Conducted a survey this weekend of an acre sized rural property because the client is insisting that one or more corners were moved by the previous surveyor after "conspiring" with his neighbor.?ÿ He has a sealed map (not recorded) from a survey performed in 2008.?ÿ He is happy with the survey and map.?ÿ However, he states that another surveyor came in and moved one of the property corners approximately 3'.?ÿ He also has a map from this surveyor.?ÿ This map has no seal and is stamped "Preliminary".?ÿ ?ÿI told him that the sealed map is the legal map and the other didn't hold water.?ÿ He wanted to be sure that nothing was moved so I was hired to retrace the survey from the sealed map and report any discrepancies. The client?ÿ stated that he simply wants to make sure that he still has his 1.01 acres as per the map.
There are high tensions in this situation involving the alleged moving of property corners, racially charged animosity, and unfortunately, guns. (fewer things I despise more than the confluence of?ÿ ignorance, animosity, and violence)?ÿ
To questions arise:
1 -?ÿ One of the corners was a Iron Axle sticking out of the ground approximately 1'.?ÿ ?ÿIt's leaning about 20-25 degrees.?ÿ Where would you set up over this corner??ÿ The top of the axle ... or where it actually enters the ground.
2-?ÿ The 2008 Surveyor's map reads 1.01 acres.?ÿ Whereas my survey yielded 1.006 acres.?ÿ Using the approximate 3 foot location where the client says the corner was at adds an 0.006892 acre to the property to put me in the 1.01 arena.?ÿ ?ÿYes, I absolutely plan on speaking with the surveyor.?ÿ I just wanted to get the counsel of fellow surveyors before doing so.?ÿ I respect this surveyor and his work, so how do I frame this conversation of "corner moving"?
Honestly, this usually wouldn't be a big deal for me but tensions are high.?ÿ And I don't respond well with people ignorant people with weapons.
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Thanks in advance!
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1.006 rounds off to 1.01.
Call it good and get out of Dodge!
Sounds like you need bear protection. When I round 1.006 to the nearest hundredth I get 1.01. If the axle wasn’t set by a PLS I’d hold the point where it goes in the ground.
Does the 1980 survey close? Do the bearings and distances check with what you’ve found? Has your client signed an affidavit stating he witnessed the neighbor moving the corner.
I assume you located the axle where it goes in the ground and the top.
Stay calm breath and watch your six my friend.
To questions arise:
1 - One of the corners was a Iron Axle sticking out of the ground approximately 1'. It's leaning about 20-25 degrees. Where would you set up over this corner? The top of the axle ... or where it actually enters the ground.
2- The 2008 Surveyor's map reads 1.01 acres. Whereas my survey yielded 1.006 acres. Using the approximate 3 foot location where the client says the corner was at adds an 0.006892 acre to the property to put me in the 1.01 arena. Yes, I absolutely plan on speaking with the surveyor.
1) I would locate only the base but I suppose you can locate both to see which fits better. Perhaps the sealed description has some notes about the axle set?
2) if the most current sealed description has precise bearings and distances that close good and matches what’s on the ground then I’d just round the 1.006 acres to 1.01 acres and call it good. Is that little bit really worth agonizing over? ♂️
The axle did not bend. I would be interested as to where the bottom is. Surely it wasn't driven in so haphazardly.
I recently found an axle leaning @ 35 degrees.
Also, there were tracks, leading to it.
Also, it was in a gravel bar.
Also, it failed to match the previous coord by 4 ft.
I concluded the entire axle was in this gravel, that allowed the thing to float.
And there were drag marks.
After a while, I concluded it had been pushed about 4 ft. The wet gravel allowed it to be shifted by probably a tractor. Due to all the situation, I concluded this to be a moved marker.
Nate
I told him that the sealed map is the legal map and the other didn't hold water.
I'm not sure I'd agree. I'd use them both as reference. I'd probably talk to the surveyor who drew the preliminary map, find out why he never finished.
Preliminary might just mean he didn't get paid in full, doesn't necessarily mean that the information is incorrect.
I was taught when talking to another surveyor that we had a discrepancy with that words matter So if I called the other surveyor i might word something like hey can i pay you for a little of your time as I am following you and want to make sure I have a good understanding as I am struggling a bit. Not that that is what happened here but the non confrontational or accusatory language and i know you would not but be very careful with wording A’s stating you moved the axel 3 ft. Etc. Any hint and depending on personality might not get you anywhere. Seems though you are all over the acreage as is. Just +/- a little that truly anyone of us could re measure and have you show us exactly where to put the tip and change a little.
I would look at the evidence in the vicinity of the corner. My goal would be to identify where the monument was at the time of setting. That could be a rust plume, vertical hole pointing to the base, or any number of things.
The very last thing I would check is acreage. The next to last is relationship to other corners (except those very nearby)..
When I see acreage carried out to the 3 or more significant digits, I think one of two things. Either this land is being sold by the square foot or the parameters of the measurer's autocad system needs to be adjusted. I have always been taught to state square footage to the nearest foot and acreage to the nearest hundredth of an acre. Anything tighter than that is a pi$$ing match. Unless your state's standards require 3 or 4 significant digits, keep them to a minimum and avoid hassles.
That's my $0.02,
Quite common around here to see maps of 50+ acre rural parcels showing area to 5, or even 6, decimal places (±). Sheesh.
Is the axel the monument in the disputed location?
Quite common around here to see maps of 50+ acre rural parcels showing area to 5, or even 6, decimal places (±). Sheesh.
Measuring with a micrometer is a little much.
Quite common around here to see maps of 50+ acre rural parcels showing area to 5, or even 6, decimal places (±). Sheesh.
New York has many of the best surveyors in the country. Lol. I had to leave when maps started showing areas to 4 decimal places.
