Ground Distance Is A Serious Misnomer...
Exactly, Paul-
About the time I show "Ground distance" on my survey, I'm begging Joe Public to interpret that as a distance measured ALONG THE GROUND- nap o' the earth style.
As it is, WAY to frequently, do we talk to individuals on their property and they have the understanding that the measurements shown on the COS of THEIR parcel represent just that...
I emailed the local member of the BOR and told them I was looking forward to the upcoming public hearing, because I wanted to hear what the BOR came up with for a definition of "GROUND DISTANCE"
%$*##@ rassen frassen luddite, flat earth society firkin hooten.....:-@
Ground Distance Is A Serious Misnomer...
I don't think I've ever used the term Ground distance on a plat or description because, I agree, it's a poor way to define a distance. Here, we don't encounter a lot of relief, so I've always used horizontal surface distance. In places with lots of relief, this wouldn't do, and the surface would need to be identified as a particular elevation. Horizontal surface distance at an elevation of x.
I still think State Plane Grid is a poor choice for reporting a boundary distance in most circumstances. Notable exceptions would be places where Grid and "ground" are substantially equivalent.
"cooperate and graduate" or in this instance get paid...