1. Plot Plans & Legal Descriptions

2. Site or Plot Plans  A plot or site is an area of land generally one lot or construction site in size  The term plot is synonymous with lot  A plat is a map of part of a city or township showing some specific area, such as a subdivision made of several individual lots  Usually may plots in one plat

3. Legal Descriptions  Legal descriptions are a technical and detailed record of property in the United States  Legal descriptions are public record  An architect uses legal descriptions to establish the layout of the proposed property  Basic types of legal descriptions: –1) metes and bounds system –2) rectangular system –3) lot and block system

4. 1) Metes and Bounds System  Metes meaning measurements  Bounds meaning boundaries that exist  These two terms, metes and bounds, are used to identify the perimeters of property  Units of measurements - feet, yards, rods, & chains  Identified boundaries may be - street, fence, & rivers  Boundaries are also identified by bearings  Starts with a monument, point of beginning (POB) –pile of rocks, large tree, iron rod driven in ground

5. Metes and Bounds - Example  Beginning at a point 1200 ft. north 40° west from the southeast corner of the Asa Stone donation Land Claim No 49, thence north 40° west 1026 ft to a pipe, thence south 56° 45’ west 442 ft chains to center of road, thence south 23°15’ east 1145 ft, thence north 48°30’ east 778.8 ft to POB pipe center of road

6. 2) Rectangular System  Used today in areas called the public land states: western boundary of Ohio & including some southeastern states to the Pacific Ocean  Also known as the great land surveys because of the use of parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude  Parallels or base lines are lines of latitude  Principle meridians are lines of longitude  34 total sets of these lines, 31 in continental USA & 3 in Alaska

7. Rectangular System - meridians and base lines

8. Rectangular System  Land divided into identifiable areas and size all starting at the intersection of the meridians and base line, this starting point is called the initial point  Quadrangles = 24 mile square, 576 square miles, contains 16 townships  Townships = 6 mile square, 36 square miles, contains 36 sections, identified as: T3N, R38E T = tier or township (north & south), R = Range (east & west), both numbering start at the initial point  Sections = 1 mile square, 1 square mile, contains 640 acres (5280’ X 5280’)with smaller division noted as section quarters (160 acre) and quarters of quarter sections  One mile = 5280 feetOne acre = 43,560 square feet

9. Rectangular System - Townships  Townships  Set by Tier/Town- ships and ranges

10.  Sections numbering system  36 Sections in a township Rectangular System - Sections

11.  Dividing a section into quarters and quarters of quarters  How to designate these divisions

12. Rectangular System - Legal Description Example  Legal description: Commencing at a point 693 feet south and 1386.75 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 25, Township 6 North, Range 39 East, Boise Meridian, in Madison County, State of Idaho, and running thence South 313.5 feet; thence South 89 ° 53’ East 139 feet; thence North 313.5 feet; thence North 89 ° 53’ West 139 feet to point of beginning, containing approximately one acre.

13. Rectangular System  Example of Plot Plan

14. Rectangular System - Plat Example

15. 3) Lot and Block System  Derived from either metes and bounds or rectangular system, however when a parcel of land is subdivided usually names are given for the subdivision, numbering blocks within the subdivision and numbering lots within a block.  Example of how this comes together as a typical lot & block description: –Lot 14, Block 12, Lincoln Park No. 3, City of Salem, State.

16. The Plot Plan Requirements  Plot plan is known as a lot plan  Plot plans may show topography with contour lines (sometimes this is on a separate drawing)  Plot plans may show numerical values of land elevation (usually at property corners and/or corners of building  Plot plans may show excavation at the site (usually known as a grading plan)

17. The Plot Plan Requirements (pg 148)  Legal description of the property –to include any roads and property easements or right-of-ways  Property line lengths and bearings  North direction (normal direction of north towards top of sheet)  Location of utility services (water, sewer, gas line & sizes along with electrical power service)  Title of drawing is identified as Plot Plan or Site Plan, scale of drawing is included

18. The Plot Plan Requirements (pg 148)  Elevations at property corners (minimum) –contours and other topography of site  House positioned and located with dimensions perpendicular to property lines  Driveways, patios, walks located and sized  Setbacks dimensioned-- front, rear, and sides  Existing and proposed landscaping (sometimes placed on separate landscaping plan

19. Plot Plan Example

20.  Items to note: –8) Drawing Legend 7) Legal Description –6) Utilities –5) Landscaping & contours –4) Dimensioning/callouts –3) Bearings and distances on property lines –2) Circle and elevations at the lot corners & also @ bldg corners –1) Title and scale with north direction