\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Use the help tab for assistance. Right-click the place or area on the map. While a plat map can give you a wealth of information about your property, it might not be hyper-accurate or the latest version of events on your land. They ensure land for public use remains public. This article has been viewed 250,673 times. Whether youre a homeowner or prospective buyer, these maps can be used to your benefit. - Save your favorit Home Press How to Read a Plat Map: The Basics You Need to Know. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. https://www.statesurveys.com.au/surveying/cadastral/boundary-survey-plan/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6h5yALeMMA, http://www.chastainassociates.com/understanding-surveys.aspx, http://realestate.findlaw.com/neighbors/top-10-reasons-to-have-your-property-surveyed.html, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/read-land-survey-map-1304.html, http://allegiancetitle.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/How-to-Read-a-Survey11.pdf. The physical features that are commonly included on plat maps extend to streets, alleyways, and parks. This information will allow you to prevent any accidental trespassing on your land and can be highly important when youre looking to sell or transfer some property. Its also important to know of any easements or public access roads on your property. Most plat maps have these numbers in feet. While the distance between degrees of latitude is constant (60 nautical miles or 111.12 km), the Earths shape causes the distance between degrees of longitude to decrease as you approach the poles. You can use the search bar to find a general location or use the map view to locate it manually. Use the map server to download a copy of a lease: Site Map. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. SW: Add angle to 180. To find a location of the map, complete the following steps: In Map Viewer, open the map you want to view. To read the coordinates of any location, start with the number of degrees on the latitude line, and clarify whether it is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. GPS coordinates converter. Most plat maps have these numbers in feet. SE: Subtract angle from 180. A plat map shows a piece of land, drawn to scale, with details such as nearby properties, boundaries, land size, flood zones, the surrounding neighborhood, easements, and monuments. Here is how Georgia is divided up for GIS purposes (UTM zones are actually divided by longitude): Once you have the basics down, learn how to identify latitude and longitude markers on a map and pinpoint exact locations. In 2017, she graduated with her PhD in Egyptology from The University of Chicago, where she served for several years as a content advisor and program facilitator for the Oriental Institute Museums Public Education office. Next, find the survey legend. The City of Glendale would be in T. 2 N., R. 2 E. To see the divisions between the townships, we have to zoom in to the edges of the map area and look for the red text. First, learn what the many small numbers on a plat map mean. A survey is the best way to learn the exact location of boundary lines and other property elements. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Without this map, its possible that some of the shed could be situated on your neighbors land, which would undoubtedly create problems that you would rather avoid. This was very, "Well done in unraveling a mystery subject into an easily-understood, usable map-reference system. The file is stored in the map as a layer, and you can edit the properties of the layer that is created. For instance, the tract orientation will be listed, which displays the directional orientation of the property in question. If a piece of land is going to be divided into separate lots for building homes, a plat map is required. . Be sure to file your survey somewhere safe for future reference. The second six miles would be T2N, T3N and so on. If youre in the market for a new home, you can gain access to the plat map for a property youre interested in by conducting a title search. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Then, find the latitude and longitude markers that run along the top and side of the map. ". This map will display if there are any easements on the land, which are portions of the land that could be designated for use by other people or businesses. E. private road. If you hold down the shift key and type the first digit (or number) of the ZIP code, the region of the United States is highlighted. Write down the vertical coordinate, which is latitude, and the horizontal coordinate, which is longitude. Subdivision plats must be completed by a licensed surveyor and meet the survey plat recording requirements of 27 V.S.A. The map will show the size of the land, any nearby streets, boundary locations, easements on the land, and possible flood zones. 2. Let's work our way around it. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Determine whether there are any buildings, additions, or improvements that encroach onto adjacent properties. Latitude lines run horizontally across the Earth and are parallel to the equator. If there is only one block on the map, however, the number will be 0. Finally, youll see any roads on or around your property, clearly outlined and likely with the road name written in its boundary. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. As a newbie (and non-surveyor), I come to this group asking some very basic questions in hopes of learning more about your trade and how to read a basic plat map. You can also use that page to identify the correct parcel, and then pull it up in Google Maps where if you right-click a point and choose What's Here? To read a property survey, start by familiarizing yourself with the legend so you can get your bearings and make sense of the document. For . Verify that the survey is signed, dated, and embossed with the surveyor's official seal. Here is the plat we received when we were purchasing our spec lot on 33rd Street in Falls Church: A good realtor marketing a home for tear down purposes will have a plat at the ready. Use a ruler to draw vertical and horizontal lines from the location to the edges of the map. Seeing an easement in a plat map could influence your decision to purchase a property. The app is able to transform coordinates within EPSG , ESRI, IAU2000 references from online database, and convert X & Y coordinates, geodetic datums and projected systems. The plat map will help you determine where your property ends and where the other begins. The map will show the size of the land, any nearby streets, boundary locations, easements on the land, and possible flood zones. Be careful with that. Looking at your map online can give you several advantages, such as the ability to zoom in on small print. Click Expand to reveal additional location options. While online maps make it easy to determine latitude and longitude with the click of a button, sometimes it is helpful to know how to do it on paper. You will also be provided with details about any subdivision easements, which allows you to see if there are currently any easements on the land that youre about the buy. If youre trying to understand what a plat map is, this type of map: Whether youre looking to buy a home or place your property on the market, having a plat map on hand can prove useful for a wide variety of scenarios that could arise. NE: Use angle as is. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description.