LegalDescriptionsandPlotPlans
LegalDescriptions
Identifyspecificpiecesofpropertyinasurvey.
Separatesproperty.
Aplotoflandcanbelegallyidentifiedusing:
Eachindividualpropertymustbecompletelydescribed.
Metesandboundsdescription
Lotandblockdescription
Rectangularsystemdescription
Acompletelegaldescriptionmayincludeallthree
descriptiontypes.
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MetesandBounds
Describingandlocatingpropertybymeasurementsfroma
knownpointcalledamonument.
Monumentafixed,knownpointsuchasasectioncorner,rock,
tree,ortheintersectionofstreets.
Pointofbeginning(POB)
Metesmeasurementsofpropertylinesexpressedinunitsof
feet,yards,rods,ormeters.
Boundsboundariessuchasstreams,streets,roads,or
adjoiningproperties.
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ExampleMetesandBoundsLegal
Description
BEGINNINGattheintersectionofthecenterlineofW.
PowellBoulevard,formerlyPowelValleyRoadandthe
centerlineofS.W.CatheyRoad;thenceSouthonaline
parallelwithS.W.CatheyRoad,200feet;thenceWest
onalineparallelwithW.PowellBoulevard,184feet;
thenceNorthalongthecenterlineofS.W.CatheyRoad
totheplaceofbeginning;EXCEPTIONtherefrom,
howevertherightsofthepublicinandtothatportionof
thehereindescribedpropertylyingwithinthelimitsof
W.PowellBoulevardandS.W.CatheyRoad.
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ExampleMetesandBoundsPlat
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LotandBlock
Describinglandbyreferringtoarecordedplat,the
lotnumber,thecounty,andthestate.
Lotasinglepieceofpropertyinasubdivision.
Examplelotandblocklegaldescription:
Lot7,Block135,OregonCitySubdivision,Cityof
OregonCity,ClackamasCounty,StateofOregon.
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ExampleLotandBlockPlat
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RectangularSystem
Thegreatlandsurvey.
DevelopedbytheU.S.BureauofLand
Management(BLM).
Somestatesarenotincludedintherectangular
system.Statesthatarenotincludedusemetes
andboundsdescriptions.
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RectangularSystem
Surveydivision:
Basicreferencelines
Townships
Sections
Subdivisions
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BasicReferenceLines
Baselines(horizontalparallels).
Principalmeridians(verticallines).
Baselinesandprinciplemeridiansintersectto
formtheinitialsurveypoint,ororigin.
31setsofbaselinesandprincipalmeridiansinthe
UnitedStatesproper.
5setsofbaselinesandprincipalmeridiansin
Alaska.
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BasicReferenceLines
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Townships
Anarrangementofrowsofblocksformedaround
theintersectionofabaselineandaprincipal
meridian.
6milessquare.
Horizontalrowsnorthorsouthoftheintersection
ofthebaselineandprincipalmeridianare
identifiedastownships.Forexample,thethirdrow
abovetheoriginisTownshipNumber3North,or
T.3N
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Townships
Verticalcolumnseastorwestoftheintersectionofthe
baselineandprincipalmeridianareidentifiedasranges.
Forexample,thesecondcolumntotherightofthe
originisRangeNumber2East,orR.2E
Nowyoucanputatownshipandrangetogetherto
identifyaspecificblockinthesurvey,suchasT.3N,
R.2E
Townshipsextendasfarnorthandsouthandrangesas
fareastandwestasthatparticulargreatpublicland
surveygoes.
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Townships
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Sections
Divisionoftownships:
Each6milesquaretownshipisdividedinto36sections
thatare1milesquare.
1squaremile=640acres
1acre=43,560squarefeet
Sectionsarealwaysnumbered1to36,beginningatthe
northeastcornerofthetownshipandgoingacrossfrom
righttoleft,thenlefttoright,righttoleft,andsoon.
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SectionsWithinaTownship
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Subdivisions
Divisionofsections:
Sectionscanbedividedinto160acrequarters(corners).
Quartersectionscanbedividedinto40acrequarters.
Quartersofquartersectionscanbedividedinto10acrequarters.
Additionalsubdivisionscanbemade,suchasaresidential
subdivisionoflotslessthananacreinsize,suchas:
LOT12,SHOSHONERIVERESTATES,ACCORDINGTOTHE
PLATRECORDEDINBOOK"F"OFPLATSATPAGE153,PARK
COUNTY,WYOMING
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Subdivisions
Thesmallestportion
oflandiswritten
first,suchastheSW
1/4,SW1/4,SW1/4
(shown).
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RectangularSystem
Legaldescriptionincludes:
Section
Township
Range
Relationtoprinciplemeridian
County
State
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CompleteLegalDescriptions
Mayincludeallthreedescriptiontypes.
Alwaysbeginswiththesmallestdivisionand
progressestothelargestdivision.
StudythelegaldescriptionspresentedintheThe
CompleteDescriptionsectionofChapter8to
betterunderstandthecomponentsofacomplete
legaldescription.
Plotthepropertyaccordingtothecompletedescription.
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PlotPlan
Alsoknownasasiteplanorplat.
Amapofaspecificpieceofland.
Typicallycontainanaccuratelegaldescription,
drawings,andinformationregardingtheplotof
land.
Contentsvarydependingonlocalrequirements.
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PossiblePlotPlanRequirements
Legaldescription.
Propertylines,dimensions,andbearings.
Directionofnorth.
Existingandproposedroads.
Driveways,patioslabs,parkingareas,andwalkways.
Proposedandexistingstructures,includingdimensions.
Locationofwelland/orwaterserviceline.
Locationofwellsonadjacentproperties.
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PossiblePlotPlanRequirements
Locationofproposedgasandpowerlines.
Locationofseptictank,drainfield,drainfieldreplacement
area,and/orsewerlines.
Dimensionsandspacingofsoilabsorptionfield,orleach
lines.
Locationofsoiltestholes.
Proposedlocationofraindrains,footingdrains,andmethods
ofdisposal.
Groundelevationatlotcorners,andstreetelevationat
drivewaycenterline.
Slopeofground.
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PossiblePlotPlanRequirements
Proposedelevationsofmainfloor,garagefloor,
andbasementorcrawlspace.
Numberofbedroomsproposed.
Proposedsetbackfromallpropertylines.
Utilityanddrainageeasements.
Naturaldrainagechannels.
Totalacreage.
Drawingscale.
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ExamplePlotPlan
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MethodsofSewageDisposal
SepticTankusedinareaswithoutpublicsewer
lines,butwithporoussoil(dirt).
1. Wastefromhouseentersaseptictank:
Heavywastesinkstothebottom.
Floatingwasteistrappedatthetopbetweentheinletand
outlet.
2. Wastewaterleavestheseptictank=effluent.
3. Wastewaterentersadrainfield,soilabsorptionfield
orleachlines.
4. Wastewaterisfilteredthroughthesoil.
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SepticTank
Section View
Plan View
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MethodsofSewageDisposal
Cesspoolsusedinareaswithoutpublicsewerlines,
butwithveryporoussoil(gravel).
1. Wastefromhouseentersacylinder:
Heavywastesinkstotheperforatedbottomsection.
Floatingwasteistrappedinthenonperforatedtopsection.
2. Effluentleavescylinderthroughtheperforatedbottom
section.
3. Wastewaterenterstheveryporoussoil.
4. Wastewaterisfilteredthroughthesoil.
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Cesspool
Plan View
Section View
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MethodsofSewageDisposal
Publicsewersusedinareaswithpublicsewer
lines.
1. Wastefromhousegoesthroughasewerlineand
entersamainpublicsewerline.
Mainlineistypicallyundertheroadoraneasement
nearthehome.
Sewerlinesidentifiedassanitarysewer.
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PublicSewer
Plan View
Section View
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VicinityMap
Showsaprojectsiteinrelationtothe
surroundingarea.
Helpswithlocatingandaccessingthesite.
SeeFigure815.
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PlanandProfile
Planprovidesdetailedconstruction
informationinplanview.
Profileanoutlineofacrosssectionofthe
earth.
Looksdownfromabove(topview)
Crosssectionthroughthesiteshowinggroundand
sewerconstruction.
SeeFigure815.
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TitleBlockandLegend
Identifiestheplot.
Providesinformationaboutdrawingscales,
symbol,compassdirection,andspecialnotes.
SeeFigure815.
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Utilities
Thefollowingutilitiesmaybedrawnonasite
plan:
Electrical
Gas
Phone
TVcable
Water
Undergroundoroverhead(identify).
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SiteDesignConsiderations
Stormwaterrunoff:
Slopehardsurfacesandlawn1/4perfootmin.
Gradingrules:
Dontgradeonadjacentproperty.
Dontslopetowardsadjacentproperty.
Slopethesiteawayfromthestructure.
Provideadequatedrainage.
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SiteDesignConsiderations
Driveways:
Singlecar:10
min.
Doublecar:18
min.,center
reducedwidth.
Turningradius:
15min.,20
preferred.
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SiteDesignConsiderations
Provideroomforutilities.
Dontbuildovereasements.
Identifyalltreesthataretoremainonthesite
afterconstruction.
Useretainingwallswhennecessaryto
minimizeslope,reduceerosioncontrol,and
levelthesite.
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FireDepartmentAccessandSitePlanning
Roads:
15min.width.
5additionalwidthclearof
vegetation.
Allweather=gravelorpaved.
50,000lbgrossvehicleload,
includingbridgesandculverts.
10%maximumroadgrade,
preferred.
150longdrive?=turnaroundat
end
400intervals=20X40passage
space
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FireDepartmentAccessandSitePlanning
Firebreakgroundcovernomorethan24in
heightandalldeadvegetationremoved:
30aroundallstructures
Greaterforsteepterrain
Firedepartmentapprovedaddresssign.
Onsitewatersupplypool,pond,waterstorage
tankwithin15ofstructure,orhomesprinkler
system.
Wildfirezone?=nowoodroofing
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PropertyLineLayout
Propertylinesofeachlotandtheboundariesofthe
platarecommonlylabeledwithdistancesand
bearings.
Arcedshapedpropertylinestypicallyrequirethe
followingcurveinformation:
Radius(R)
Length(L)
Deltaangle()includedangleofthecurve
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StepsinSitePlotLayout
StudytheinformationpresentedintheSteps
inSitePlotLayoutsectionofChapter8to
betterunderstandhowtolayoutaplotplan.
Closelyfollowsteps1through6.
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Chapter8Activities
Chapter8TestPart1&2Part3Subdivision
Plat
Chapter8ProblemsP83andP84PartVII
FigureP89
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