I was asked to look over a subdivision plat that had been prepared for a city to develop a new industrial park. What I was looking at was the preliminary plat submitted for acceptance by the planning commission and others prior to submittal of a final plat.
People.....if you want to have others view you as professional service providers, first you must actually provide a service that is worthy of a professional. Item number one should be to learn how to correctly spell words and terms that are commonly used in much of your work. Do not put the made-up word "PRELIMANARY" in 2-inch high letters anywhere. A straight line connecting the endpoints of a curve is a "chord", not a "cord". When you provide a bearing in a description it is wise to list both directions involved, not just one. For example: North 45 degrees 11 minutes 43 seconds is not enough. We must know whether the second critical direction is east or west from north. When laying out blocks it is essential that all distances be provided, not just some here and there. Providing the actual width of a street right-of-way is extremely handy for anyone and everyone from this day forward to eternity. When there are two parcels involved you should actually provide two different descriptions and make it clear as to who currently owns each parcel and then provide Owner's Dedication wording and signature lines for EACH parcel. When you point to the Point of Beginning on the drawing it would be nice if anyone could tell precisely where that is. Being maybe an eighth of an inch to the right of the intersection of two long lines does not mean that the point of beginning is: 93.42 feet easterly from the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of section x, on the south line thereof, which has an assumed bearing of north 89 degrees 09 minutes 17 seconds east. It's danged hard to scale that precisely from an intersection that is not labeled along a line that is not labeled. State law requires that monuments be set at all corners around the perimeter of the subdivided tract, so it would be a good idea to actually set them and show that with monument descriptions on the plat. Drawing a lot line from an unknown point on one side of a block to an unknown point on the other side of the block makes it extremely difficult for anyone in the future to locate said lot line with any degree of certainty. Listing any limitations might be nice. Little things like required setbacks from lot lines, locations of utility easements and zoning.
I could list more deficiencies, but, this is only a "prelimanary" review.
I once had a client catch a spelling error I'd made and requested the plat be redrawn (I think I misspelled something inconsequential) but it taught me the lesson.
Red line the hell out of it and embarrass them just a little bit and you may do more for them that you know.
Many years ago, I had three students submit three AutoCAD drawings of their assigned topo map of a portion of the campus. Each map was identical with all features, including contours but each map used a different font for the lettering. I called them in and told them that they had a choice of splitting one grade among the three of them or I'd put them up on charges of cheating as it was SUPPOSED to be individual effort for each student. They protested and said that although they were on the same field crew, each had done their entire AutoCAD drawing completely independently.
I then asked them if so independant, how come all three drawings had "Engineering Building" mispelled the identical way?
They decided to accept one grade split three ways.
Little things like required setbacks from lot lines is the only part I disagree with. The Plat represents ownership lines and title, kind of like a deed only in a graphical form. Setback lines are controlled by Zoning, are subject to change and have nothing to do with title. They do have impact on construction issues and building permits, which are not title issues. I use the term Plat as it is used here, where it is recorded in the clerks office after running through the approval process. My spelling has never been very good and I have my wife check everything that goes out, sometimes miss something, but we do put effort into having it correct.
jud
I'm sory. Making corecshins right now......
> I then asked them if so independant, how come all three drawings had "Engineering Building" mispelled the identical way?
>
> They decided to accept one grade split three ways.
Nice GOTCHA Cliff. I would have let them split an F 3 ways
Yeah Cow, I've seen stuff like that and worse.
As much as I like appreciate ACAD and similar programs, those programs have facilitated the preparation of drawings by those that lack the training and experience to do so properly.
Firms that choose to use the less experienced in order to save money, should at least have (but usually don’t) a QA/QC process that would prevent embarrassing drawings from getting out the door. 🙁
I tend to find those kind of stupid errors on right away maps, and not as much on surveys of tracks of land.
Perhaps they need to be reminded that AutoCAD has a spell-check routine.
Spell check doesn't do anything for the incorrect use of homonyms as Steve so kindly demonstrates above, right away and survey tracks slip through the spell checker every time.
RRain
> Perhaps they need to be reminded that AutoCAD has a spell-check routine.
Spell cheque wood half picked up on "prelimanary" but not on "cord".
> I tend to find those kind of stupid errors on right away maps, and not as much on surveys of tracks of land.
LOL
Good one Professor!
Very sad indeed.
I attended a ACSM conference about 5 years ago and saw a number of different plats and maps on display from all around the country, all with ribbons and awards. They were the usual ALTA, topo, engineering design, Record of Survey and tract maps we all prepare... they may have been the work of students, I don't recall. If I remember correctly, every one of them had some (if not most) of the gross decencies you listed.
Those drawings won Awards by a major national public group!
WE built this mess, We need to hang our heads in shame and fix it.
My review of mapping in various positions around the Southwest has made me a strong proponent of requiring all maps to be reviewed prior to recording. And further, that review must be made by a person that has the same qualifications required to prepare and file the map. To do less denies human nature.
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yes, I did take a bit of time and go to a bit of trouble with writing this post (and most of my others), after all it is going on public record and is published to the general public, and with my name on it.
HA HA HA Good one!!
What are
"gross decencies"?
Sorry - couldn't resist!
What are
got me good!:-)
Today was firewood day and you had me thinking that you were needing to split what you had cut and laying on the ground instead of splitting hairs telling about the nitpickers that constantly annoy me about a slipped extra or missing letter that does not interfere with the meaning of a document and takes an extra day or two to fix and get to everyone.
I have had to change the spelling on an invoice and even take out certain names on my documents before because the client was not going to pay for anything with that person's name on it.
To the dismay of many, I will quickly pull out my Pilot Pen and hand fix a document and attach my initials to the end of the paragraph or to the side for little things. The record books and legal documents are full of those.
Has anyone ever corrected an entry in an index reference that was for the wrong book or page?
I am constantly building on my spell checker dictionary.