Surveying 101 ~ Plotting Property Descriptions ~ International Right of Way Association June 14, 2011 – Atlanta, Georgia Instructor - Gary R. Kent, L.S. The Schneider Corporation

Discussion Topics The U.S. Public Land Survey System Types of Legal Descriptions Aliquot Parts Exercises Understanding & Plotting angles (directions) Direction exercises Understanding & Plotting distances Distance exercises Plotting Metes & Bounds Description Exercises Curves

The U.S. Public Land Survey System

Parts of a Land Description –Caption –Body –Qualifications/Exceptions

Caption –Gives general location –Limits Title –Not all descriptions have or need a caption

Body –Gives specific location

Qualifications/Exceptions –Give careful consideration to what belongs here from a Surveying standpoint!

Types of Legal Descriptions Metes and Bounds Part of the Northeast Quarter of Section 15, Township 17 North, Range 4 East of the Second Principal Meridian in Hamilton County, Indiana being described as follows: Beginning at the Northeast corner of said Northeast Quarter; thence North 89 degrees 35 minutes 46 seconds West along the north line thereof a distance of feet…

Types of Legal Descriptions Lot/Block (Subdivision) Lot 23 in Pebblebrook, Section 4, an Addition in Hamilton County, Indiana per plat thereof recorded as Instrument Number in the Office of the Hamilton County Recorder.

Types of Legal Descriptions Area/Acreage Ten acres by parallel lines off the entire north end of the tract of the following described tract of land: Part of the Northeast Quarter of Section 15, Township 17 North, Range 4 East of the Second Principal Meridian in Hamilton County, Indiana being described as follows: Beginning at the Northeast corner of said Northeast Quarter; thence North 89 degrees 35 minutes 46 seconds West along the north line thereof a distance of …

Types of Legal Descriptions Aliquot Part The West Half of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 15, Township 17 North, Range 4 East of the Second Principal Meridian in Hamilton County, Indiana,. Containing 20 acres, more or less.

Types of Legal Descriptions Bounds Forty acres of land in Section 15, Township 17 North, Range 4 East of the Second Principal Meridian in Hamilton County, Indiana being bounded on the north by the land of Kent, on the East by the land of Juarez, on the South by the land of Conover and on the West by the land of Rayback.

Types of Legal Descriptions Strip Description Part of the Northeast Quarter of Section 15, Township 17 North, Range 4 East of the Second Principal Meridian in Hamilton County, Indiana being a strip of land 20 feet in width, the centerline of which is described as follows: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Northeast Quarter; thence North 89 degrees 35 minutes 46 seconds West along the north line thereof a distance of feet to the Point of Beginning; thence South 01 degrees 15 minutes 06 seconds West parallel with the east line of said Northeast Quarter a distance of a distance of feet to the Point of Termination.

Centerline angle point on property line This area could inadvertently be included This area could inadvertently be missed Property line Strip Centerline

Types of Legal Descriptions Combination Descriptions Division Line Proportional Parts Linear

Types of Legal Descriptions Linear 100 feet by parallel lines off the entire north end of the following described tract: Part of the Northwest Quarter of Section 12, Township 36 North, Range 8 East in Allen County, Indiana being described as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of said northwest quarter; thence North 89 degrees 12 minutes 07 seconds East along the north line thereof a distance of feet…

Types of Legal Descriptions Division Line All that part of Lot 20 in Bridlewood Addition, per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 18, Page 20 in the Office of the Recorder of Boone County, Indiana lying north of the following described line: Commencing at the northeast corner of said Lot 20; thence on a plat bearing of South 00 degrees 01 minutes 35 seconds West along the east line thereof a distance of feet to the Point of Beginning; thence North 88 degrees 37 minutes 25 seconds West a distance of feet to the west line of Lot 20 and the Terminus.

Types of Legal Descriptions Proportional Parts The East half of Lot 20 in Bridlewood Addition, per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 18, Page 20 in the Office of the Recorder of Boone County, Indiana.

Types of Property Descriptions Exceptions Be careful in the use of exceptions to exceptions; i f there are two exceptions, use… “Except; however …” followed by “Also, except, …” For subsequent exceptions

Exercise #1 Plot the following aliquot parts on the sketch of a section: Southwest Quarter (SW¼) Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter (NW¼, SE¼) East Half of the Northwest Quarter (E½, NW¼) South Half of the Southeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter (S½, SE¼, NE¼)

Exercise #1

Exercise #2 Identify the marked aliquot parts of a section:

Measuring Angles & Describing Directions

Directions – Exercise #3

Directions – Exercise #4

Directions – Exercise #5

Distances See Conversion Table in handout

Scaling Distances – Exercise #6

Scaling Distances – Exercise #7

Plotting Metes & Bounds Descriptions Exercises #8-11 See Pp in handout.

Curves in Descriptions To be properly described, there must be two mathematical elements plus information on the direction or orientation

Curves in Descriptions

The Schneider Corporation Gary R. Kent, L.S. Director, Integrated Services 8901 Otis Avenue Indianapolis, IN Phone Fax Contact me!