To Monument or Not to Monument...

[subman]

I am interested in what other County Surveyors and Private Practice Surveyors think of local subdivision ordinance requirements that exceed the minimum monument requirements of the Map Act. In the long run, this may provide an abundance of work for the one surveyor selected by the subdivider, but reduce the number of individual CR and ROS cases that benefit multiple surveyors down the road. By establishing original record monuments outside the paved roadway, it will help perpetuate monumentation within large blocks if centerline monumentation deteriorates over time due to resurfacing and pavement rehabilitation. With an abundance of additional monumentation, when a survey is required, the price to the public may be significantly reduced due to a more limited scope of field work.

I live in the adjoining County (Ventura) of the jurisdiction I work (Los Angeles). The City (Simi Valley) and County I live in requires all lot corners within the subdivision to be monumented and a certain number of centerline monuments to be placed in monument wells (based on the number of lots in the subdivision).

In Los Angeles County, we do not have any requirement to monument lot corners unless they coincide with distinctive border boundary monuments. I see benefit to requiring the subdivider to monument lot corners, particularly for lots that have side yards and rear yards that exceed minimum zoning setback requirements and present the logical location for room additions by subsequent home owners who find a need for more room as their family grows. This would make the Building Official's life easier if he had points of legal reference to measure building setback requirements off of instead of assuming that the common fence is the PL. I have seen several simple room additions start construction only to be halted by an adjoiner who brings evidence forward to show the fence is not the PL and now the unsuspecting homeowner has to apply for a Zoning Variance or tear out their foundation and framing because it encroaches by 6".

Appreciate comments on both sides.

[bruce hall]

probably a good idea to get out of the street. Mostly for safety reasons, although one could argue that bicycles, dog leashes,skateboards and sight impaired folks would then be drawn into the picture more than they are now.

If the surveyor set his control points/boundary points near the sideline at a one or two or whatever foot offset from the right of way (let's say lead, tack and tag in sidewalk) then the surveyor should be safer. Parts of San Diego are like this using a 6 foot offset and there are a whole bunch of them doing down the block at pretty much every lot line, or thereabouts. It is really nice.

The concrete will probably last longer than the ac pavement so the monument rehab should be less cost intensive over many years. But I guess it depends on the type of trees that are planted close to the walkway.

After rereading your post, Dennis, I can see you are not talking about the above. But here is my take on it below.

Here in the OC monuments are set on centerline intersections,bc,ec's etc and pipes are set at the lot corners. In fact many subdivisions are now and have been monumenting the PL prods in the curbs and walks instead of the true corner that is in the dirt somewhere. This way the front corner won't be destroyed by sprinkler or wall construction.

Why pipes(monuments) are not set at the lot corners in LA is a mystery to me. I think that we should do the same thing here in the OC and keep all that stuff a secret-Just kidding.

Centerline monumentation will not deteriorate over time as long as the municipalities, paving contractors, underground utility contractors hire surveyors who know what the law is, due the proper research, and diligently search prior to the commencement of construction. Good Luck with that.

In the end result I think that setting sideline monumentation in the walks is probably the best way to go in the long run. It will better for the land owner cause he can see that puppy, we can rip the street to hxll and back(no more monument perpetuation in the ac pavement) and we still have control "right over there". In fact I won't be going out to the centerline, if I got the sideline. Also the rear corners should be set. How does the land owner know where his land begins and ends. (Is it the fences? Must be!)

It will be a dollar saving to the public in the long run and might save a life or two every now and again.

[pls7809]

I agree with Bruce.

[LA Stevens]

Monuments may or may not be at the corners. I've seen many times where someone has built improvements to the angle point in the rear boundary which was not the corner. Once about 30% of a pool and relative hardscape was built over. I've also seen monuments indiscriminately moved by homeowners/contractors to see the project go forward.

I'd think twice about allowing a building inspector to verify a setback of a building improvement, unless he had a recent plat which dimensioned the existing building to the boundary and monuments shown, so he could verify the proposed improvement was in compliance with the set of approved plans. Even than its hard to say the inspector is doing their job or if they should be attempting to do it since they aren't licensed.

Dennis,

Does your site plans include the bearings and distances for the boundary and if so is it signed and stamped by a surveyor or a supporting topographic map or plat showing the existing house?

The California Building Code, Section 106.2, “it shall be in accordance with an accurate boundary line surveyâ€￾.

[Berk Blake, PLS CA]

Los Angeles County is atypical when it comes to monumenting lot corners in my experience. I believe that setting the lot corners is at least as important as setting street intersections. B.C.'s, etc. I would think that the public is better served by the lot corners being set, as well.

[Sunburned_Surveyor]

In Stockton you have to monument all lot line adjustments. I don't think this ordinance dictates how many or where the monuments are set.

I don't believe we have a specific ordinance about how many or where monuments have to be set in the City of Stockton or San Joaquin County for other types of survey documents.

I've recently been wrestling with a local city to preserve chiseled cross monuments that get blown out during sidewalk replacement and repair. Even when monuments are moved out of the street and onto the sidewalk they get destroyed.

I bought a parcel in a 2005 subdivision. Not a single interior lot corner was set. "Someone" set chisled crosses at the lot lines on all the sidewalks, but they don't have a tag or other marker with a license number, and they don't show up on the subdivision map. In my opinion that is a real disservice to the property owners.

The Sunburned Surveyor (PLS 8489)