| Annexation |
To
attach or incorporate an additional area of land into an adjacent political
domain, such as adding an area that is under county jurisdiction into an
adjacent town or city bringing it into the jurisdiction of the town.
|
| Architectural
Site Plan |
A
site specific survey usually showing elevation contours of a certain property
description, showing obvious utilities, water courses, vegetation, soil
classification (as available), to provide an architect with physical characteristics
of a property so they can properly design requested structures.
|
| Boundary
Survey |
A
survey to establish or re-establish a boundary line on the ground or to
obtain data for making a map or plat showing a boundary line. The term
boundary survey is generally restricted to surveys of boundaries of political
territories - for the survey of a boundary line between private land parcels
the term "land survey" is more common.
|
| Cad
Mapping |
Computer
aided drafting - using computer hardware and software to accurately prepare
drawings to scale and transfer them to large format printers.
|
| Easements |
An
interest or right in land owned by another that entitles its holder to
a specific limited use; such as laying a sewer, crossing over property,
or putting up power lines.
|
| Improvement
Location Certificate |
A
representation of the boundaries of a parcel of land and the improvements
thereon. This should not be construed as a proper land survey but is based
upon a land surveyor's general knowledge of land boundaries and monuments
in a given area. These are generally intended to insure lending institutions
and homebuyers that the improvements represented to be on a certain piece
of land are actually within the legal property description boundary.
|
| Lot
Locate |
Though
there are different definitions for the word "lot" the layman generally
understands these as being part of subdivision and the lot being the name
or number of a certain simultaneously created parcel. In our area
a lot locate is referred to as searching for lot corner markers that were
believed to have been placed in the ground at the time a subdivision was
created - though have been buried by the elements over a lengthy span of
time.
|
| Mining
Claim Retracement |
A
mining claim is a parcel of land probably containing valuable mineral in
its soil or rock, and claimed by an individual according to established
rules or laws. A retracement is to obtain all documented data available
and use that information to reconstruct on the ground the position of the
original description of the claimed parcel.
|
| Mortgage
Survey |
A
survey prepared for the purpose of providing a physical geographical location
and parcel description of a smaller parcel of land within a larger boundary
for a lending institution. Lot corner markers are usually set marking the
boundary of the smaller parcel and a map prepared and deposited with the
local county clerk and recorder, showing access and other apparent easements
within and or to the smaller parcel boundary. This survey does not
create a new recognized parcel. The only circumstance provided by
law for which this parcel can actually become separated from the larger
parcel boundary is by a foreclosure proceeding.
|
| Subdivision |
A
type of land survey in which the legal boundaries of an area are located,
and the area is divided into parcels of lots, streets, rights-of-way, and
other accessories. All necessary corners or dividing lines are marked or
established on the ground. |
| Question |
What
information does a surveyor need from me to survey my land? |
| Answer |
The
surveyor will first need to know the name of the actual owner of the land,
which county the parcel is located in, and if possible the parcel description
as it appears on a deed or land tax statement. You will also need to provide
them with some idea of what you wish to accomplish or who has suggested
you need a survey - this will give the surveyor an idea of the type of
survey you may require.
|
| Question |
How
much does it cost for a survey? |
| Answer |
There
are many kinds of surveys with different purposes and parcels of land vary
in size from small 25' x 150' lots to thousands of acres. This is
a very common question with no immediately available answer. The
only way a surveyor can estimate the cost of a survey is to actually do
some research on the parcel of land in question, ideally some research
should be done at the local county government level and also with State
and Federal resources for data from past surveys. They then should
actually visit the physical parcel site if they are not already acquainted
with the area. Only after this research is done can a surveyor provide
a reasonably accurate cost estimate.
|
| Question |
I
am buying a home and the real estate broker tells me I must have a survey.
Why? |
| Answer |
Generally
the lending company that is financing a loan wants to know for certain
that the home and the improvements on the property are actually confined
within the legal property boundary description as filed with the local
county clerks records. In the past lenders have had to foreclose on property
because of unfortunate and unforeseen financial difficulties only to find
out that the home is not actually on the property or is only partially
on the property. The lenders then have a costly and time-consuming effort
in front of them to recoup their investment. In the State of Colorado these
are not referred to as surveys but are called Improvement Location Certificates.
|
| Question |
What is an ALTA Survey? |
| Answer |
ALTA stands for American Land Title Association. The American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping have adopted minimum standard detail requirements for surveys of real property and mapping standards acceptable to insurance companies for the purpose of insuring land. These specific requirements can be found and downloaded at the following web site: http://www.alta.org/forms/download.cfm?formID=338&type=word
|
| Question |
What is the surveying company going to give me after they finish the land survey? |
| Answer |
The surveyor should provide you with a survey map or plat and if they were required to set corner markers that map should be filed or deposited in local county records for public viewing or for future copies. The corners that were to be located on the ground should be uncovered or replaced by the surveyor if missing with his State Registration number attached and visible stakes set next to the corner marker so you can easily find them immediately on completion of the survey. If a new parcel is created then the surveyor should also supply you with a written description suitable for a deed. Please note that not all types of surveys require all of the above.
|
| Question |
How long does it take to do a survey? |
| Answer |
It of course depends on the area involved and the ultimate purpose of the survey - some can be accomplished in as little as 48 hours and in the case of constructions surveys some stretch out for years. If it is a small property survey you should expect a minimum of 2 weeks before a project is completed. This gives the surveyor a few days to gather data and if some data is not locally available time to order other records by mail. The surveyor will need to find uncover existing markers if any and note apparent easements that may affect the property and then measure them. After gathering record information and data from actual measurements they will need to compile it all and make sure they comply with existing local, state and federal regulations. They then need time to prepare a map and stake out additional or missing land markers. |
