INSTRUCTIONS TO SURVEYORS

(1) The instrument used in making field surveys shall be a surveyor's transit or theodolite with horizontal circle graduated from 0 ø to 360 ø and vernier reading to minutes or seconds, with a vertical arc or circle graduated in a similar manner and with a magnetic needle and compass plate divided into quadrants. No instrument shall be used which has not been subjected from time to time to the usual tests required for field adjustments. (2) The tape used shall be of steel made to bench standards certified accurate by the U.S. Bureau of Standards, and of a make approved by the state land surveyor and shall in whole or in part be graduated to feet, and to tenths and hundredths of a foot. Tapes used by applicant's surveyor shall be regularly tested by him with some recognized standard and a record kept of the differences. All precise measurements of lines shall be made by the steel tape or electronic distance measuring equipment that meets the accuracy standards as set forth under (3) below. The transit and stadia may be used for general location of cultural and topographical features. (3) The methods of plane surveying shall be used for all surveys for the registration of title, and computations for traverses and closure shall be based on plane or rectangular coordinates. A closed traverse may be made of the boundaries either by direct traverse along the boundary lines or upon lines from which the boundary points are directly located. The error of closure for field work before adjustment shall not be greater than 1 in 20,000 for city property, 1 in 15,000 for residential suburban property, and 1 in 10,000 for farm, agricultural or other rural property. The allowable error is based on the sum of the measured lines of the closed traverse. All surveys shall be connected with the government survey triangulation system. (4) Adjoining surveys which have been established by decree of the land court or other recognized authority, as well as established street or road lines, shall be adopted, unless applicant's surveyor determines conclusively their inaccuracy. In such cases it is advisable that the surveyor consult with the state land surveyor prior to making any change. If there is a land court survey within convenient distance, some point of said survey shall be tied to some point on the boundary of the land under survey. (5) Where a large tract of land is included in one survey, the origin of the azimuths used shall be derived from a government survey triangulation station and the name of the station recorded on the map and all coordinate references shall be computed from said station. Supplementary stations may be used for control but in any net of auxiliary stations, the angular measurement before adjustment shall be such as not to contain an error greater than fifteen (15) seconds of arc for any one triangle. In localities where triangulation control is not feasible, a system of closed traverses may be used. (In surveys in which old magnetic survey descriptions are involved, it is advisable that the magnetic declination be observed at frequent intervals.) (6) In surveys of city and residential suburban property, street lines shall be shown, and the initial point shall be referred to a government survey triangulation station and also if possible connected to a city street monument, or to some other survey monument of official record. (7) The description of survey of the exterior boundaries shall be described as running from left to right (clockwise), true azimuths being used in designating the courses with zero or 360 ø at true south, 90 ø at true west, 180 ø at true north and 270 ø at true east: distances shall be given in linear feet and decimals to two places and areas in square feet to the nearest square foot or acres and decimals to three places thereof. The initial point may be referred to the "origin of azimuth" station either by plane coordinates or direct azimuth and distance with such supplementary references to other stations or known monuments as are convenient or desirable. All reservations, exclusions or exceptions of lands not sought to be registered shall be described in a similar manner. Perpetual easements or easements running for long terms or other permanent encumbrances shall also be described by metes and bounds. Temporary or indefinite easements or encumbrances may be described in general terms only. A meandering boundary such as a stream, mountain ridge or the seashore, shall be described by direct azimuths and distances between located points on said meandering line, locations being spaced at sufficiently frequent intervals to make possible a relocation of the described boundary. (8) The map shall show the exterior boundaries with lines and points thereon well defined and clearly marked (as well as all reservations, exclusions and exceptions), with the azimuths and distances along the bounds designated by the same numbers as in the description of survey. Meandering boundaries shall be shown and the courses indicated by the conventional methods in general use. There shall also be delineated on the map all improvements, topographical, cultural and other features of primary importance (e.g., so as to assist in orienting persons using the map, to delineate the title or the boundary), original titles and boundaries, and boundary marks and monuments, with the appropriate conventional signs, symbols and writings. Connections to triangulation and reference stations, and to contiguous land court or other adopted or official surveys shall also be indicated. (9) It is recommended that the ends of all important courses or pivotal points in the boundary be marked on the ground by a special marker and if possible imbedded in concrete which shall have indicated thereon reference to the fact that said marker is a land court boundary point. In addition, said markers should also include the land court registration number of the land surveyors. Specifications for a uniform type of marker and the manner in which it is to be used shall be supplied by the state land surveyor. (10) Exceptions to this rule may be made in specific instances by order of the court upon good cause being shown therefor.