California Surveyors Forums

There are a number of opinions as to what constitutes a "parent parcel" for purposes of land subdivision. I am curious as to other interpretations or definitions. Is anyone interested in weighing in on this?

Thanks all.

Personally, I think of the term relating to sequential conveyances. For subdivision, I'd probably described the initial piece as the lands being subdivided. It seem to be kind of an informal term anyway, what is the significance?

I have worked in the public and private sector.

My opinion, with respect to subdivisions of land, the parent parcel would coincide with the boundary of the approved tentative map where multiple phased unit final maps will be recorded

I am dealing with five thousand parcels that were created out of an original patent. In other words, prior to adoption of our conventional subdivision laws, back in the 1940's, the rancho owner subdivided his rancho into metes and bounds parcels. In the 1970s and 1980s, a third of these parcels were further subdivided with parcel maps and tract maps. Many of the 1940 metes and bounds parcels still exist. and they have been bought and sold many times They all refer to the rancho as the basis for their descriptions.

Thanks all.

A Parent Parcel is the term describing the relationship of a legal parcel which is wholly or partly subdivided into new parcels or one or more new parcels and a remainder to those subdivisions (including any remainder portions) of that parcel.

In the case you are speaking of, the Rancho would be the parent parcel of the M&B parcels created in the 1940s and in turn, those M&B parcels which were subdivided in the 1970s - 1980s would be the parent parcels of the lots/parcels created by each respective subdivision.

When we research title at State Lands, we would consider the Rancho to constitute the base title of any and all parcels subsequently created within the bounds of the Rancho.

So, if you have a PM that divided Lot 99 of Happy Acres, being a subdivision of Parcel 16A of the division of Rancho Jorge de la Jungla, then Lot 99 would be the parent parcel of the parcels created by the PM, Parcel 16A would be the parent parcel of Lot 99, and Rancho Jorge de la Jungla would be the parent parcel of Parcel 16A.

Since the title for Rancho de la Jungla, presumably confirmed in the Board of California Land Commissioners set up to review claims of title granted by the Spanish & Mexican governments, existed prior to US possession of California, that title is considered to be base title from which subsequent titles of all lands within its boundaries is derived, therefore, the confirmed title to Rancho Jorge de la Jungla is the base title to all the divisions mentioned in the paragraph above.

I love your rancho!

The issue involves how many times a parcel can be subdivided before violating the SMA. It has to do with the concept of "quartering," of course.

There are a number of definitions including some that fix the parent as of a certain date along with other odd definitions.

Thanks for your reply. That helps!

I hope all is well.

Evan, Have you ever seen the attached before?

Interesting.

Genesis Chapter 1 tells us that God first created the heaven and the earth.
So began the discussion.

and Paris is in France

Indeed! When you probe this one, you might find the interpretations of great interest and curiosity.