Surveying Services Offered
"Land Surveying" is the detailed study or inspection, as by gathering information through observations, measurements in the field, questionnaires, or research of legal instruments, and data analysis in the support of planning, designing, and establishing of property boundaries. It involves the re-establishment of cadastral surveys and land boundaries based on documents of record and historical evidence, as well as certifying surveys of subdivision plats or maps, registered land surveys, judicial surveys, and space delineation. (American Congress on Surveying and Mapping)
Boundary Survey
This is by far the most requested service. It can be called many things like flagging or marking the corners (pins).
The boundary survey includes locating real property. Meaning to find the existing property corners, measure between them to make sure they are correct. If any are missing or not in the correct location they will be set to where they were intended to be per record documents. If a property corner is set per Arizona Minimum Survey Standards require that a Record Of Survey is created and filed at the local county recorders office. I also look for any encroachments on the property.
Record of Survey
A record of Survey is a map of the land that was surveyed. It's purpose is to document what the surveyor found, where it was located, and how it impacts the land. Per Arizona Minimum Standards a land surveyor shall file a record of land survey not later than ninety days after its completion, with the County Recorder of the County where the land is located, whenever any of the following conditions are encountered:
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Any land boundary survey monument found, and incorporated into the new survey, where that monument is not referred to in or by any previously recorded public record instrument.
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Any existing land boundary monument, or found monument, referenced in a previously recorded public document, when the public document fails to adequately identify said monuments.
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Any land boundary monuments are set in conjunction with the new survey.
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Any new land division as defined under state statutes.
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Any difference as measured between the land boundary or property corner monuments, where the new measured distance, as compared to a previously determined (“record”) distance, where such difference exceeds +/- 0.25 feet, plus 100 parts per million (PPM), of the overall distance between the points.
Topographic Survey
A map of the physical attributes of a tract of land. Showing the existing surface conditions, contours of the ground, existing features on the surface such as buildings, fences, trees, roads, utilities, walls, etc., This is usually the base map for the design process for new construction or remodels. The designer then uses it to accurately represent the building area. The elevations for these maps are based off of local elevation bench marks.
Minor Land Divisions & Lot Splits
Land divisions of five (5) or fewer lots, parcels or fractional interests, any of which is ten (10) acres or smaller in size created by recordation of a contract for sale or deed of conveyance shall be preceded by this application for Minor Land Division Permit which has been applied for with and approved by the Department.
(Yavapai County Section 546.C. Minor Land Division of the Planning & Zoning Ordinance)
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey
This is the Cadillac of the boundary surveys, also the most complicated. The ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey is composed of a set of national standards put forth by the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping American Land Title Association. They are a standardized survey for the specific purpose of a Title company to issue title insurance on a property. They are usually used for commercial properties, to document what is located on the property including encroachments, and easements. There are many options that are specified in the Table A Items.
FEMA Elevation Certificates
A community's permit file must have an official record that shows new buildings and substantial improvements in all identified Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are properly elevated. This elevation information is needed to show compliance with the floodplain management ordinance. FEMA encourages communities to use the Elevation Certificate developed by FEMA to fulfill this requirement since it also can be used by the property owner to obtain flood insurance. Communities participating in the Community Rating System (CRS) are required to use the FEMA Elevation Certificate.
https://www.fema.gov/elevation-certificate
Easements & Legal Descriptions
An easement, grants a right to the owner of one piece of land, to do something on someone else’s land, with a corresponding duty on the other person to allow the owner of the first piece of land to do it. For instance a public utility company or a right of way for a road.
A Legal Description is words that delineate a specific peice of real property and could be called a deed.
There are many types of legal descriptions like a metes and bounds, which gives compass bearings and distance calls to particular points.
North 89 25' 32" East, 125.00 feet;
Or a aliquot break, which is part of the United States Public Land Survey System (PLSS), and describes real property in relation to the Section, Township and Range.
NE 1/4, NW 1/4 of Section 36, Township 14 North, Range 2 East
Another type of description is by Lot and Block description which refers to a particular lot in a recorded subdivision.
Lot 15 of Acre Flats
