A plat graphically showing the proposed location of an establishment selling and/or serving alcoholic beverages and the distances to certain structures (private residence, church, nursing home, public library, hospital, school ground or college campus) along the nearest practical street route.
An ALTA survey is performed for the purpose of supplying a title company and lender with a survey and location data necessary for the issuing of title and/or mortgage insurance. ALTA stands for American Land Title Association. Specifications for this type of survey include (but are not limited to) determining property lines, location of improvements, identifying all easements, utilities and other conditions affecting the property. The ALTA survey is most often performed on commercial properties.
As-built surveys are surveys of existing facilities, such as shopping centers, schools, factories, etc. These surveys depict the location of all existing improvements on a site, which can include buildings, parking areas, utilities, storm drainage systems, sewer disposal systems, and any other features.
You will need a surveyor's certification showing the exact location of your billboard sign. The outline of the pole and extreme limits of the billboard must be clearly indicated at the time of application, prior to inspection of the site. You must be in compliance with all local laws, ordinances or regulations.
A boundary survey establishes the true property corners and property lines of a parcel of land. Boundary surveys are typically performed to obtain building permits, to resolve property disputes, and for erecting fences. Easement lines can also be located with this type of survey, if requested. It is always good to know exactly where your land boundaries are.
Reasons you would need a Boundary Survey:
- You are purchasing land.
- You are about to enclose your property.
- You are having a dispute with your neighbor over the position of your boundary.
- You are about to begin construction on the land.
Reasons you would need to update a Boundary Survey:
- You never had one or can't find it.
- Your existing plan is very old and may not be to current standards of accuracy.
- You went to the bank to take out a mortgage and they requested a new survey.
- Your existing plan may not reflect your present ownership.
Detailed surveying drawings using AutoCad software.
CC Land Surveyors will provide you with professional, detailed, easy-to-read, good quality computer generated CAD drawings.
A condominium is a dwelling unit within an apartment building or other multi-unit building where the tenant holds full title to the unit and joint ownership in the common grounds. Land surveyors are sometimes called upon to survey the boundaries delineating such ownership and prepare plats of these surveys. The work is similar to other boundary surveying except it involves knowledge of building construction and interpreting architectural drawings.
Construction layout includes the layout of buildings, curbs, storm and sewer drainage systems, and other site features. This could also include staking of building corners, staking the location and elevation of a new sewer line and staking the location and elevation of any type of concrete to be poured (roads, driveways, etc.)
Construction surveying is the translation of construction plans into physical points on the ground that can be used as a basis for the actual construction. The results of construction surveying are seen in most any urban, suburban, or rural setting. Almost any roadway, building, or other man-made improvement likely had some amount of construction surveying involved. Construction surveying provides not only the horizontal location of new improvements, but also the vertical information required to ensure that surfaces drain or pipes flow as required.
The stakes and points set during the process of construction surveying are not usually set at the actual construction point, but typically on some sort of offset. This is done so that the survey stake is not disturbed by excavation or other activities that will take place at the actual point of construction. The stakes are marked with an "offset" and a "grade." The "offset" is the distance from the survey stake to the horizontal position of the actual point of construction, and are typically three feet for curb and gutter or ten feet for underground pipes. The distance of the offset should be coordinated with the contractor to accommodate any specific needs due to existing field conditions or special equipment, and should be clearly marked on the survey stake. The "grade" represents the change in elevation that needs to be obtained from the reference point to the actual construction point, which is expressed as a "cut" (lower in elevation) or a "fill" (higher in elevation). The grade should also indicate the vertical feature that the grade is referencing, usually a flow line or finished floor elevation.
As you can see, the surveyor is involved from start to finish on a construction project.
The elevation certificate is an important administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program. It is used to provide elevation information to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances to determine the proper insurance premium rate. The field work necessary to complete an elevation certificate involves determination of the actual elevation(s) of the structure and the elevation of the adjacent grade.
You would need an elevation certificate if you are purchasing a home in a flood zone and need to purchase the necessary flood insurance as well.
The Georgia Erosion and Sediment Control Act of 1975 included a groundbreaking mandatory certification program for all individuals involved in land disturbing activities in Georgia. Eligible professionals include: engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, forestry, geology, land surveying, or CPESC.
Erosion and sedimentation control is governed by your local governing authorities and may vary between City, County, or EPD (Environmental Protection Division). It is recommended that you consult with a licensed land surveyor to ensure a proper erosion and sediment control plan in compliance with the local governing authorities.
A final survey is typically used by title companies and mortgage lenders to obtain proof that the major improvements on the property are free of encroachments onto neighboring properties or into recorded easements. Final surveys do not establish property corners or property lines and may not be used for building purposes. They are most often done on newly constructed homes.
Reasons why you might need a final survey:
- You bought a house and don't know where your property lines are.
- You want to sell your house and need a survey.
- You want to purchase a house in a subdivision and they have no plat available.
Obtaining a survey ensures your protection in any real estate transaction. A final survey discloses exactly what portion of property is being purchased and everything on that property. Many real estate transactions have some type of problem. These problems can be minor; a fence is over the property line or much more serious; a driveway, pool, or deck is over a property line, the deed outlining the parcel of property is incorrect, the house is in a flood zone, etc. Some problems are irreparable. If a driveway is completely off the property, the buyer has no ingress or egress to the home. If the house is over the property line, nothing can be done to correct the situation unless the buyer negotiates with the neighbor to buy a piece of their property.
It's amazing how many innocent-looking situations can turn into nightmares when buyers don't take the proper precautions to check property boundaries. So if you were to purchase this property without taking the proper precautions, you could be buying all of the seller's headaches, perhaps at a premium price.
A foundation survey is done to collect the positional data on a foundation that has been poured and is cured. This is done to ensure that the foundation was constructed correctly as shown on the site plan. When the location of the finished foundation is checked and approved the building of the remainder of the structure can proceed.
This should not be confused with an as-built survey which is not to be done until all work on the site is completed.
Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment is used to establish the location of horizontal and vertical control points. Our survey team uses the latest technology that includes highly efficient Trimble and Topcon total stations, electronic data collectors, GPS satellite receivers and full-featured surveying and mapping Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) workstations. The electronic survey equipment is interfaced with our in-house computer systems, which provide a wide range of computing and drafting functions.
Computer generation of proposed location of house with or without nitrification field design. This can include house staking in the field.
Consulting services for commercial and residential land planning.
We can also help you with preliminary, final, rezoning plats, and other exhibits including master plans to represent you and your project before municipal planning and zoning committees; city or town councils; county and state health departments; and real estate department; record your survey; provide a legal description of your property; show you where your property corners are; and show graphically where your property lies on the F.I.R.M. Flood Maps.
All land in the United States is conveyed by deed which contains the legal description of the property to be transferred to the new owner. The only way to ascertain whether the property described in the deed is the same property a buyer thinks he is purchasing is to compare the legal description in the deed with that on the survey.
When a legal description is needed it is advisable to consult a licensed surveyor. They are qualified to prepare legal descriptions.
It is also important that the legal description survive through time, or be composed in such a way that the legal description is not dependent on elements that may not be available in the future.
Lot splits are required to divide an existing parcel of land into two or more parcels. All surveys for lot splits include a plat of the new parcels and the required legal description to record the split. The number of splits you are allowed is dictated by the local municipality (minimum lot size requirements) according to the property's zoning district. It is recommended that you consult with a licensed land surveyor to ensure proper compliance when splitting land.
Reasons you might need a lot split survey:
- To satisfy a will.
- You want to sell some of your land.
- You are developing a piece of land as a project.
- You have a piece of property and want to split into lots so you can put a house on the smaller lot.
- You have 3 lots to split and will need to place a retention pond on the property.
- You have 2 lots; one with a house, one vacant. You want to move the property line over 10-15 feet.
- You have ten acres of land and want to subdivide.
Mapping services bring aerial photography and land surveying together. After we capture your parcel on film, we send a team of surveyors out to collect primary data on which to base the map. From there compilers complete your mapping project using the photography and control work provided by our surveyors.
We can deliver your map electronically, on paper plots, or on mylar.
A plan and profile is a drawing showing two views of the same features. This type of drawing is typically used to delineate a corridor in which some kind of linear structure, such as a roadway, pipeline, or runway, is going to be constructed. The plan view is similar to maps with which we are all familiar. This view shows horizontal location of new and/or existing features and may include other features such as topography, structures, utilities, or other features which could impact a proposed design. The profile view is a representation of the vertical features, new or existing, both at ground level and underground. The two views together provide information in three dimensions, and are usually placed on the sheets so that the plan view is correlated to the profile view at any particular point.
This type of document is often used by engineers to prepare construction plans for surface and subsurface improvements. The surveyor may be involved in the preparation of a plan and profile prior to design by an engineer, or be called on to take design plans in the form of plan and profile drawings in order to provide construction staking.
Property line staking consists of setting wood stakes or iron pins along the property line(s). Property line staking is most commonly used as a guide for installing fences or building structures that will be close to the property line.
A site plan is a combination boundary and topographic survey, which also shows underground gas mains, water mains, sewer mains, electrical and telephone wires, building setbacks, future streets, future buildings, etc. You must clearly identify the location of house, driveway, and all other proposed improvements to be constructed (fence, walls, patios, accessory building, pools, etc.)
A site plan signed by a surveyor is a requirement for a building permit. But beyond that, it is knowing that when your home was built, it was built with all the setbacks and easements in mind and proper compliance which may include a tree inventory/removal/replacement plan. The Health Department may require prior site drainage approval, if the site will be on septic. You may also need zoning approval.Your surveyor will know the local governing agency requirements for a variance.
What is a variance? The Zoning Board has set up state statues to protect the rights of property owners by granting a "variance", or exception, from the application of the zoning regulations. (Example: Suppose you were seeking to add an addition to your home on the easterly side of your property. The zoning regulations provide for a 25-foot setback from the property line for structures, but your addition would go within that area. You would then need the Zoning Board to "vary" the regulations to allow for the addition within the setback. To succeed in your application, you would first have to show the required hardship.)
One of the biggest issues facing developers today is storm water management and the protection of nearby streams and lakes. Tougher regulations are being passed to ensure that soil erosion caused by construction is limited and land being developed has the least impact on land possible.
Sediment mixed with chemicals from cars such as antifreeze and oils, washes off roadways and into our streams after heavy rains. This has devastating effects on the ecological systems. Storm water control is essential, hence the tougher regulations.
Subdivision surveys are used for subdividing a tract of land into smaller parcels, showing monumentation and survey data on a map, in conformance with local ordinances. This would include the sizing and location of lots (set-backs & easements) and streets depending on the city or county zoning ordinances. These surveys are required by developers before seeking approval from the city or county commissioners.
When developing a parcel of land, the developer requires a wide range of surveys. One would need a boundary survey of the subdivision before planning even begins to know the actual boundaries of the subdivision. Sometimes the mortgage companies and financing institutions will require an ALTA survey to minimize their risks before the sale of the land to the developer. The developer's consultants require a topographic survey, or aerial mapping of the site if it's large enough, to aid them in the planning and engineering of the site. The consultants may need other surveys as necessary to complete their plans. The government reviewing staff requires a survey to be submitted as part of the sketch and preliminary plan submittals, and the government approving board requires a subdivision plat prepared by a licensed surveyor before final approval of the subdivision. Once construction begins, the contractors and engineers will need construction staking of the engineering plans in the field. Furthermore, the approving government will require the setting of monuments on the corner of each individual lot before its sale.
A topographic survey, also known as a land survey or a ground survey, shows the shape of the land. It uses contour lines, a line that represents a specific elevation measured from Mean Sea Level, to display the three dimensional features of the property onto a two dimensional surface. A topographic survey includes both natural and man-made features. It is common to show hills, streams, lakes, and vegetation along with major buildings, fences, roads, transmission lines, and property boundaries. The difference between a topographic survey and it's cousin, the topographic map, is that a survey shows more detail for a smaller area than a map. A topographic survey has a variety of uses including planning and zoning, site layout, engineering and architectural design, and construction.
Reasons you would need a topographic survey:
- Your Architect has requested one to plan the placement of your future house.
- You are planning to change the landscape and want to calculate cut & fill volumes.
- Your Engineer has requested one in order to design a drainage system for the site.
- To plan for road improvement.
- You have standing water in your yard. You want to level this area by bringing in dirt and need to know how much dirt and exactly where it needs to go.
- You have commercial property and need a profile topo.
A tree survey can clarify the positioning of trees on your property. Be sure to check the covenants, conditions, restrictions and easements if you live in a subdivision. If you are not sure, call the Homeowners Association to obtain a copy of the Declaration of Covenants. For a single lot or for commercial construction your surveyor will check with the city or county Planning and/or Development Department to see what the ordinance may be regarding removal of tree(s). Some ordinances may be complex but are useful in cities that are rapidly growing.
Some advantages of these ordinances are:
- Ensure a given percent of forest in new development projects.
- Prevent clear cutting of blocks of land that are useful for a buffer, screening, or view enhancement.
- Control runoff, soil erosion and drainage on abutting land.
- Minimize temperature elevation, decrease air pollution, and lower carbon dioxide levels on land that could become defoliated by development.
- Protect and enhance the aesthetic values of a city on developable sites.
- Enhance the value of the land and all its trees.
- Educate developers as to the value of trees and how to protect and preserve them during construction.
- Protect mature and significant trees.
- Define the permits, fees, penalties, and other legal requirements necessary to preserve the forest.
Determining the location of all utilities in the street and on site, including gas, electric, telephone, and cable television is very important. These surveys depict size, depth and pressure of water mains, location of the nearest fire hydrant and size of main, invert elevation of sewers, storm drains and catch basins. They also indicate location and characteristics of power and communications systems above and below grade. For all sub-surface utility lines on the site, they indicate and locate intersections and manholes for the first connection to the off-site system.
We provide volume calculations of stockpiles, land fills, quarry sites, sand & gravel pits, and other related areas.
A wetland delineation report and map is often the first step in planning a development project on a site that contains wetlands. Until the wetlands are located and their boundries mapped, the appropriate measures to avoid and minimize impacts as required by state and federal law cannot be taken.
Wetlands: A low-lying ecosystem where the water table is at or near the surface. Bogs, swamps and marshes are typical examples. However, soil types, plants and animal life can further define a wetland. There are extensive local and federal regulations which apply to and regulate wetlands.
Jurisdictional wetlands: A wetlands area that meets the defined requirements for wetlands as determined by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
