"Found and accepted"

I call any monument I find (mine, yours or anyone's) as being "found".

There are several schools of thought that me and a few others discussed in detail 35yrs ago on the subject while sitting at the local "eat and greet" among surveyors at Association Meeting Night.

My take on your question is, when I set a monument it is called and shown as set in that project's paperwork to mark a date of origin.

When I return to a monument that I have set, I call it as being found to record that the same monument is still marking the same corner.

AS to the "accepted" part of the question, that is usually quoted to give notice that the monument did not originate from your work and that you have incorporated someone else's work into yours to complete the whole survey and take on the responsibility of it being correct.

B-)

I have completely gotten away from the term "found."

To me, "found" implies "LOST" (at some point).

What I have been using is the term "recovered."

If I "recovered" it, then it ain't LOST.

Obliterated Corners that I can "recover" based on accessories or other evidence are also described as "recovered" and a statement is included that describes the evidence recovered and used to determine the (recovered) Corner position.

So:

RECOVERED, (describe monument and/or other evidence), accepted as the in situ Original Corner Monument (or) accepted as the best available evidence of the Original Corner Position (or) accepted as a faithful perpetuation of the Original Corner Position (as the case may be).

Just my two-bits,
Loyal

> Can a surveyor really "find" and "accept" his own monument?
I think it's okay. Put another way, would you expect a surveyor to re-justify a monument location every time he encountered it? That being said, I think that more than just "found and accepted" would be appropriate. Something along the lines of "found and accepted per survey No. XXXX". In Oregon, that is a requirement for all found monuments anyway.

in Colorado, every monument on a plat must be described as either "found" or "set".

The meaning of this is that a surveyor who is performing a retracement will either find a monument, or set one that does not exist. Of course in subdivisions, interior corners are often just "set".

The standard of practice is that when a pin is "found", then the retracement is successful, if it is set, it is because there is no monument in the ground. In either case, the proper property corner is now "accepted" so that the public no longer has to live in fear of multiple monuments.

However, there is no term "accepted" in the laws. Because there is no specific law prohibiting the phenomenon of multiple monuments, some surveyors - a minority - have invented a new way to survey that is neither a retracement or an original: setting multiple monuments and in some cases, blessing us all with the word "accepted" or "not accepted", which tells us that the calculator agrees.

ww co pls

the BLM Manual, of course gives us the means to "accept" a found monument in a retracement, e.g., "once it is accepted, a local corner has all the legal standing of an original government corner" -

So, if a surveyor places the label "accepted" on a plat in Colorado, it technically means that the survey is in accordance with the BLM manual, which is codified in state statutes.

I have observed many "not-accepted" remarks on a plat, and to this day, even after calling numerous surveyors to verify this term, have not seen a case where a surveyor does "not accept" in accordance with the BLM manual. Instead, this is an invented term meaning that this surveyor does not like the calculation of an original monument, which technically is in fact "accepted" because it was set in accordance with all laws in existence when the previous surveyor set it.

ww CO PLS

Thanks Loyal.

That will give me a bit to think about.

N

Me too, except I use the term existing rather than recovered. Found sounds like I just stumbled across it or like you said, it was lost. Imo, it sounds more professional when it's one I set in the past to label it existing xxxxxx capped rebar pin. Also, I've wondered sometimes what the property owner thought when I put found on my plat if he's the one who showed me the monument.

I like "found/set". Simple and short words.

I agree. If you set it, you can't then call it as found. You set it - maybe not recently, but you didn't just find it there. I put, IR SET 6/20/10

"Can a surveyor really "find" and "accept" his own monument?"

Of course...

P/C w/#### WTH?

Do surveyors really abbreviate that much on a plat? I had no idea what a P/C was until you mentioned "pin and cap". Even "pin and cap" is way too abbreviated. What kind of pin and what size? I see IPF and IPS from time to time. What is that? Are people reading our maps supposed to know? I sure don't.

As to Found/Set, how about:

Found 1/2" Iron Rod with ID Cap "SHAWN BILLINGS - RPLS 5688" (Set by JSB, 7/14/2014)

I'm probably too ambiguous with "Iron Rod" instead of "Rebar", but this verbiage is local custom. Not defending the practice. Just explaining it.

hmmm
In not accepting they must have excepted.

P/C w/#### WTH?

I personally like the one like this:

IRS

Found IRS (Iron Rod Set)

FIP (Found Iron Pipe)

SIP (Set Iron Pipe/Pin)

They just make me all happy!

N

If retracing a survey you find a "pin cushion" and use or "accept" one of the monuments aren't the others properly described as "not accepted"?

> "Can a surveyor really "find" and "accept" his own monument?"
>
> Of course...

Well, I've met a few who can't, but that's another story. 😉

Just for the sake of argument here and to bust chops 😉 , I find that you are parsing the definition of found to mean that is solely an antonym for the word lost.
For instance, you see signs saying that such and such company was found in 1855 or whatever. They were not lost in 1855. Also a you can be found guilty by a judge or jury of your peers though you were not lost at the time.
I don't know how Black's define the word Lost.

I will say that the word "found" is sufficient in meaning to mean that a monument was recovered or uncovered which is usually the case. Plus, I have always uses it and will continue. but. Maybe in a written report, I would use recovered or a variation just to sound like I know something more than I do. 😐

P/C w/#### WTH?

The legend on the plat should contain the symbol and explanation of the abbreviation.
If it is not included, then I guess it would appear to be some type of cryptograph to the public.

P/C w/#### WTH?

Robert,
I'm good with a legend describing those abbreviations. I've seen way too many plats that don't include a legend though. And cryptograph is right.

Yes - that second punch mark 0.03' N &0.02' E has always puzzled me!

We have a local "surveyor" who did that to one of his father's monuments. I guess he was a better measurer than his Dad...