Do County Surveyors need to index Corner Records?

[Ian Wilson]

Section 8770 of the PLS Act requires that the County Surveyor file Records of Survey and maintain an index of those maps as well as a “counter map” for public reference.

Section 8773.2 deals with Corner Records. It talks about indexing the filed Corner Records. It even talks about supplying the surveyor with “…date, book or volume, and the page at which the corner record is filed…” It never mentions referencing those corner records in any way.

If I’m reading this properly, what is to prevent the County Surveyor from just punching those corner records and sticking them in a binder without referencing them in anyway? With tight budgets and not enough money to go around, what’s to stop the County Surveyor from saving a few bucks by not bothering to note even the section, township and range in any form of index?

Is this something that should be addressed by a simple wording change in the legislation?

Before you tell me I’m tilting at windmills, let me tell you I have spoken with one County Official who brought this to my attention in a general discussion. I had to agree that I don’t see an indexing requirement as stringent as the RS requirement.

Comments, please?

[GregCVS]

You are correct that the referenced laws do not spell out a system for indexing; however, there are specific Civil Codes that cover professional responsibility of county officials. It would be helpful if there was a minimal standard that could be applied as a fail-safe, but I don’t foresee it anytime soon. With the use of the Thomas Brothers Maps, there is no reason not to have them indexed by page and grid at a minimum. Also, USGS quads can be employed allowing for quick reference to a PLSS subdivision. It is the responsibility of county government to serve the people. Sometimes that means making ALL of the information available and providing the public with ALL of that information. We (the profession) should be grateful to everyone that actually searches records in an attempt to follow in the footsteps of others and help them in their endeavor.

[mlm]

Ian,

thanks for bringing up the issue of public records availability (or lack thereof), which is probably the single most frustrating problem that I regularly encounter during the course of my boundary determinations.

One minor correction to your post, Per B&P 8770, the county recorder, not the county surveyor, "shall keep proper indexes of such record of survey.....". A subtle, but very distinct difference.

In the rural county where I practice primarily, the county surveyor is on staff about one hour a week and the map books and index are over three years behind! the map index was never very complete. Adequate research requires scouring the maps of record for evidence of other surveys, recorded or not. As far as a corner record index? I don't think they're even filed by township and range. the county staff just hand you stacks of corner records and the rest is up to you. Talk about frustrating!

I certainly would like to see something done about this. doesn't do much good to have recording laws if the public is unable to easily find the document!

sincerely,

too much northern exposure

(ls7702)

[Dave Karoly, PLS]

Placer County indexes them by Township & Range, PLS number and RCE number. It would be nice to have Subdivision name and Lot number but I was able to find them without too much extra effort because the index lists the subdivision name and lot numbers that have CRs in any particular Township and Range.

[Bob Hart]

Stanislaus County, a Northern Central Valley County, plots parcel maps, subbdivision maps and record of surveys on their tax maps and they are available on line as well as the record maps. Would complete the research if the corner record numbers appeared at the property near the corner record. Just wishfull thinking.

Bob Hart

[landbutcher]

Public agencies not filing maps and CR's are definately not abiding by the law, but the law isn't being enforced and so they don't do it and use the $$$ elsewhere.

This is where the State Board is not doing its job.