just put one label for the line. (For one lot I guess it would be counterclockwise). However, in the legal description both will be described using clockwise bearings. I suppose that's a little weird because the one bearing will not appear on the plat, but double labels would be a pain with all the other garbage they make us show.
One County I work in requires as part of their subdivision approval process that all lots are labeled in a clockwise direction and all labels have to be on the inside of the lot line. So almost all lot lines end up being double labeled.
Always clockwise descriptions with lines labeled inside the parcel, if adjoining lines, we only label one side of the line ( and then have to explain to the attorneys and title examiners why the bearings are different in the descriptions) I started in 1969 and that is the way it was then.
We draw individual plats for each lot. But on the main plat the common line is labeled in the north direction. All description are written clockwise.
I recall when I took the TN exam, way back in the dark ages, that we had to close a 15 leg traverse using dmd for closure and determine an area. Because I ran it counter clock wise I came up with a negative area........ That's the only thing that I can think of that makes any difference.
Dtp
Clockwise is the convention. On Subdivisions, the exterior is clockwise and the interior lines clockwise from one side to the other. Yes this results in some reversed interior bearings. Of course, I don't care as long as each lot closes. I worked for one guy who always ran the survey counter clockwise in the field so he could check the number of setups minus 2 times 180 with the summation of all the angles. I ran a few clockwise just to show him it does not matter. Instead of minus 2 it is plus 2 times 180. Before computers, it was an easy check that could be done in the field.
Going counter-clockwise seems odd to me. As was said, "It looks like you don't know any better." On two adjoining lots, the line gets double labeled so that the attorney's secretary doesn't get balled up when writing the description. If a deed goes counter, my map will go counter for the attorney's ease of use: I don't want a call from his secretary.
On a similar, yet far more aggravating note, did you ever see the arrows pointing southwest for a bearing of SW yet written in a northeast direction? When all bearings are written in either NE or SE directions even for NW and SW bearings, even I get screwed up. You're plotting along and suddenly your map is going haywire. Just write the bearing in the direction it represents. SW bearings written in a NE direction really burn my toast. And those arrows just break my yolks. (I'm hungry) Imagine my dismay when I had to add arrows to a final, signed mylar because I didn't catch my own peeve before it got to the recorder's office. Though everyone was oblivious, I hung my head on my private walk of shame. I swore it would never be me; Now I swear I'll never do it again.
I have NEVER seen anybody come up with reasoning based in either logic or science that would provide the quality of one way usurping the quality of running the opposite direction. The actual courses a metes-and-bounds description can take is too powerful a communication tool to restrict to a specific rotation. There may be cases where we are trying to convey within the deed wording a hint that others may follow our footsteps or align with a senior line. Yeah, I know, that's a really avant-garde concept.....
I always follow the line of least resistance; which ever way is easier, that's the way to go.
Also; never follow the easy path, only because it's easy. If the harder road to follow is more efficient; then take that route every time. You will see it's the easiest; in the end.
Dugger
Where technicians are writing descriptions for a PLS to review, approve, and certify conventions such as making them go around in a consistent direction smooths the process. Particularly for assuring that bearing quadrants on an exhibit map match the legal.
Nate The Surveyor, post: 334500, member: 291 wrote: Once upon a time, there was a software suite, that liked it clockwise only. We are still stuck with the leftovers.
Would that software have been a no.2 pencil and notepad?
Wasn't the origination of a survey "supposed to be" the most southwesterly corner? This made the calculations of double meridian distance DMD easier.
James Fleming, post: 334535, member: 136 wrote:
could not say it better!
Norman Oklahoma, post: 334540, member: 9981 wrote: Where technicians are writing descriptions for a PLS to review, approve, and certify conventions such as making them go around in a consistent direction smooths the process. Particularly for assuring that bearing quadrants on an exhibit map match the legal.
Yes, plats and legals should read the same, but if a PLS has difficulty reading that is a B I G problem.
Had a couple staff members at a new place of employment (civil service) insist that some methods were best because "we have always done it that way". When I asked "Why?" they had no answer. They were Drones. They did not like to think, ever. I was not popular. Screw them, this is about doing work in a logical manner. If you don't like that go home and turn on the TV, or stop at the pub and get blasted.
