I just received the latest "News and Views" from the NSPS. The article entitled "Virgina Surveyors Work to Alter Legislation" is rather disturbing. I'm sure their is more to the story than revealed. Anyone intimately involved with this that can shed additional light would be helpful in understanding just what in the name of holy GIS is going on.
From the article:
As part of such a process, it has been traditionally required that such a petition have attached to it (i) a plat depicting the change in the boundaries of the localities as agreed; or (ii) a metes and bounds description of the new boundary as agreed upon by the two localities.
If signed by Governor McDonnell, SB804 would allow as an alternative to (i) or (ii), noted above, that regarding the boundary between the Counties of Louisa and Goochland, a Geographic Information System (GIS) map depicting the change in the boundaries of the localities as agreed with a general description of the new boundary line.
Among the arguments made to the Governor’s staff by the VAS delegation was the fact that, although SB 804 is specific to the two named counties, the precedent it would set is an inappropriate one, and would result in future hardship on the respective counties and land owners affected by the change in the location of the county boundary line. This hardship would result from the uncertainty of the boundary line’s true location as a result of simply depicting it on a GIS map. Such depiction would not provide adequate information to correctly place markers along the line on the ground.
Accordingly, VAS suggested the following amended language for SB 804: (iii) regarding the boundary between the Counties of Louisa and Goochland, a map depicting the changes in the boundaries of the localities as having been established by Virginia State Plane Coordinates, South Zone meeting National Geodetic Survey standards and placed in a Geographic Information System (GIS).
I suggest a further amendment...
Accordingly, VAS suggested the following amended language for SB 804: (iii) regarding the boundary between the Counties of Louisa and Goochland, a map, certified and sealed by a Professional Land Surveyor, licensed in the State of Virginia, depicting the changes in the boundaries of the localities as having been established by Virginia State Plane Coordinates, South Zone meeting National Geodetic Survey standards and placed in a Geographic Information System (GIS).
After all GIS ain't surveying...
Brandon Robinson, ESQ, Office of the Arkansas Attorney General’s office, direct examination of Shelby Johnson, Arkansas Geographic Information Officer
Q -- but let me just ask you, I think there may be some concern on the part of some land surveyors that GIS will somehow take the place of surveying. Can you talk about that?
I mean --
A I can. It's kind of a -- I really don't see that being the case.
Q Uh-huh.
A I don't think that GIS practitioners could do their job without the work of surveyors. A good example would be the geodetic control that's established by surveyors. Without that work GIS couldn't exist.
Q Uh-huh.
A Because we need coordinates systems and projections and datums to base our -- our information on. And then the other thing that I think is really important to understand is that most GIS practitioners never get out from behind their computer screen. I mean, our daily grind is looking at the -- at what's on the screen. And I think that's a really important distinction between GIS and surveying is that we seldom, if ever, get to the field and look at what's on the ground or put something on the ground. And -- and that's the important work of a surveyor, is to measure something and establish where that is on the ground. We don't really do that.
DDSM:beer:
That looks interesting to hear more about.
Just within the past few years, our Sec. of State's office has formalized the requirement that any annexation must be accompanied by a plat and description provided by a licensed surveyor. At least at that level, the importance of having the line well defined has become obvious. Previously, a hand drawn sketch on the printed tax maps would be submitted.
We have a lady, who is in charge of getting that type of information processed and in the GIS, present a seminar at the annual conference pretty frequently. She really has a grasp on the importance of where the information they are receiving is coming from. And she is a big supporter of getting that data from a licensed surveyor.
