Plot Plans & Legal Descriptions

1. Plot Plans &Legal Descriptions

2. Site or Plot Plans • A plot or site is an area of land generally one lot or construction site in size • The term plot is synonymous with lot • A plat is a map of part of a city or township showing some specific area, such as a subdivision made of several individual lots • Usually may plots in one plat

3. Legal Descriptions • Legal descriptions are a technical and detailed record of property in the United States • Legal descriptions are public record • An architect uses legal descriptions to establish the layout of the proposed property • Basic types of legal descriptions: • 1) metes and bounds system • 2) rectangular system • 3) lot and block system

4. 1) Metes and Bounds System • Metes meaning measurements • Bounds meaning boundaries that exist • These two terms, metes and bounds, are used to identify the perimeters of property • Units of measurements - feet, yards, rods, & chains • Identified boundaries may be - street, fence, & rivers • Boundaries are also identified by bearings • Starts with a monument, point of beginning (POB) • pile of rocks, large tree, iron rod driven in ground

5. pipe center of road Metes and Bounds - Example • Beginning at a point 1200 ft. north 40° west from the southeast corner of the Asa Stone donation Land Claim No 49, thence north 40° west 1026 ft to a pipe, thence south 56° 45’ west 442 ft chains to center of road, thence south 23°15’ east 1145 ft, thence north 48°30’ east 778.8 ft to POB

6. 2) Rectangular System • Used today in areas called the public land states:western boundary of Ohio & including some southeastern states to the Pacific Ocean • Also known as the great land surveys because of the use of parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude • Parallels or base lines are lines of latitude • Principle meridians are lines of longitude • 34 total sets of these lines, 31 in continental USA & 3 in Alaska

7. Rectangular System - meridians and base lines

8. Rectangular System • Land divided into identifiable areas and size all starting at the intersection of the meridians and base line, this starting point is called the initial point • Quadrangles= 24 mile square, 576 square miles, contains 16 townships • Townships = 6 mile square, 36 square miles, contains 36 sections, identified as: T3N, R38E T = tier or township (north & south), R = Range (east & west), both numbering start at the initial point • Sections = 1 mile square, 1 square mile, contains 640 acres (5280’ X 5280’)with smaller division noted as section quarters (160 acre) and quarters of quarter sections • One mile = 5280 feet One acre = 43,560 square feet

9. Rectangular System - Townships • Townships • Set by Tier/Town-ships and ranges

10. Rectangular System - Sections • Sections numbering system • 36 Sections in a township

11. Rectangular System - Sections • Dividing a section into quarters and quarters of quarters • How to designate these divisions

12. Rectangular System-Legal Description Example • Legal description: Commencing at a point 693 feet south and 1386.75 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 25, Township 6 North, Range 39 East, Boise Meridian, in Madison County, State of Idaho, and running thence South 313.5 feet; thence South 89° 53’ East 139 feet; thence North 313.5 feet; thence North 89° 53’ West 139 feet to point of beginning, containing approximately one acre.

13. Rectangular System • Example of Plot Plan

14. Rectangular System - Plat Example

15. 3) Lot and Block System • Derived from either metes and bounds or rectangular system, however when a parcel of land is subdivided usually names are given for the subdivision, numbering blocks within the subdivision and numbering lots within a block. • Example of how this comes together as a typical lot & block description: • Lot 14, Block 12, Lincoln Park No. 3, City of Salem, State.

16. The Plot Plan Requirements • Plot plan is known as a lot plan • Plot plans may showtopography with contour lines (sometimes this is on a separate drawing) • Plot plans may show numerical values of land elevation (usually at property corners and/or corners of building • Plot plans may show excavation at the site (usually known as a grading plan)

17. The Plot Plan Requirements (pg 148) • Legal description of the property • to include any roads and property easements or right-of-ways • Property line lengths and bearings • North direction (normal direction of north towards top of sheet) • Location of utility services (water, sewer, gas line & sizes along with electrical power service) • Title of drawing is identified as Plot Plan or Site Plan, scale of drawing is included

18. The Plot Plan Requirements (pg 148) • Elevations at property corners (minimum) • contours and other topography of site • House positioned and located with dimensions perpendicular to property lines • Driveways, patios, walks located and sized • Setbacks dimensioned-- front, rear, and sides • Existing and proposed landscaping (sometimes placed on separate landscaping plan

19. Plot Plan Example

20. Plot Plan Example • 1) Title and scale with north direction • Items to note: • 2) Circle and elevations at the lot corners & also @ bldg corners • 3) Bearings and distances on property lines • 4) Dimensioning/callouts • 5) Landscaping & contours • 6) Utilities 7) LegalDescription • 8) Drawing Legend