Minimum Standards for Surveys
1. The client or agent shall supply the surveyor with an updated abstract of title, when available, and the use of such abstract shall be referenced on the map.
2. The surveyor shall furnish a description based upon his survey whenever requested.
3. The surveyor's field work shall be performed with a transit and steel tape, or other modern devices, such as theodolites, electronic distance meters, total stations or global positioning systems, considered equal or superior. The survey shall be based on a closed balanced traverse and shall close mathematically. Measurements shall be in accordance with the United States Standard. The boundaries, as well as the lines of interior subdivisions, shall contain all the data necessary to establish the correctness of the mathematical figure represented by said lines; that is, all angles must be given directly or by bearing and, where curved, the delta, radius and length of the curve shall be given. In those instances where curves are not tangent, additional information shall be given sufficient to form a closure. In cases involving city or village lots and plots the distance to the nearest intersecting street must be given. Where necessary to properly locate the property surveyed in relation to their properties, the distance to the intersecting street or streets or great lot lines shall be shown. The bearing of the nearest intersecting street is required only when it is pertinent to the record description. On surveys of large plots and acreage of farms the names of adjacent reputed owners shall be given. Names of adjacent owners are given for information only and are not meant to imply contiguity, except where the record description of the adjoining property is stated on the survey map to be contiguous. Specifically reference to an adjoining property line being as set forth in the adjoining deed by liber and page is also deemed to be a statement of contiguity. Surveys of parcels within a large tract shall be related to one of the exterior lines of the tract, preferably by distance along a street.
4. The general character of physical evidence of possession along boundary lines must be stated and the location thereof carefully represented in relation to reference or record description lines. An absence of notation on the survey plat shall be presumptive of no physical evidence of possession along the record line.
5. The legal lines of streets, roads and avenues shall be given. Possible changes and proposed changes in the lines of the streets when known, shall be noted and the date of change and authority under which the change was made shall be given. Where there is any doubt as to the location on the ground of street and lot lines, namely, where the authorities for laying out the street and lots have not properly or definitely defined the same by monuments in the ground, or where there are errors in the setting of monuments or in the description of laying out the streets and lots and the nature of the difficulty shall be given.
6. The character, location and dimensions of all permanently affixed buildings upon the plot must be shown and their locations defined by measurements perpendicular to boundary lines (given with reference to boundaries). Proper street number should be shown wherever available. On acreage surveys, buildings remote to boundary lines must be plotted to scaled position. Physical surface evidence of possible easements of all kinds created by roads, rights of way, brooks, drains, telegraph, electric or telephone lines, etc. on or across the property shall be noted and located. If the surveyor has knowledge of any easements not observable at the time of the field survey and the locations of which are not protractible, statement to that effect shall be placed upon the map. Surface indications of underground easements shall also be shown. If the premises was surveyed when covered with snow so that any of the above conditions might have been concealed, this fact shall be indicated on the survey map. Subsurface structures, where not visible or readily apparent, will not be shown and their location and extent will not be certified.
7. If streets abutting the premises are not physically opened, this shall be indicated upon the survey.
8. When the parcel surveyed is laid out on a previously filed map, the survey shall list the pertinent filing data. In any case when all or any part of the parcel is shown on a previously filed map or maps, such lot, street and parcel lines, whether existing or abandoned, shall be indicated or superimposed on the survey. When the street and lot lines are identical with those shown on another filed map, a notation to that effect shall be made.
9. Surveys of multiple parcels must clearly indicate contiguity, gores or overlaps.
10. All fences or buildings on adjoining lands within three (3) feet of the property shall be shown. All encroachments of eaves, cornices, etc. shall be noted.
11. The nature, character and the location of all walls (independent, party, curtain or otherwise) at or near boundary lines shall be given. Location of both sides of party walls shall be shown when accessible. If a building on the premises has no independent wall, but uses any wall of adjoining premises, this condition should be shown and explained. The same requirements apply where conditions are reversed. All encroaching structural appurtenances and projections such as fire escapes, bay windows, flu pipes, stoops, steps, building trim, etc. by or on adjoining property or an abutting streets shall be indicated with the extent of such encroachment or projection.
12. Visible evidence of cemeteries and burial grounds located within the premises should be shown.
13. All monuments, stakes and marks found or placed, must be shown and so designated. All evidence of monumentation found or placed, shall be shown and noted to indicate which were found and which were placed. All evidence of monuments found on or beyond the surveyed premises on which establishment of the corners of the surveyed premises are dependent, shall be indicated with data given to show location with respect to the boundaries of the premises surveyed. Any monuments set to mark corners of the surveyed premises shall be constructed of ferrous metal, reinforced concrete, or cut stone. Wooden stakes shall not be considered suitable monuments to mark boundary corners. All property lines shall be monumented. All monumentation placed shall be marked with an identification cap indicating the name and/or license number of the surveyor or surveying firm that set said monument. If, due to physical obstructions, the monument cannot be set in accordance with the above, identifiable alternate monumentation shall be set and so referenced on the survey map.
14. Joint or common driveways must be shown with the width indicated. Independent driveways along the boundary, if encroaching, shall be shown with the extent of the encroachment indicated. If the structure on the adjoining property does not have a minimum clearance of seven (7) feet to the common property line, along the encroachment, the actual clearance should be noted.
15. Subsequent to the initial issuance of a survey map, all revisions thereto shall be specifically noted and dated.
16. Great Lot, Township and Range, or other similar designation, shall be indicated on the survey map, where applicable.
17. Surface springs, streams, rivers, ponds or lakes located, bordering upon or running through the premises being surveyed should be shown.
18. If the parcel surveyed is vacant, the map shall so state.
19. When required the area of plots shall be given in acres to three decimal places.
20. A survey map shall give a clear presentation of the facts with due regard to the scale of the map. A supplementary or exaggerated diagram shall be provided where necessary. The North point and basis of bearing shall always be indicated. Where the bearing system used differs from the record description of the property surveyed, the meridian used shall be indicated, and if required for clarity, the bearing of each line based upon the record description system shall be shown parenthetically. A graphic representation of the scale shall be shown.
21. Certification of the survey shall be in the following or similar terms: "I (or we) (name or firm name) certify that this map was made (date) from notes of a survey completed on (date) in accordance with standards adopted by Allegheny Plateau Association of Professional Land Surveyors and the New York Association of Professional Land Surveyors."
Signed: ____________________
Name: _____________________
Professional Land Surveyor
License Number: _____________
Adopted on February 19, 1992
2. The surveyor shall furnish a description based upon his survey whenever requested.
3. The surveyor's field work shall be performed with a transit and steel tape, or other modern devices, such as theodolites, electronic distance meters, total stations or global positioning systems, considered equal or superior. The survey shall be based on a closed balanced traverse and shall close mathematically. Measurements shall be in accordance with the United States Standard. The boundaries, as well as the lines of interior subdivisions, shall contain all the data necessary to establish the correctness of the mathematical figure represented by said lines; that is, all angles must be given directly or by bearing and, where curved, the delta, radius and length of the curve shall be given. In those instances where curves are not tangent, additional information shall be given sufficient to form a closure. In cases involving city or village lots and plots the distance to the nearest intersecting street must be given. Where necessary to properly locate the property surveyed in relation to their properties, the distance to the intersecting street or streets or great lot lines shall be shown. The bearing of the nearest intersecting street is required only when it is pertinent to the record description. On surveys of large plots and acreage of farms the names of adjacent reputed owners shall be given. Names of adjacent owners are given for information only and are not meant to imply contiguity, except where the record description of the adjoining property is stated on the survey map to be contiguous. Specifically reference to an adjoining property line being as set forth in the adjoining deed by liber and page is also deemed to be a statement of contiguity. Surveys of parcels within a large tract shall be related to one of the exterior lines of the tract, preferably by distance along a street.
4. The general character of physical evidence of possession along boundary lines must be stated and the location thereof carefully represented in relation to reference or record description lines. An absence of notation on the survey plat shall be presumptive of no physical evidence of possession along the record line.
5. The legal lines of streets, roads and avenues shall be given. Possible changes and proposed changes in the lines of the streets when known, shall be noted and the date of change and authority under which the change was made shall be given. Where there is any doubt as to the location on the ground of street and lot lines, namely, where the authorities for laying out the street and lots have not properly or definitely defined the same by monuments in the ground, or where there are errors in the setting of monuments or in the description of laying out the streets and lots and the nature of the difficulty shall be given.
6. The character, location and dimensions of all permanently affixed buildings upon the plot must be shown and their locations defined by measurements perpendicular to boundary lines (given with reference to boundaries). Proper street number should be shown wherever available. On acreage surveys, buildings remote to boundary lines must be plotted to scaled position. Physical surface evidence of possible easements of all kinds created by roads, rights of way, brooks, drains, telegraph, electric or telephone lines, etc. on or across the property shall be noted and located. If the surveyor has knowledge of any easements not observable at the time of the field survey and the locations of which are not protractible, statement to that effect shall be placed upon the map. Surface indications of underground easements shall also be shown. If the premises was surveyed when covered with snow so that any of the above conditions might have been concealed, this fact shall be indicated on the survey map. Subsurface structures, where not visible or readily apparent, will not be shown and their location and extent will not be certified.
7. If streets abutting the premises are not physically opened, this shall be indicated upon the survey.
8. When the parcel surveyed is laid out on a previously filed map, the survey shall list the pertinent filing data. In any case when all or any part of the parcel is shown on a previously filed map or maps, such lot, street and parcel lines, whether existing or abandoned, shall be indicated or superimposed on the survey. When the street and lot lines are identical with those shown on another filed map, a notation to that effect shall be made.
9. Surveys of multiple parcels must clearly indicate contiguity, gores or overlaps.
10. All fences or buildings on adjoining lands within three (3) feet of the property shall be shown. All encroachments of eaves, cornices, etc. shall be noted.
11. The nature, character and the location of all walls (independent, party, curtain or otherwise) at or near boundary lines shall be given. Location of both sides of party walls shall be shown when accessible. If a building on the premises has no independent wall, but uses any wall of adjoining premises, this condition should be shown and explained. The same requirements apply where conditions are reversed. All encroaching structural appurtenances and projections such as fire escapes, bay windows, flu pipes, stoops, steps, building trim, etc. by or on adjoining property or an abutting streets shall be indicated with the extent of such encroachment or projection.
12. Visible evidence of cemeteries and burial grounds located within the premises should be shown.
13. All monuments, stakes and marks found or placed, must be shown and so designated. All evidence of monumentation found or placed, shall be shown and noted to indicate which were found and which were placed. All evidence of monuments found on or beyond the surveyed premises on which establishment of the corners of the surveyed premises are dependent, shall be indicated with data given to show location with respect to the boundaries of the premises surveyed. Any monuments set to mark corners of the surveyed premises shall be constructed of ferrous metal, reinforced concrete, or cut stone. Wooden stakes shall not be considered suitable monuments to mark boundary corners. All property lines shall be monumented. All monumentation placed shall be marked with an identification cap indicating the name and/or license number of the surveyor or surveying firm that set said monument. If, due to physical obstructions, the monument cannot be set in accordance with the above, identifiable alternate monumentation shall be set and so referenced on the survey map.
14. Joint or common driveways must be shown with the width indicated. Independent driveways along the boundary, if encroaching, shall be shown with the extent of the encroachment indicated. If the structure on the adjoining property does not have a minimum clearance of seven (7) feet to the common property line, along the encroachment, the actual clearance should be noted.
15. Subsequent to the initial issuance of a survey map, all revisions thereto shall be specifically noted and dated.
16. Great Lot, Township and Range, or other similar designation, shall be indicated on the survey map, where applicable.
17. Surface springs, streams, rivers, ponds or lakes located, bordering upon or running through the premises being surveyed should be shown.
18. If the parcel surveyed is vacant, the map shall so state.
19. When required the area of plots shall be given in acres to three decimal places.
20. A survey map shall give a clear presentation of the facts with due regard to the scale of the map. A supplementary or exaggerated diagram shall be provided where necessary. The North point and basis of bearing shall always be indicated. Where the bearing system used differs from the record description of the property surveyed, the meridian used shall be indicated, and if required for clarity, the bearing of each line based upon the record description system shall be shown parenthetically. A graphic representation of the scale shall be shown.
21. Certification of the survey shall be in the following or similar terms: "I (or we) (name or firm name) certify that this map was made (date) from notes of a survey completed on (date) in accordance with standards adopted by Allegheny Plateau Association of Professional Land Surveyors and the New York Association of Professional Land Surveyors."
Signed: ____________________
Name: _____________________
Professional Land Surveyor
License Number: _____________
Adopted on February 19, 1992
