LAND SURVEY & BULDING PLAN

A thorough land survey should include information about who owns the property, what the size and shape are for the land parcel, where the boundary lines exist for the property, and what exists on the property and where (e.g., utility covers, septic tanks, fences, water features). Soil conditions and elevational changes should also be included in the survey. Land surveys fulfill multiple purposes. Anyone who wants to construct a building or lay down new utility lines must present the results of a land survey (called a site plan) with their building project proposal to municipal leaders.

What is a Land Survey?
Learn about the types of land surveys and the tools used for land survey measurements. See a land surveyor definition and explore education requirements.

What is Land Surveying?
Land surveying is a precise measurement process that yields information about a property's size, boundary lines, and surface features Where does the boundary follow a straight line? When does it curve to the left or the right? What is the angle degree for each property corner? Do any corners and lines need to be established or re-established? What features exist on the land's surface that are man-made or naturally occurring? These are the suite of questions land surveyors must answer when evaluating the ownership boundaries for each property. The results of each land survey are to be recorded and yield legal information about each surveyed property.

What should be included in a land survey?

A thorough land survey should include information about who owns the property, what the size and shape are for the land parcel, where the boundary lines exist for the property, and what exists on the property and where (e.g., utility covers, septic tanks, fences, water features). Soil conditions and elevational changes (slope of the land) should also be included in the survey.

What are the types of land surveying?
There are three main types of land surveys. First, cadastral surveys yield legal, descriptive information about distinct parcels of land owned by a government entity, private individual, or business. Second, topographic surveys identify (1) all of the man-made and natural resource features that exist on the land (fences, retaining walls, trees, lakes, etc.) and (2) where the elevation changes across the landscape. Third, geodetic surveys provided precise information about where permanent features of the earth exist (floodplains, roadways, volcanoes, etc.). Geodetic surveys also take into account the curvature of the earth because data is collected with satellites positioned 12,500 miles above the planet's surface.

What is land surveying used for?
Land surveys fulfill multiple purposes. Anyone who wants to construct a building or lay down new utility lines must present the results of a land survey (called a site plan) with their building project proposal to municipal leaders. Both the site plan and project proposal must receive municipal approval before a building permit is issued. Property surveys are useful for verifying how much land is available for purchase, receiving bank approval for a mortgage loan, determining where a fence can be installed, and learning if the property is located within a floodplain, thereby requiring flood insurance.