the public land survey system for the cadastral mapper

202 Pages·2010·11.77 MB·English

THE
PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM
FOR THE
CADASTRAL MAPPER

FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF CADASTRAL MAPPERS

In conjunction with

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

Proudly Presents

COURSE 2

THE PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM
FOR THE
CADASTRAL MAPPER

Objective:

Upon completion of this course the student will:

Have an historical understanding of the events leading up to the PLSS.
Understand the basic concepts of Section, Township, and Range.
Know how to read and locate a legal description from the PLSS.
Have an understanding of how boundaries can change due to nature.
Be presented with a basic knowledge of GPS, Datums, and Map Projections.
Encounter further subdividing of land thru the condominium and platting process.

Also, they will:
Perform a Case Study where the practical applications of trigonometry and coordinate
calculations are utilized to mathematically locate the center of the section.

*No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever without written permission from FACM
www.FACM.org
Table Of Contents

Course Outline

DAY ONE

MONDAY MORNING - WHAT IS THE PLSS?

A. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW TO THE PLSS……………………………..…………1-2
B. SURVEYING IN COLONIAL AMERICA PRIOR TO THE PLSS………………...……..1-3
C. HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM…………………………….….…..1-9
1. EDMUND GUNTER……………………………………………………….………..…..…..……1-10
2. THE LAND ORDINANCE OF 1785…………………………………………..………….……..1-11
3. MAP OF THE SEVEN RANGES…………………………………….……………………………1-15
D. HOW THE PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM WORKS………..………………………1-18
1. PLSS DATUM………..…………………………………………………….………………1-18
2. THE TOWNSHIP………..………………………………………………….………………1-18

DAY 1 MORNING REVIEW QUESTIONS……………………………………………..1-20

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Table Of Contents

MONDAY AFTERNOON –
SECTION TOWNSHIP RANGE
A. RECTANGULAR SURVEY SYSTEM OF PUBLIC LANDS…………………………....…1-21
B. TOWNSHIP & RANGE: THE US PUBLIC LANDS SURVEY………………..….……1-22
C. GRAPHICAL DISPLAY OF THE FEDERAL TOWNSHIP & RANGE SYSTEM.…..1-24
D. ALIQUOT PARTS OF A SECTION…………………………………………………..……..…1-26
E. ODDS & ENDS…………………………………………………………………………..….…..…1-28
1. NON-STANDARD AND FRACTIONAL TOWNSHIPS…………………………..….…..…1-28
2. GOVERNMENT & FRACTIONAL LOTS……………………………………………..…...…1-29
3. SUBDIVISION OF FRACTIONAL SECTIONS…………………………………….……...…1-34
4. UNSURVEYED LANDS……………………………………………………….……………..…1-36
F. MEANDERING IN THE PLSS…………………………………………………….………..…1-38
1. RIVERS…………………………………………………………………………….……..…1-44
2. LAKES……………………………………………………………………………..……..…1-44
3. ISLANDS…………………………………………………………………………..……..…1-45
DAY 1 AFTERNOON REVIEW QUESTIONS………………………………………….…..…..…1-47
BEGIN CASE STUDY……………………………………………………………………………..…1-50
.

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Table Of Contents

Course Outline

DAY TWO

TUESDAY - THE PUBLIC LAND SURVEY SYSTEM IN FLORIDA

A. INTRO AND OVERVIEW OF THE PLSS IN FLORIDA………………………………..…2-2
B. SPANISH RULE AND TERRITORIAL HISTORY (1513-1824) …………………..…2-3
C. INTERRUPTIONS TO THE GRID: ………………………………………………………….…2-11
1. SPANISH LAND GRANTS…………………………………………………………………2-11
a. THE CASE OF GEORGE F. CLARKE………………………………………………2-12
b. GOVERNMENT SURVEYING IN A TOWNSHIP WITH A GRANT…………..…2-19
2. MEANDERING IN FLORIDA………………………………………………………….…2-22
a. SWAMP & OVERFLOWED LANDS ACT……………………………………....…2-22
3. NAVIGABLE WATERS……………………………………………………………………2-25
a. ORDINARY HIGH WATER LINE……………………………………………….…2-25
b. PRE 1975 FILLED LANDS INFORMATION…………………………………..…2-26
c. ACCRETION, EROSION, AVULSION, AND RELICTION…………………….…2-27
D. PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER……………………………………………………….…2-30
DAY 2 REVIEW QUESTIONS …..…………………………………………………..……………2-32
APPLICATIONS (ACQUIRING DATA FOR CASE STUDY) ……………………………………2-33

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Table Of Contents

Course Outline

DAY THREE

WEDNESDAY MORNING- COORDINATE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATION

A. LABINS (CONTINUATION OF ACQUIRING DATA FOR CASE STUDY – SECTION CORNERS) ...…3-2
1. NAVIGATING LABINS FOR THE CADASTRAL MAPPER………………………..…3-3
2. BLM UNIQUE IDENTIFIER SYSTEM………………………………………………..…3-5
B. MAP PROJECTIONS & GRIDS…………………………………..…………….………………3-8
1. GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (WITH DEMO) …………………………………..…3-8
2. GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATE SYSTEM……………………………………………..…3-12
3. MAP PROJECTION……………………………………………………………………..…3-21
4. STATE PLANE COORDINATE SYSTEM……………………………………………..…3-27
5. FLORIDA STATE PLANE COORDINATE SYSTEMS……………………………....…3-31
C. THREE NORTH’S…………………………………………………………………………………3-32
1. CALCULATION MAGNETIC VARIATION…………………………………………..…3-34
REVIEW QUESTIONS………………………………………………………………….…3-37
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON –
REVIEW MATHEMATICS FOR THE CADASTRALIST ……………………………………..…3-39
BEGIN CASE STUDY…………………………………………………………………………....…3-47

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Table Of Contents

Course Outline

DAY FOUR

THURSDAY MORNING- PLATS AND SURVEYS

A. INTRO TO PLATS, SURVEYS, AND CONDOMINIUMS…………………………………4-2
B. REASONS FOR PLATTING…………………………………………………………………....…4-4
C. TYPES OF PLATS……………………………………………………………………………………4-5
D. PLATS IN FLORIDA…..……………………………………………………………………………4-8
E. READING A PLAT………………………………………………………………………………..…4-8
1. CONTENTS OF A PLAT…………………………………………………………………..…4-8
2. PLAT VACATIONS………………………………………………………………………..…4-9
3. EXCERPT FROM FL ADMIN CODE 5J-17……………….……………………………4-11
F. CONDOMINIUMS……………………………………………………………………………….…4-12
DAY 4 REVIEW QUESTIONS …………………………………………………………………..…4-13
THURSDAY AFTERNOON --

A. COMPLETE CASE STUDY

OVERALL REVIEW

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Table Of Contents

APPENDIX A
WORDS & DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX B
FLORIDA MAPPING STATUTES
&
FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

APPENDIX C
SUMMARY OF FLORIDA LAND OWNERSHIP EVENTS

APPENDIX D
LINEAR MEASURE
SQUARE MEASURE

APPENDIX E
CASE STUDY INFORMATION

This information has been collected from many sources including online sources such as Wikipedia. We
have endeavoured to be original, accurate and complete, however if any material used herein is
previously copyrighted, please contact the Florida Association of Cadastral Mappers for removal and/or
recognition.

We would like to thank John Gargis for his work on the previous edition, Dr. Nancy von Meyer for
allowing us to utilize material developed for the Bureau of Land Management, as well as Carol Walker
and Ellen Edwards for developing the PowerPoint presentation and for proofreading. We also wish to
say thank you to our families and employers for their support.

Michael Garcia & Matthew Kalus
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