We celebrate the specialized and important work of Land Surveyors with National Land Surveyors Week – March 19 - 25, 2023.
This week-long event surrounds Global Surveyors Day on March 21, 2023, and is full of important educational and training events for surveyors and other construction and land use facility managers on the importance of surveys.
Members of The National Society of Professional Surveyors has events planned throughout the United States. You can learn more about the event schedule, here.
While GPRS is not a surveying company, our work supports surveyors in a number of ways. Specifically, our utility locating services provide vital real-time information so that surveyors can create/record new tracts and parcels, or update existing parcel information, setbacks, and easements.
What Are Easements?
First you must understand the two main categories of land use easements: “easements in gross” and “easement appurtenant.” An easement appurtenant is one that attaches to the land itself and is immutable, regardless of ownership. A conservation easement or right of way easement is often an easement appurtenant.
Easement in gross refers to an easement that is given to an individual or business for a specific purpose. This means that each time the land transfers to a new owner, a new easement must be granted. A utility easement – several feet on either side of a utility line which are designated for access by the utility company – could be either appurtenant or in gross, but are most often in gross.
Types of Easements
There are a few common easement types, which can be either appurtenant or in gross:
- Right of way
- Utility
- Conservation
- Prescriptive
- Necessity
It is the responsibility of the surveyor to locate and accurately map all easements, regardless of category or type, which is very difficult to do if you do not have accurate location information.
Utility easements are one of the most critical components of land surveying. These easements provide access to essential utilities such as water, sewer, electricity, gas, and telecommunications, which are necessary for the development and maintenance of the property.
Utility easements provide a legal right for utility providers to access and maintain utility lines that cross or run along a property, even if it is owned by someone else.
Why Utility Easements Matter
One of the main reasons that utility easements are essential is because they ensure that utility companies can perform maintenance and repairs on the lines without infringing on the property rights of the owner. This is especially important in cases where the lines may be buried underground or run through private property. Without a utility easement, utility companies would be unable to perform essential maintenance on the lines, which could lead to disruptions in service or, in worst-case scenarios, safety hazards.
811 One Call services can assist surveyors in locating public utility lines, but to find and accurately map private utilities, you must hire a private utility locator. Providing accurate utility locations is one of GPRS’ most valuable services. Our accuracy rate in utility locating is unmatched, at 99.8%, which means when we locate utilities, we get it right the first time. And, we provide a complimentary PDF & .KMZ file of every outdoor utility locate we complete.
Supporting New Development
Utility easements also play a crucial role in new property. When developers are planning a new project, they need to consider the location and availability of utility lines. These easements help developers to access lines and connect them to the new property, providing essential services to future occupants. Without utility easements, developers would be unable to connect to existing utility lines, which could make the development of new properties impossible.
Land surveying is essential in identifying and mapping out utility easements and it requires surveyors to physically locate and measure the utility lines and easements on a property, as well as any access points required to maintain and repair them. This information is then used to create detailed maps and legal descriptions of the property, which are used to establish ownership, boundaries, and legal rights to access the easements. That’s why hiring a private utility locator is crucial to an effective land survey.
Utility easements provide legal rights to access and maintain essential utility lines, which are necessary for the development and maintenance of properties. Without these easements, utility companies would be unable to perform necessary maintenance on their lines, and developers would be unable to connect to existing utility lines, making the development of new properties impossible. As such, it is essential that land surveyors accurately identify and map out utility easements on properties to ensure that all parties involved can access the necessary utilities without infringing on the property rights of others.
GPRS specializes in locating, measuring, and mapping utilities and we are proud to support the efforts of land surveyors and many other industries as they Visualize The Built World™.
What can we help you visualize?