California Surveyors Forums

Well I am going to test the forum rules and see what happens. Looking at the plan does anyone think this is surveying?

See parallel post Mr. Know-It-All. Is that a lab assignment of yours?

Yes, that's surveying.

bryanmundia wrote:Well I am going to test the forum rules and see what happens. Looking at the plan does anyone think this is surveying?

Some surveying was done, who did it would be the question. Maybe provided by an LS, then cleaned up to look decent on the site plan. Generic legend and no company name, I don't think you have violated any rules.

The example Bryan posted shows grades and features, but no property lines and no dimensions. The legend shows a linetype for "approx boundary" but it doesn't appear in the plan. Showing a perimeter fence/wall & face of curb doesn't look like a boundary determination.

Wouldn't this fall under the civil's site plan exemption?

Wouldn't this fall under the civil's site plan exemption?

If you mean could this plan be prepared legally by a licensed civil engineer, the answer is absolutely -- it's a topographic survey, and civils are allowed to do topo surveys.

The disclaimer states that the map is "exclusively for landscaping purposes" under the §8727 exemption. It also states that it's not engineering.

The most generous interpretation of the map is that it treads a very, very fine line. The map is pretty much a full-blown topo, albeit one referenced to an arbitrary vertical datum. It's arguably much more detailed than necessary for landscaping purposes, but that point is debatable. If they'd left off the location of the "property marker" they'd have a stronger case.

However, a look at the company's web site (http://ppmco.net/) makes things look less innocent. The History page on their website says "[o]ur goal is to be North America's leading provider of As-Built surveying and data collection services." That sounds like surveying to me.

Their Who We Are page refers to their "professional team of project managers, surveyors, drafters and customer service reps." That sounds like surveying to me.

Their home page refers to "a nationwide network of over 75 professional surveyors." That sounds like surveying to me.

If they don't have a licensee on staff, I think they're in violation.

Shite. Cack. Garbage.
Kids at our local junior college can produce better quality with a tape and compass.
Why call it surveying? Of any sort?
Embarrassing to call it such when you think of it...

Then again, I've seen LS stamps on maps similar in quality.

LS_8750 wrote:See parallel post Mr. Know-It-All. Is that a lab assignment of yours?

Clark,

Although I appreciate the sarcasm, I was simply following the rules for this forum. The fact is, that could be anyone's survey.

Also, not my project, I actually draft way better than that. I take pride in the work I do and if you would ever like to see an example of my work as a draftsman I could kindly point you in the direction of a number of Records of Survey that have been recorded here in Orange County.

Take care and thanks for the ever so thoughtful input on this thread.

Also I wanted to point out that this "surveyor" located and drafted where there are is a property marker along the right of way.

Can just anyone draft a map showing the location of survey markers? I mean he doesn't tie them out with bearings, distances or coordinates so do we consider this surveying? Does this meet the requirements of 8726(e)?

Also, doesn't stating on the map that it is for landscaping purposes only and that it cannot be used for civil engineering and other things render an opinion about the accuracy of the map? Wouldn't that fit into 8726(n)?

Refer to the following and let me know.

CA B&P Section 8726 (Land Surveying Defined)

A person, including any person employed by the state or by a city, county, or city and county within the state, practices land surveying within the meaning of this chapter who, either in a public or private capacity, does or offers to do any one or more of the following:

(a) Locates, relocates, establishes, reestablishes, or retraces the alignment or elevation for any of the fixed works embraced within the practice of civil engineering, as described in Section 6731.

(b) Determines the configuration or contour of the earth’s surface, or the position of fixed objects above, on, or below the surface of the earth by applying the principles of mathematics or photogrammetry.

(e) By the use of the principles of land surveying determines the position for any monument or reference point which marks a property line, boundary, or corner, or sets, resets, or replaces any such monument or reference point.

(n) Renders a statement regarding the accuracy of maps or measured survey data.