Property Legal Descriptions

Property Legal Descriptions

Method of establishing legal description and location of properties

3 basic systems– metes & bounds– rectangular system– lot & block

Metes and Bounds

Measurements and boundaries used to identify the perimeters of any property.– metes commonly measured in feet– boundaries established as bearings

Metes and Bounds

Bearings are directions with reference to one of the quadrants of the compass– 360 degrees in a circle– 90 degrees in a quadrant– degrees may be divided into minutes and

seconds» 1 degree (1o) = 60 minutes (60’)

» 1 minute (1’) = 60 seconds (60”)

Metes and Bounds Bearings are measured clockwise or

counterclockwise from either north or south Example

– N60oE

– S35o45’15”W

Metes and Bounds Survey begins with

monument called point-of-beginning or POB– fixed location such

as iron rod, rocks, trees

Plot plan laid out with respect to POB

Rectangular System

Established by US Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Based on – latitude (parallels running east/west)– longitude (meridians running north/south)

Rectangular System

Intersection of 2 establishes a reference point– base lines lines of latitude– principal meridians lines of longitude

Were used to establish areas known as great land surveys– 32 sets in continental US– 5 set in Alaska– most given local names

Principal Meridians & Baselines of Great Land Survey

Rectangular System

Land surveys broken down into smaller surveys Quadrangles

– 24 miles x 24 miles Township

– 6 miles x 6 miles (36 square miles)– located with respect to baseline & principal meridian

» Township Number North or South from Baseline

» Range Number East or West from Principal Meridian

Townships

1

234

1 2 3 4

Townships

Orem Area– Salt Lake Meridian Principal– T6N,R39E

Sections– 1 mile x 1 mile (1 square mile)– 640 acres , 1 acre = 43560 sq. ft.– 36 per township

Sections Each section in a township is number as shown

Sections Sections may

be further divided– 1/4 section– 160 acres

Sections 1/4 of 1/4

section 40 acres

Sections

Locate the

SE 1/4, NE 1/4

N

S

EW

NW NE

SW SE

NW NE

SW SE

Where’s Brother Miller’s Home?

The N 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 15, T6N, R39E, Boise Meridian, County of Madison, State of Idaho

Lot & Block System

Commonly used when a portion of land is subdivided into individual building sites

Subdivision given name– broken into blocks & lots

Subdivision established as a legal plot and recorded in county records

Plot Plans

A map of a piece of land Commonly used for construction purposes

to show location of house on property

Plot Plans

May include– legal description of property– property line bearings & directions– north direction– utility, easements, & setbacks– elevations & contour information– existing/proposed vegetation & structures– map scale

Plot Plan Example

Commercial Site