For years I have pretty much written descriptions the same way. This morning, the boss informed me that I was doing it wrong. Here are the two examples she gave.
1. I have always written calls as "North XXXXX West, 548.90 feet". She told me I need to put "a distance of" prior to the distance. My opinion has always been, if 548.90 feet isn't a distance just what the hell is it? To me it looks like extra typing for no valid purpose.
2. I have always described monuments as "to a 1/2-inch rebar with cap set". She told me that "set" needs to be in front of the monument. Doing it that way sounds backwards. Of course it should after doing it my way for 13 years.
What do y'all think of this?
In my humble opinion, both ways would be correct. As long as the description can be staked on the ground by a competent surveyor, how can it be wrong? One way may read more fluently than the other, but that is a preference and not "My way is right, your way is wrong".
She must have changed something about her morning routine cause it doesn't make any sense to me.
😉
A description is written correctly if it honors the manner in which title was established and maintained and can be placed In one spot on the ground.
As for style, if it's grammatically correct it's fine. Folks who insist that they are the only ones doing it right are generally full of crap. Mine are done with certain nuances, that doesn't make everyone else wrong..
> For years I have pretty much written descriptions the same way. This morning, the boss informed me that I was doing it wrong.
These are not matters of right or wrong, they are personal preferences. I can understand your boss wanting everyone in your office to use a uniform style, but it is poor form to characterize things that are not in accordance with a personal preference as "wrong". Her management style obviously has your hackles up.
> 1. I have always written calls as "North XXXXX West, 548.90 feet". She told me I need to put "a distance of" prior to the distance. My opinion has always been, if 548.90 feet isn't a distance just what the hell is it? To me it looks like extra typing for no valid purpose.
I prefer to omit "a distance of" for brevity, as long as there are a letter or two separating numbers. An argument I've heard in support of using "a distance of" is that it may help when viewing an old copy of a copy of a faxed fax. But any legal you write today is unlikely to be transmitted in such a manner. It will be a digital image, pdf, or text file, with each copy being of equal quality forever more.
> 2. I have always described monuments as "to a 1/2-inch rebar with cap set". She told me that "set" needs to be in front of the monument. Doing it that way sounds backwards. Of course it should after doing it my way for 13 years.
I think that putting "set" at the beginning reads better. But, again, it isn't a case of one being right and the other being wrong.
Description Style is the key word. 😉 Correcting someone instead of discussing it with them and finding out each other's logic is a better approach in my mind.
I would use "a distance of" when it is necessary to clarify, if it could be misconstrued another way. I remember someone pointing out some examples on this board some time back.
I question whether you need the word 'set' at all. If you do, you might add the date it was set. I would add the length of the rod you installed and the markings on the cap (and material and color of the cap). Maybe you do that, but were only asking about the placement of the word "set". "with cap set" sounds a little funny to my ear, but I absolutely know what you mean, so I wouldn't complain.
Anyway, some thoughts.
"What do y'all think of this?"
1. Adding "a distance of" in front of every numerical value is redundant and un-necessary. I think Wattles addresses this but don't have time to research it right now.
2." to a set 1/2" rebar with xxx" is consistent with "... to a found 1/2" rebar with xxx".
My $0.02
Either way is correct in my opinion. Personally, I don't use "a distance of" because I consider it a waste of words, and I put "found" of "set" in front of the monument because it sounds better to me.
>What do y'all think of this?
Legal description, haven't written in a while.
Where is Wattles, he's the guru of style
And do you think that since we were taught differently?
Both seem the same, 'a distance' seems unspoken to me.
So let's leave it alone 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no right way, there ain't no wrong way,
There's only you and me and we scribe differently.
Ooh-ooh-ooh, oh-oh-oh.
:good: 😀
Wattles says, regarding A Distance Of:
"Used to separate different kinds of numbers and to prevent errors in distances, such as:'to the corner of said Lot 5 a distance of 3.27 feet' instead of 'to the corner of said Lot 5, 3.27 feet.' Not necessary except in such cases , or in cases where the distance is separated by several words, or a phrase, from the line whose length is given."
I agree with you on #1.
#2 - I always say whether a corner is found or set.
What she is pushing is her personal preference, rather than some set-in-stone necessity. I will agree, however, that where there are multiple signing surveyors representing a single firm, there should be a preferred style used by all. The same goes for standard symbols. One may like open circles to represent the same thing for which another surveyor always uses hexagons or hatched circles. It should be standardized for any firm.
A similar debate can arise in PLSSia over adding the phrase "of the 6th P.M." or similar descriptor in a township in a county for which all properties are relative to that P.M. Simply saying Township 4 South, Range 9 West, Thishere County, My State is adequate. This is exceptionally redundant in a State where every PLSS description is relative to a single P.M. and baseline. For that matter, the direction of the Township and Range would only be essential in those counties which are split by the P.M. or baseline. For example: Every township in Kansas is South of the baseline (40th Parallel) and with the exception of about a half dozen counties split by the 6th P.M. all counties are either West or East in their entirety.
Thanks Paul
:good:
Not bad - did you just whip that out spontaneously?
> For years I have pretty much written descriptions the same way. This morning, the boss informed me that I was doing it wrong. Here are the two examples she gave.
>
> 1. I have always written calls as "North XXXXX West, 548.90 feet". She told me I need to put "a distance of" prior to the distance. My opinion has always been, if 548.90 feet isn't a distance just what the hell is it? To me it looks like extra typing for no valid purpose.
>
> 2. I have always described monuments as "to a 1/2-inch rebar with cap set". She told me that "set" needs to be in front of the monument. Doing it that way sounds backwards. Of course it should after doing it my way for 13 years.
>
> What do y'all think of this?
My $0.02...
No. 1 - Generally less words are better. If it's not necessary then don't put it in.
No. 2 - I would put "set" first as she does. But that is a style point and each way described is technically correct.
The main question for me though is, who is stamping and signing the description?
If it is your boss, then I would write them her way. If it is you, then you have a choice there. Write it your way or her way.
To what tune is that lyric sung to? 😀
> What do y'all think of this?
If you describe your parcel as unique and independent, and can be located on the planet - your descriptions are fine.
Wordy and redundant property descriptions lead to typo's down the road that lead to more problems, as the "para legal" transcribes them into what they think is better. Generally without your professional consent.
Me, I'd be looking to clean up my resume and move on to a more sensible workplace. Best of luck to you.
