California Surveyors Forums

I've searched and can't find anything in the PLS Act, and maybe others can answer?

Found a recent RS where the County Surveyor signed his statement and also signed the Surveyor's Statement.

Section 8764.5 outlines Required Statements on Map. There is no reference that the same licensee can't sign both statements, but it just doesn't seem right. Is this valid? I was always under the impression there needed to be a staff(consulting) surveyor to sign as "Surveyor", and the "County Surveyor" who is suppose to check the map for technicalities.

If a CS wanted to document something, they always have the right to file an "In Lieu" map, filed in the office of the County Surveyor.

Often, the Board of Supervisors will direct the County Surveyor to perform a survey of County owned property. In that case (and in the absence of additional licensed staff), it is common for the CS to sign as both preparer and reviewer of the map. It would become an issue if, for some reason, there is a perceived conflict of interest, say, the CS owned adjacent property.

I've seen that a few times and I feel it is unethical as it undermines the Land Surveyor's Act.

I believe that I would at least deputize a buddy to perform a peer review to give the illusion of due diligence

In one rural county I'm familiar with back in the 1960s-1970s the CS was also in private practice and routinely signed his own maps twice

David Kendall wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:03 pm I've seen that a few times and I feel it is unethical as it undermines the Land Surveyor's Act.

Just like the concept of "Surveyor to Recorder" where all County Surveyors have voiced their opinion. Great idea Phil D.
I found two RS maps and one CR all done within ten years from one another establishing center lines, but they don't even agree by 0.30' in opposite directions? No County field book references, map references, or record data differences shown.

One area I will now avoid, just like Covid. This area seems to continue to mutate and making a bigger mess for property owners.

I can go one better than that. In a small county in the Sierras, the CS filed a Parcel Map on one of his own properties. As such, he signed as owner, surveyor, and CS. In this case, the county was so small that the CS was also a deputy county recorder, and signed the map once again!
I never had any problems with the county surveyor's office, so I'm not saying it was unethical, but I wish I had kept a copy for my personal records.