surveyors, pt. 6 (living with ambiguity)

[15_the_circle]

the surveyors called in to report that their efforts have come to a dead end.  the record plats, property deeds and other documentation available to them is inconsistent; without a working definition of the boundaries there's not much their instruments can do for them. 

the problem is on the S side where the deed simply states that the parcel includes ownership of a specified square footage of the abandoned right of way of an alley that once ran between the the cottages.  when they pulled the most recent available deed for the property next door they found that it asserts ownership to the entirety of the abandoned right of way. 

the surveyors have said that the way to resolve this issue is for my neighbour and me to decide between ourselves where we would like the boundary to be, creating what they call a line by agreement.  once we do that, they will then do the fieldwork to tie it into the established local geometry and we then sign their fieldbook to indicate our assent.  so we're looking to see when we can schedule a ceremony involving all three parties. 

Comments

[peach-salsa.livejournal.com]

I'm a little fuzzy about where you live in relation to where you would like to live. Are you renovating a future cottage or one that currently houses you?

In any case, I wish you and the other involved parties much success on the boundary establishment.

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

the fast answer is "yes, both".
but funny you should ask ... I've lived here for years.  until recently that was a simple declarative statement applying equally to the cottage as it is and as I would like it to be.  but now there seems to be a question about what "here" actually means, so the fuzziness is quite understandable. 

the work conducted so far (the rebulding of the porch and the refenestration of the front of the cottage) was below the threshold for which local and county ordinance requires a building permit.  the next step will involve structural, plumbing and electrical work for which a building permit is definitely required (not an addition, though, but a subtraction: a late 1970s 1½ storey lean-to blights the rear of the structure and needs to be demolished.  I don't plan to replace it with anything. 

to ensure compliance with setbacks and lot coverage limits the building permit application requires a survey as well as drawings, hence this exercise in geomancy which has been going on since February. 

[peach-salsa.livejournal.com]

Got it.

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

... in which case you're doing a heck of a lot better than I am!