Land Surveying FAQs

Even though the owner maintains the ownership of a property, an easement is a legal document that grants the crossing of your property by a neighbor without penalty.  For example, it might include a driveway to access the main road, or to simply share a driveway. Another easement could be granted to a utility company to run power, telephone, and cable lines.

You are strongly advised to talk to your neighbor to ensure that there is not a misunderstanding.  It may be advisable to hire a Land Surveyor to do a survey of your property to resolve any misunderstandings.

A Corner Record is a document that determines where the physical placements of property corner monuments (also known as corner staking) are to be placed. The document must be prepared by a licensed land surveyor in accordance with the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act.

A Corner Record is required when it has been determined that your property’s boundary corners have already been defined on an existing recorded Record of Survey Map, a Parcel Map, or a Tract Map. The Corner Record is submitted to the County Surveyor’s office for review and approval. Upon approval, it is then filed with the County Surveyor’s office.

Note: If property corners have not been defined on an existing recorded Record of Survey Map, a Parcel Map, or a Tract Map, then a Record of Survey Map will be required.

The purpose of a Record of Survey is to document the physical placement of property corner monuments (also known as corner staking). A Record of Survey Map is required when it has been determined that your property’s boundary corners have not been defined on an existing recorded Record of Survey Map, a Parcel Map, or a Tract Map.

A Record of Survey Map must be prepared by a licensed land surveyor in accordance with the requirements of the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act. The Record of Survey Map is submitted to the County Surveyor’s office for review and approval. Upon approval, it is then filed with the County Surveyor’s office.

Note: If a property corner has already been defined on an existing recorded Record of Survey Map, a Parcel Map, or a Tract Map, then a Corner Record will be required.

A Parcel Map is the official subdivision map required to subdivide a piece of property into four (4) or less lots. It is prepared in accordance with the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act and is filed with the County Surveyor’s office.

A Tract Map is the official subdivision map required to subdivide a piece of property into five (5) or more lots. It is prepared in accordance with the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act and has been filed with the County Surveyor’s office.

You can obtain this information through your county’s assessor’s office.  It is public information.  You can also look at your property’s deed.  If you have had a survey on your property, you will find the property lines on that document.

If you are a Residential or Commercial property owner and are looking to increase the value of your property by subdividing it, you will need to go through an extensive “Land Subdivision” process.  If you are not familiar with this process, it can be a bit overwhelming!  Even for what appears to be a small project, the Land Subdivision Process can be very complicated.  G&M’s 8-Phase Land Subdivision Process located on our Learn page lists in detail the steps involved in subdividing your land.

A lot line adjustment is a process that occurs when a property owner changes the property lines of parcels of land that already exist.

A Flood Certificate is a document that certifies if your property is located within a flood zone. To determine if your property is in a flood zone, you can check with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  FEMA will compare your address with their flood map. A Flood Certificate is typically required when requesting a bank loan.

A Topographic (Topo) land survey shows the height depth, size, and location of man-made or natural features on your property such as peaks, valleys, stream or creek, wooded areas, etc.  For you to understand the lay of your land, a topographic survey is typically required when you want to build on your property or if you are having an erosion problem.

A boundary survey is a document that defines the exact boundaries of your property. The survey will show the distances from your house to the boundary lines, and to the street, etc. The document includes the legal description, parcel identification, section, township.  Typically, you would need a boundary survey if you were in dispute with your neighbor, if you are buying a property, dividing, or building on your property.

Check with your municipality as some require a survey for fence installation.   It is strongly recommended because you do not want to accidentally put your fence on your neighbor’s land. The ideal location is “just” inside your property so that you become the sole owner of the fence. A boundary survey would be the type of survey to determine your boundaries.

Not always.  However, if a retaining wall is to be built on a property line (like a fence), most municipalities require a survey for that property line.  A permit may or may not be required.  Typically, if a retaining wall is no higher than 4’, then a permit may not be required.  Always check with your local municipality before building a retaining wall to determine what they require.