San Francisco Boundary Survey Help

[rpost]

I am a San Diego Surveyor but took a handful of topo surveys in the Bay Area for a client who, apparently, likes me and asked that I take on the out of town work. I have done many surveys outside of my local jurisdiction over the years and enjoy learning the local methods.

That being said, my client asked for right of way on one of the projects, and I am a bit stumped. Naturally, the job is right in the heart of China Town. The streets are super busy, and I can't find any recorded surveys on the City/County website. I may have found a few old +'s from some old field notes, but I am not 100% sure. Honestly, looking at notes and mapping from this area is like reading a foreign language. I have seen a few maps with every monument called off of a few hundredths in different directions and shown as offsets! Crazy!

Anyhow, I am hoping one of you experienced Bay Area surveyors can give me a hand, offer some advice or point me in the right direction.

Any takers?

Sincerely,

Ryan Post, LS

[Jim Frame]

Having assisted a 3rd-generation SF land surveyor on a number of SF boundary projects, I suggest subbing it out to one of the locals. Although SF is only a bit over an hour from my office (on a good traffic day), I'd never take a boundary job there on my own -- there are too many pitfalls into which the uninitiated can stumble. And, as you've noted, working there is a logistical nightmare; beware of parking tickets and vehicle break-ins.

[DWoolley]

Ryan Post:

Jim Frame is correct on the vehicle break ins:

In July, 1,890 vehicle break-ins were reported, or roughly 60 per day.

The sidewalks in San Francisco commonly double as bathrooms.

If you insist on wading through San Francisco feces and being ripped off send me an email and I will give you a name of a couple solid locals to help you put.

DWoolley

[Lee Hixson]

"...there are too many pitfalls into which the uninitiated can stumble..." That's the truth. Run--don't walk--away from this.

[mpallamary]

I work up and down the state and I always retain a local surveyor to assist me. There is too much liability out there not to.

[rpost]

I often meet with local surveyors, but some boundaries are very straight forward and do not require assistance. The particular one, for sure, does.

Thanks for the input gents.

[LA Stevens]

There are a few surveyors who have records back to the late 1800's. Those records can be very helpful. You will see cut curbs with an L and T. My experience is that the L means that was the parcel surveyed. The addition of a cut to turn the L in to a upside down T, means the adjoining parcel was surveyed also. Be wary of old curbs with marks that may have moved, since I have heard of old curb being brought in. Many rock curbs exist that were used as ballast in ships coming in to port empty to pick up a load.

[Anthony Maffia]

Ryan, I sent you a PM.

[pls5528]

Talk to Mike Thompson at Lea and Braze (out of the Dublin branch). He has done a lot of SF boundaries and can give you some insight.

[MikeT]

My advice: I would not survey there. Let the locals do it.

[PLS7393]

You will see cut curbs with an L and T. My experience is that the L means that was the parcel surveyed. The addition of a cut to turn the L in to a upside down T, means the adjoining parcel was surveyed also. Be wary of old curbs with marks that may have moved, since I have heard of old curb being brought in.

Other than the cut 'L' and 'T', don't forget the ole Crows Foot which also is a common marking on the curbs.

I'm 35 miles away from SF and let others perform any boundary survey in that area for many reasons. Good Luck!!!