Practical Boundary Surveying

This complete guide to boundary surveying provides landowners, land surveyors and students with the necessary foundation to understand boundary surveying techniques and the common legal issues that govern boundary establishment. Far from a simple engineering function, boundary establishment is often a difficult and delicate matter, with real monetary and legal ramifications if not accomplished accurately. This book helps readers to understand why such challenges exist and what remedies may be available. Using only simple and logically explained mathematics, the principles and practice of boundary surveying are demystified for those without prior experience and the focused coverage of pivotal issues such as easements and setting lot corners will aid even licensed practitioners in untangling thorny cases. Practical advice on using both basic and advanced instruments is included, alongside clear explanations of legal regulations that will impact any surveyor’s work. For those who desire a more in-depth treatment of the mathematical aspects of boundary surveying, the Appendix includes the underlying theory and many examples of typical calculations performed by boundary surveyors.

From the PREFACE. This manual is intended to familiarize the surveyor with the different types of old boundaries that exist throughout the country. A great deal has been written on this general subject, especially in reference to the public lands of the West. Very little, however, is being done on the conveyances of the Eastern States, and it is my hope to furnish something which may prove useful to those who are likely to meet with cases of this sort. No attempt is made to describe how the lines should be measured; the intent is rather to furnish suggestions as to the method of locating the line to be measured -- in short, finding it. It is far more important to have faulty measurements on the place where the line truly exists, than an accurate measurement where the line does not exist at all.

This is a book about boundary surveying. It is written for anyone who is interested in learning about how boundary surveys are performed. The book will provide the reader with a background on basic boundary surveying techniques and some of the common legal issues encountered during boundary surveying. This is the second edition of the book which substantially enlarges upon the first edition. A chapter on easements has been added. There is more detail on Global Navigational Systems (GNSS or GPS). Lower cost survey grade GNSS receivers are now widely available so surveyors are now able to take advantage of this technology. GNSS can save considerable time and cost while increasing the reliability and permanence of surveys. Nevertheless, use of GNSS has certain limitations which cannot be ignored, and this book discusses some of these issues. The second edition also goes into more detail on state plane coordinate systems which are an integral part of GNSS surveying. Prior to the widespread use of GNSS connecting a survey to state plane was often cost prohibitive but now that GNS is commonly used it is easy and commonplace to have surveys tied to state plane. The second edition discusses the state plane coordinate system and the benefits of using it. At the college level, Land Surveying is usually taught in civil engineering departments. In many ways this makes sense because there is a close relationship between the disciplines of civil engineering and land surveying. In fact, many practicing civil engineers are also licensed as land surveyors. However, there are substantial differences between the professions, particularly with regard to knowledge of the laws relating to real property which all boundary surveyors must understand. For this reason, many states make it unlawful for licensed civil engineers to practice boundary surveying unless they are also licensed as a land surveyor. In many respects boundary surveying has more to do with the legal studies division of a university than the engineering division. In fact, when prospective surveyors take the licensing exams at both the national and local levels, substantial portions of these examinations are legal questions relating to boundaries, easements, professional practice and other legal issues that a lawyer, rather than a civil engineer, may feel more comfortable with. You can't learn to be a competent surveyor by taking a course, acquiring a degree or reading a book - although all of these things help to provide the necessary foundation. Boundary surveying includes the disciplines of mathematics, engineering, science and law. Becoming a licensed boundary surveyor requires years of experience. Although no book can hope to provide this experience, my hope is that this book will provide the reader with some insight into the techniques which surveyors use and the issues which surveyors face on a daily basis. Boundary locations are sometimes difficult to establish with a high level of certainty. With modern electronic measuring devices, surveyors can measure thousands of feet within fractions of a foot simply by pressing a button or clicking on a computer screen. And it only takes a few seconds to get the measurement. It may seem paradoxical that even with this ability surveyors are sometimes unable to determine the actual extent of ownership within several feet - and, occasionally, a great number of feet! This book will help the reader to understand why such uncertainties exist. We will also consider what remedies and solutions may be available to a surveyor.

The up-to-date, new edition of the classic reference For over two decades, Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Location has been the cornerstone volume for surveying practitioners. In its Fourth Edition, this book upholds its superior presentation of boundary laws and evidence, and now introduces significantly revised content covering current laws, legal procedures and practices, courtroom responsibilities, use of GPS and GIS data, and waterway boundaries. This current edition prepares surveyors for the new legal, technical, and administrative aspects of surveying. The first section of this book covers resurveys or retracements of former surveys based on land records. It deals with the methods used for locating corners, lines, and parcels of these surveys, while detailing all types of evidence, including maps and documents; measurements; monuments and trees; and digital data. The increasing importance of an area's history to surveyors is also a featured topic. The later chapters examine the creation of new parcels of land from a legal standpoint. This edition also includes an in-depth examination of: * Professional liability * How to report evidence and use it in court * Court conduct, both as a defendant and as an expert witness * The origins of boundary evidence Whether used in conjunction with Brown's Boundary Control and Legal Principles, Fourth Edition, or on its own, Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Location, Fourth Edition, continues to stand as the fundamental reference for licensed practicing surveyors, lawyers, property owners, civil engineers, and students in surveying courses in two- and four-year programs. Its practical applications have also made it a widely used study guide for land surveyor examinations.

This is a book about boundary surveying. It is written for anyone who is interested in learning about how boundary surveys are performed. This book will provide the reader with a background on basic boundary surveying techniques and some of the common legal issues which govern boundary establishment. This is the second edition of the book which substantially enlarges upon the first edition. this book includes a chapter on easements which was not included in the first edition. This book also goes into more detail on Global Navigational Systems (GNSS) sometimes referred to simply as GPS. Survey grade GNSS receivers are now available for relatively low cost so most surveyors are able to take advantage of this technology which has the potential to save considerable time while increasing the reliability and permanence of surveys. Nevertheless, use of GNSS has certain limitations which cannot be ignored, and this book discusses some of these issues.The second edition also goes into more detail on state plane coordinate systems which are an integral part of GNSS surveying. Prior to the widespread use of GNSSconnecting a survey to state plane was often cost prohibitive but now that GNS is commonly used it is easy and commonplace to have surveys tied to state plane. The second edition discusses the state plane coordinate system and the benefits of using it.At the college level, Land Surveying is usually taught in civil engineering departments. In many ways this makes sense because there is a close relationship between the disciplines of civil engineering and land surveying. In fact, many practicing civil engineers are also licensed as land surveyors. However, there are substantial differences between the professions, particularly with regard to knowledge of the laws relating to real property which all boundary surveyors must understand. For this reason, many states make it unlawful for licensed civil engineers to practice boundary surveying unless they are also licensed as a land surveyor. In many respects boundary surveying has more to do with the legal studies division of a university than the engineering division. In fact, when prospective surveyors take the licensing exams at both the national and local levels, substantial portions of these examinations are legal questions relating to boundaries, easements, professional practice and other legal issues that a lawyer, rather than a civil engineer, may feel more comfortable with. These remarks may seem a bit odd at this point but, after reading this book, the reader will hopefully develop an understanding of why this is so.You can't learn to be a competent surveyor by taking a course, acquiring a degree or reading a book - although all of these things help to provide the necessary foundation. Boundary surveying includes the disciplines of mathematics, engineering, science and law. Becoming a licensed boundary surveyor requires years of experience. Although no book can hope to provide this experience, my hope is that this book will provide the reader with some insight into the techniques which surveyors use and the issues which surveyors face on a daily basis. Boundary locations are sometimes difficult to establish. With modern electronic measuring devices, surveyors can measure thousands of feet within fractions of a foot simply by pressing a button or clicking on a computer screen. And it only takes a few seconds to get the measurement. It may seem paradoxical that even with this ability surveyors are sometimes unable to determine the actual extent of ownership within several feet - and, occasionally, a great number of feet! This book will help the reader to understand why such uncertainties exist. We will also consider what remedies and solutions may be available to a surveyor. A primary purpose of this book is to acquaint people who are not land surveyors with the principles used by land surveyors to establish boundaries.

BROWN'S BOUNDARY CONTROL AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES The latest edition of the industry-leading reference to boundary law for property surveying In the newly revised eighth edition of Brown’s Boundary Control and Legal Principles, a team of distinguished surveying professionals delivers an updated and expanded treatment of the latest in surveying technology and surveying caselaw. This classic reference to boundary law principles for property surveying continues to evolve, covering all relevant and necessary information related to the complex area of boundary law. The book offers a wealth of case studies on federal and state rectangular and non-sectionalized land surveys demonstrating real-world examples. It provides numerous illustrations highlighting the concepts discussed within, and is an essential reference tool for professionals and students in the area, providing: A thorough introduction to the foundational principles of boundary surveying and property rights Comprehensive explorations of decision-making in professional boundary surveying Practical discussions of the legal principles governing land surveying, land boundaries, and land rights A holistic combination of law and surveying that’s ideal as a reference tool and as a learning tool Perfect for practicing surveyors and those studying for the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) licensing exam, Brown’s Boundary Control and Legal Principles will also benefit undergraduate and graduate students of surveying programs, as well as lawyers who practice in the areas of real estate, land, and property law.

"This is a book about boundary surveying. It is written for anyone who is interested in how surveys are performed. The book would also be useful for land surveying students who are interested in developing an overall view of how land surveyors go about surveying a parcel of land. This book will provide the reader with a background on boundary surveying techniques and some of the common legal issues which govern boundary establishment. A primary purpose of this book is to acquaint people who are not land surveyors with the principles used by land surveyors to establish boundary lines. The information in this book will be useful to home owners, real estate agents, attorneys, engineers, city planners, building officials, students, bankers, title researchers, GIS practitioners and others. I hope this book will be an important resource for those who have questions relating to boundaries and land surveying in general."--Back cover.