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Bock & Clark

James J. Brown (Jim) is the Manager of Bock & Clark's National Surveyors Network overseeing project teams. Jim has been with the company for 30 years in all aspects of the survey business and was instrumental in opening three branch offices providing local surveying needs for both the commercial real estate industry and property owners. He has been involved with the National Network since 1994 initially as a project manager and then in 1999 took on the responsibilities of managing the department and developing the staff and Project Teams. Jim has coordinated and reviewed thousands of surveys on a wide array of commercial real estate transactions. He also works on business development with Bock & Clark’s sales and marketing division. In addition to his management duties, Jim has offered presentations on ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys and Survey Review to hundreds of Law Firms, Bar Associations and Law Schools across the country. He has also co-authored the last several versions of Bock & Clark’s Handbook for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys. Jim is a native Ohioan and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Kent State University. Jim’s practical surveying experience began when he was going through college in the late 1970’s and began working for the Portage County Engineer in Ohio. He was a draftsman in the county map department reviewing land surveyor’s work and legal descriptions for recording and drawing plot plans. He was promoted to the position of supervisor and Assistant Tax Map Draftsman to the County Engineer, Leroy Satrom, P.E., P.S. In 1983 he came to work for Bock & Clark working as a survey technician in the field. His responsibilities included extensive research and abstracts of property descriptions, plats and surveys in most counties in Northern Ohio. The field work included establishing lot lines, property corners, control monuments and collecting data under the direction of several licensed surveyors. Following a couple years in the field, Jim took the position of supervisor of Bock & Clark’s field crews and office staff. He coordinated field and research assignments, drafted surveys, reconciled field data to record information and boundary resolution. In the late 1980’s Bock & Clark expanded their office locations to Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, Pittsburg, PA, Indianapolis, IN and Toledo, OH. Jim was instrumental in hiring both the licensed surveyors and support staff in all locations and managed each office through their initial growth stages. In the 1990’s as Bock & Clark expanded their National Surveyor’s Network, Jim became involved in all aspects of the department from managing projects, interviewing surveyors for potential work, reviewing survey and title, working with surveyors and client to resolve issues, etc. In 1999, Jim was named Manager of the Bock & Clark National Surveyor’s

Network and Department. He currently holds that position and additionally focuses on efforts with the sales and marketing division of Bock & Clark on business development and strategy.

• Bock & Clark is a National Coordinator of ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys. For more information contact us at 1-800-787-8397 or visit our web site www.bockandclark.com.

• Portions of some of Jim’s presentation are available for viewing on the

Educational Tools and Seminars tab on the Bock & Clark website.

BOCK & CLARK – B&C ZONING – B&C ENVIRONMENTAL One source for ALTA Surveys, Aerial Surveys, Zoning Reports and Environmental Services Nationwide James J. Brown, National Network Department Manager Bock & Clark Corporation 537 N. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44333 1-800-787-8397 ext. 835 jbrown@bockandclark.com www.bockandclark.com 

1

Today’s Discussion:

• What to consider when hiring a Land Surveyor

Survey Procedures• Record Research• Field Investigation• Drafting and Office Calculations• Delivering survey to client

2

Land Surveyor Qualifications

• The practice of Land Surveying• State Licensure Requirements• Land Surveyor’s expertise/experience

Defining the Scope of Work:• ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey to meet the current Minimum

Standard Detail Requirements (Page 5 of the Handbook)

• Optional Table A Items (see Pages 11-13, user guide, Page 14)

• Description of the property to include the physical address, improvement type, legal description or size parcel number

• Additional Survey Requirements (Lender)

• Prior title commitment or prior survey information if available

3

Sample Project:

• Request for an ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey (See Page 5, Section 2)

• Table A Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 6b, 7a, 7b1, 7b3, 8, 9, 11a 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18

• Warehouse/Retail property at 1320 Starlight Dr., Akron, OH (see legal description), 4.5 acres, Parcel No. 6859971

• No Lender

• Prior Survey by Robert Hoover

Legal Description: (Prior Deed)

4

Surveyor Quote Preparation

• Reviews client information• Reviews accessible tax and record deed

information• Reviews property from aerial or drive by

site visit• Checks prior in-house records• Prepares proposal-

cost/time/qualifications- insurance

Tax assessor information

5

Parcel Map

Aerial Photo

6

Proposal

Client Engagement:

• Written Authorization to proceed from paying party (Page 5, Section 2)

• Site Contact/Instructions

• Title commitment and underlying documents as soon as practicable (Page 6, Section 4)

7

Record Research (Page 5, Section 3 B, C, D & Page 6, Section 4)

• Subject Property legal description (priors)

• Adjoining property legal descriptions • Record Subdivision plats• Railroad, highway and utility plans• Prior in-house survey work

Subject property description (priors)

8

Adjoining legal descriptions

SUBDIVSION PLATS (in proximity)

9

Railroad/Highway/Utility Plans

Additional Research Sources in addition to the County Courthouse

• State Highway Department(road right of way plans)

• City planning commissions(proposed plans/road plans)

• Utility companies• Optional Table A Item Flood maps (3),

utility information (11)

10

Flood Map

Utility Plans

11

Zoning

Review of Current Title Commitment if available

12

Field Investigation (Page 5, Section 3 B, C, D and Page 7, Section 5)

• Verification and location of property • Site Contact introduction• Monument search at property corners• Monument search, adjoiners, roads, lot/section

corners, etc.• Instrument set up• Data collection• Observations• Optional Table A items• Photos• Checklist

Verification and location

• Using a tax map to locate property & search by address- 1320 Starlight Drive

13

Site Contact Interview

• Per client’s instructions, identify and state purpose

• Verify address and ownership• Ask about property limits, easements,

etc.• Ask about recent construction,

improvements, etc.

14

Monument Search Subject Property

15

16

Monuments on adjoining properties

17

Monuments in roadways

Field evidence of property lines

18

Instrument Set Up

19

20

21

22

Significant Observations (access)

23

Significant Observations (utilities)

24

Possible Encroachment?

Table A Items (parking)

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Table A Items (utilities)

Site Photos and checklist

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Drafting and Office Calculations (Page 5, Section 3D, and Page 8, Section 6)

• Downloading the data collector into AUTOCAD (Computer aided drawing)

• Identifying and connecting points• Drafting and labeling improvements• Plotting property lines from field observation and from record• Plotting the Schedule B Exceptions• Reconciling the boundary• Formulation of opinions• Table A Items/Notations• Legal Descriptions (record-new?)• Certification• Checklist/Proofread• Signing/stamping/sealing

Downloading data

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Identifying/connecting points

Plotting the property lines

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Schedule B Exceptions

Reconciling the boundary

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Formulation of Opinions

Adding Table A Item Notes:

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Legal Descriptions/Record-New

Certficiation(Page 10, Section 7)

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Proofreading/Checklist- signing

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Delivering Survey to clients (Page 10, Section 8)

• Printing and Delivering copies to transaction parties as directed

• Electronic copies• Receiving and addressing review

comments and questions• Revising surveys• Delivering FINAL draft