Plat Area Cannot Be Forced to 1.000 Acre
You are preparing a plat for a three-lot subdivision. Lot 1 deed calls: beginning at an iron pin, thence N 00°00'00" E 200.00 ft; thence S 90°00'00" E 300.00 ft; thence S 00°00'00" W 200.00 ft; thence N 90°00'00" W 300.00 ft to the point of beginning. The deed area is 60,000 sq ft, or 1.377 acres. Your coordinate computation closes 0.08 ft in northing and 0.05 ft in easting. The client wants the plat to label Lot 1 as exactly 1.000 acre because the marketing brochure says so. The plat must meet the state minimum standards, which require a closure ratio of at least 1:5,000 and area to the nearest 0.001 acre.
1. Evaluate the closure and area discrepancy. What do you report?
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Linear misclosure is the square root of 0.08 squared plus 0.05 squared, or 0.094 ft. The perimeter is 1,000 ft, so the closure ratio is about 1:10,600, which meets the 1:5,000 standard. The area is not 1.000 acre: 200 times 300 equals 60,000 sq ft, and 60,000 divided by 43,560 equals 1.377 acres. The client's 1.000-acre figure is inconsistent with the deed. Report the computed closure, the area by coordinates, the record area, and the closure ratio. Do not label the lot as 1.000 acre.
2. How do you handle the client's request?
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Explain that the plat must show the boundary as surveyed and the area computed from that boundary; area is a result, not a control. Labeling 1.000 acre would misrepresent the parcel and could mislead the buyer, lender, and title company. Offer options: show both the record and computed area with a note; check whether the client is thinking of a different lot; or redesign the subdivision so a lot actually contains 1.000 acre. Do not adjust the boundary to force the area.
3. What closure and area checks do you perform before signing?
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Recompute bearings and distances, closure ratio, area by coordinates, and area by deed. Check for transposition and omitted calls. Compare found monuments to the plat. Verify the basis of bearings and state minimum standards for closure, area precision, monumentation, and signatures. Have a second person independently check the calculations. Confirm that the plat map and legal description match. Document the checks so the file shows a defensible review.