1. Engr 234 – Civil Drafting Legal Descriptions

2. Three types of legal descriptions
Metes and Bounds
Lot and Block
Rectangular System (Public Land Survey System)
Often combinations of the types are used.

3. Metes and Bounds
Metes and bounds is a method of describing and locating property from a starting point called a monument.
Metes : measurements of property lines expressed in feet or meters between two points and a direction or orientation
Bounds: boundaries such as streams, streets, roads or adjoining properties.
Monument (Point of beginning) : a fixed point such as a section corner, rock, tree or intersection of roadway.

4. USGS Monument – 2” dia. Brass markers

5. Lot and Block
Lot and Block is a method the describes land by referring to a recorded plat, the lot number, the county, and the state.
A legal lot and block must be filed with the county recorder as part of a plat, which is a map or plan of the a subdivision.

6. Rectangular System (Public Land Survey System)
Covers most of the western states and Florida
Devised by the US Bureau of Land Management
Began with Land Ordinance of 1785
Wikipedia Link

7. Rectangular System (Public Land Survey System)
Based on reference lines
Meridian
Base Line
Each portion is a single “great survey”
31 total

10. Townships and Ranges
Using the baselines and meridians an arrangement of rows of blocks, called townships, is formed.
Townships are numbered according to which horizontal row they are located in counted from the baseline in the north or south direction.
Using the baselines and meridians an arrangement of columns of blocks, called ranges, is formed.
Ranges are numbered according to which vertical column they are located in counted from the meridian in the east or west direction.

11. Method for locating townships and ranges

12. Townships
A Township is a square with sides approximately 6 miles long.
Highline Community College is located in Township 22 North, Range 04 East
This is approximately 132 miles north of the and 24 miles east of the intersection of the Willamette Meridian and Baseline which is located near Portland. (Wiki)

13. Sections
Each Township is divided into 36 square sections approximately 1 mile wide on each side.
A section is approximately 640 acres.
Sections are numbered starting in the NE corner.

14. Sections
Each Township is divided into 36 square sections approximately 1 mile wide on each side.
A section is approximately 640 acres.
Sections are numbered starting in the NE corner.

15. Method for numbering sections within a township

16. Method for describing subdivisions within a section
See textbook p. 193
And apply to Asst. 4 =
(Text
“Text part II”
p )

17. Public Land Survey System

18. Metes and Bounds Example King County Parcel Number 3321059053
That portion of the Southeast quarter of the Southeast quarter of Section 33, Township 21 North, Range 5 East W.M., records of King County, Washington, more fully described as follows: Commencing in the Northwest corner of said Section 33; THENCE South 00°21’33” West feet to the true point of beginning; THENCE continuing South 00°21’33” West feet; THENCE continuing South 89°10’49” East feet; THENCE continuing North 00°16’51” East feet; THENCE continuing North 89°14’29” West feet to the true point of beginning; LESS the portion for the roads.

19. King County Database Description for King County Parcel Number 3321059053
iMAP
Quarter Section Map
BEG NW COR OF SE 1/4 OF SE 1/4 TH S W FT TO TPOB TH S W FT TH S E FT TH N E FT TH N W FT TO TPOB LESS POR FOR RDS

20. Lot and Bounds Example from Lakeland Hills Division 4A
Legal Description
Plat Record

21. Lakeland Hills 4A Legal Description

22. Highline Community College
SE 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Section 16 Township 22 North Range 04 East And SW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section 16 Township 22 North Range 04 East What are the rough dimensions of campus? How many acres is the campus?

23. Legal Description Abbreviations
Snohomish County Abbreviations

24. King County Quarter Section Maps
This information is also accessible via iMAP.