I had a 1/4 corner on the south line of Section 19 to set yesterday.
The question is when to revisit the two controlling section corners. I first drove by the SW section yesterday and re-located it, but I didn't revisit the SE section corner. The SW monument was last surveyed in 2011 by our office. We had recently (less than two months ago) completed a survey tying the SE monument. It was set in 1982 by my former employer, then tied at least 1/2 dozen times since and I didn't see a reason to make the trek back to it again yesterday.
So, what kicks of a revisit?
Clearly the 14 years did for me, the 45 days didn't.
It's been a discussion; if a Subdivision boundary is monumented, but because of meetings and approvals it's months till the subdivision is filed, how do you know the pins are still in when you sign, do you return to the field and resurvey?
We usually note when the fieldwork was done on our survey plans. That way, if something isn't in the ground today when I stamp the plan, there's a reference that it was there last year.
I recently did a boundary survey where I wanted to reference the town line. I found that this office had surveyed the bounds marking the line quite a few years back (2009ish?). Reviewed their notes and data processing, accepted the work and added it to my plan with a note referencing the date of the survey for the town line bounds along with my current dates for field survey.
Our corner record trigger is 90 days. If I am within that window and there are no signs of activity I'll pop a quick check shot and move on. I hate certifying the same mistake twice. I don't condemn others for being less paranoid.
We had a 'surveyor' use the same corner on over a hundred surveys over a fifteen year period. The monument had been replaced around his second year of using it. He found out 13 years was too long.
My office has a history of past surveyors and my rule is that if it hasn't been tied under my direction, we're tying it again. And if it has been tied by me we'll do a drive by(if possible) and make sure the original monument is still there in it's original position before making the determination to tie it again. Obviously there is other code related items we would need to address such as CP&F s in Idaho.
So, what kicks of a revisit?
Like bionicman said if it's inside the window of previous work then a drive by is probably fine. If it's a gorgeous sunny day and the gps is already up and running then I might jump out and take a shot though. 😎
Revisit every time you use it for a new survey. Every time.
Agree. You think your previous observations, measurements were without errors? 🤔
No, but fortunately for us measurements aren't at the top of the priority of calls.
I'm not sure what you mean.
Sounds like a conversation I had with my LS a few years ago. PE knew the client and said we need an ALTA update. I pulled the files and data saw it was several years old. Printed out the old plat. Went to the field found some of the old traverse points and traverses and re tied all property corners. This was a city block so a new brick walk way had been put down. So on one corner it was not the same monument. So instead of a chiseled mark in concrete it was now in a brick. Walked the property after tying a few building corners here and there and some other good marks of sidewalk and pc and pt on curb. Marked up what was no longer there and located what was new. Counted every park space and the handicap spots had changed. But instead of a couple days in the field it was a short day. The PE was still upset what we charged when the LS sent the bill. Sorta a unique job one corner was a tree. And it was still standing well sorta. Just a 8 ft tall stump that was trying to hold on.
And that is why PEs don't price my jobs. You want an ALTA, you get an ALTA, and you PAY for an ALTA...
I caught some hell once for re-tying corners for a parcel consolidation following an ALTA that was about 1 year old with a short tempered "we don't need to reinvent the wheel here blah blah blah". That wasn't coming from a PE though.
So, what kicks of a revisit?
If the nature of the monument has not changed, and it hasn't moved, and if it was located under the direction of the person signing the survey, then why revisit it?
How do even know that it is still there? How do you know someone hasn't placed their own monument very close to yours? In the case of corners for which corner records are required to be filed, are the reference ties still valid? Don't say something is the same as at some earlier time unless you know for a fact that it is.
How do even know that it is still there? How do you know someone hasn’t placed their own monument very close to yours?
Getting knocked out or pin cushioned could happen 30 seconds after you tie any monument anywhere so that's not even a valid argument, imo.
