How To Read A Survey Plat Map

Your land survey plan may look daunting at first glance, but understanding it is very important. County assessor’s plat maps at one time were actually filed in large books.

Image from

A land survey plat is a map depicting characteristics of the land and their relative positions.

How to read a survey plat map. We’ll help you understand the basics of a survey. This reads north, 63 degrees east. A surveyor uses measurement techniques and tools to translate legal technical documents describing the land into positions on the ground.

On our example boundary survey plan we will focus on the boundary at the bottom of the page. The objective is to locate the corners of the rectangular parcel. A land survey plat is used for representing map characteristics of the land and their relative position as well.

4 read the compass degree system. A map’s scale connects the. This will orient you to the property’s actual location on the ground.

While maps are now recorded and stored digitally, “book & page” references are still used for identification purposes. A plat map is an accurate, unbiased, and trustworthy assessment of a piece of property, if it is based on the most recent and updated land survey. To read a plat, first locate the north arrow.

It is drawn to scale and records the land’s size, boundary locations, nearby streets. I like to use a spreadsheet rather than jotting down the numbers in a notebook since i can set up a formula to do all the math for me. A site plan package can include:

A survey’s legend is typically presented on the right hand side of the survey, or along the bottom of the document. The data given seems to define some lines (not points), and is in reference to portions of sections. To read a plat first locate the north arrow.

On our example boundary survey plan, there are 4 different sets of data that we will explain: Site plan is a drawing that is a bird’s I am interested in a piece of property for which i have a plat map description, giving what seem to be latitudes/longitudes of lines along the boundaries (not sure about this).

The map’s scale tells you how detailed your map is. A lay person may be overwhelmed by all the text, lines and symbols presented on a survey plat. I'm trying to find the boundaries of my property, but all i have is a basic plat map with what i assume to be compass headings and distances between points.

Plat maps is not affiliated with any government agency. This will orient you to the propertys actual location on the ground. How to read a plat map the basics you need to know nicki.

This document is intended to help the average person understand how to interpret the information provided on a typical land survey. Site location map reading and lot plotting. Public land survey and plat maps of burntside lake.

Information found on plat maps is strictly for informational purposes and does not construe legal or financial advice. A plat map, also known as a “plat,” shows you how a tract of land is divided into lots in your county. Information relative to roads, lighting, landscaping, natural features, access, soil erosion control, and stormwater management.

An example heading might be n63e. An image is provided below. Your survey will display information based on a scale.

How to read a land survey map. Subdivision plats must be completed by a licensed surveyor and meet the survey plat recording requirements of 27 v.s.a. Key features to look for when reading a subdivision plat or a site plan for a proposed project.

The information found on a survey depends on its type and intended use. The county must sign off on the land survey to make it part of official public record. Survey plans are prepared by professional land surveyors, who identify and record each and every feature and measurement that contributes to the definition of a property.

If the scale ratio had a number like 1:65,000, though, that would mean that each inch on the map covered 65,000 inches of terrain. Read the compass degree system by starting with a specific point on the compass (north, east, south or west), and then reading the number of the degrees to the next point on the compass. This is an example of a los angeles county assessor's parcel/plat map along with brief descriptions as to what each item refers to on the map.

Land surveys can be complex documents. Next, find the survey legend. To calculate decimal degrees, divide the seconds by 360, the minutes by 60, and leave the degrees alone, then add all three numbers together for each point.

Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. A b c d e f h How to read a plat map.

As you can see, there is quite a bit of data to see on this plan which can be overwhelming when trying to read the plan correctly.

Beyond Bricks & Mortar Revisiting the Sycamore Hill