Metes and Bounds: Defining Property Boundaries

Chapter 4: Metes and Bounds: Defining Property Boundaries

I. Introduction to Property Legal Descriptions

A legal description of property is crucial for accurately identifying its exact boundaries. While informal descriptions such as street addresses or descriptive names like “Empire State Building” may suffice for general purposes, they lack the precision needed for legal and property-related contexts. A legal description must be adequate to identify the property’s exact boundaries. This chapter focuses on the metes and bounds system, one of the primary methods used in the United States for creating such descriptions. Other systems include the Rectangular (U.S. Government) Survey System and the Lot, Block, and Tract System. We will explore the scientific principles, practical applications, and mathematical underpinnings of the metes and bounds system.

II. The Metes and Bounds System: A Detailed Examination

The metes and bounds system is the oldest of the legal description methods and often the most complex. It defines property by describing its boundaries, distances, and angles from a known starting point. This method provides instructions that a surveyor could follow to trace the perimeter of the property.

A. Reference Points: Establishing the Foundation

A reference point, also known as a monument, is a fixed, identifiable location used as the basis for measurements. These points can be natural landmarks (trees, rocks) or artificial markers (metal stakes, concrete monuments). Survey markers set in heavy concrete monuments are called Bench Marks.

1. Point of Beginning (POB): The description always starts at a reference point known as the Point of Beginning (POB). It locates the property within the context of adjacent surveys in the area. The description concludes back at the POB.

   • The term “Point of Beginning” can be confusing, as it may refer to an initial reference point (e.g., a stone monument) and the “True Point of Beginning,” which marks the start of the actual property boundary description. These points may coincide but often do not.

2. True Point of Beginning (TPOB): To avoid confusion, the first point on the actual property boundary is referred to as the True Point of Beginning (TPOB). The relationship between the POB and TPOB is critical for accurate land demarcation.

B. Courses and Distances: Mapping the Boundaries

Once the TPOB is established, the metes and bounds description delineates each property boundary using courses and distances.

1. Metes: Metes refer to the direction and distance between reference points. They describe the path one follows along the boundary.

2. Courses: Courses define the direction of a boundary line as an angle measured in degrees (°), minutes (‘), and seconds (“) from either North or South.

   • Angular Measurement: A circle contains 360 degrees (360°). Each degree is divided into 60 minutes (60’), and each minute is divided into 60 seconds (60”).

     • 1 degree (1°) = 60 minutes (60’)
     • 1 minute (1’) = 60 seconds (60”)
     • 1 degree (1°) = 3600 seconds (3600”)

   • Quadrants: Courses are expressed within one of the four quadrants (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest). The angle is given relative to the North or South direction forming the quadrant boundaries.

     • Northeasterly and Northwesterly courses are measured from North.
     • Southwesterly and Southeasterly courses are measured from South.

3. Distances: Distances represent the length of each boundary line and are usually measured in feet.

   • Example: A typical call in a metes and bounds description might be: “South 89 degrees 19 minutes East, 2664 feet” (S 89°19’ E, 2664 ft).

     • This instruction indicates moving from the current point in a direction 89° 19’ East of true South for a distance of 2664 feet.

C. Mathematical and Geometric Principles

The metes and bounds system relies on fundamental principles of trigonometry and geometry. Each course and distance can be represented as a vector.

1. Vector Representation: A vector v can be defined by its magnitude (distance, d) and direction (angle, θ). In a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system (x, y), the vector can be decomposed into its components:

   • v_x = d sin(θ)
   • v_y = d cos(θ)

   Where θ is the angle relative to the y-axis (North or South, depending on the quadrant).

2. Coordinate Geometry: By converting each course and distance into (x, y) coordinates, one can plot the boundary lines on a plane. The sum of all displacements should ideally result in a closed polygon with the final point coinciding with the initial TPOB.

   • Closure Error: In practice, small errors accumulate during surveying, leading to a “closure error” where the final point doesn’t exactly match the initial point. Surveyors use mathematical techniques to distribute these errors proportionally across all lines.
   • Precision Ratio: The precision of a survey is often expressed as a ratio: (Total perimeter of the surveyed area) / (Closure error). A higher ratio indicates greater accuracy.

D. Practical Applications and Related Experiments

1. Boundary Reconstruction: Given a metes and bounds description, a surveyor can reconstruct the property boundaries on the ground. This involves setting up a transit at each point, measuring the angles, and accurately pacing or measuring the distances using modern equipment like laser rangefinders or total stations.

2. Area Calculation: The area of a property described by metes and bounds can be calculated using various methods:

   • Coordinate Method (Shoelace Formula): If the coordinates of each vertex (x_i, y_i) of the property are known, the area (A) can be calculated as:

     • A = 0.5 * | Σ (x_i * y_i+1 - x_i+1 * y_i) |
     • Where the sum (Σ) is taken over all vertices, and the last vertex (x_n, y_n) is connected back to the first vertex (x₁, y₁). This is a numerical integration method applied to the vertices.

   • Triangulation: Divide the property into triangles and calculate the area of each triangle using Heron’s formula or other geometric methods. Then sum the areas of the triangles.

3. Simulation Experiments:

   • Simulating Surveying Errors: Model the impact of small angular and distance measurement errors on the overall closure of a metes and bounds description using software. This helps visualize how even small inaccuracies can accumulate and lead to significant discrepancies.

   • Impact of Monument Displacement: Conduct a simulation where one or more monuments are artificially displaced (e.g., by 1 foot). Recalculate the property boundaries using the altered monument locations. This illustrates the sensitivity of the metes and bounds system to the accuracy and stability of reference points.

E. Modern Techniques and Equipment

Modern surveying utilizes advanced technologies to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of metes and bounds surveys.

1. Laser Transit and Total Stations: These instruments combine electronic distance measurement (EDM) with precise angle measurement, enabling surveyors to quickly and accurately determine courses and distances.

2. Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS): GPS and other satellite-based systems allow surveyors to establish precise locations for monuments and control points. Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS provides centimeter-level accuracy.

3. Geographic Information Systems (GIS): GIS software allows surveyors to integrate survey data with other spatial information, such as aerial imagery, topographic maps, and property records. This facilitates data management, visualization, and analysis.

4. Bench Marks: Uncertainty with regards to points of beginning has largely been eliminated through the use of established Bench Marks, which are survey markers set in heavy concrete monuments.

III. Metes and Bounds in Appraisals

Metes and bounds descriptions can be lengthy and complex, increasing the likelihood of transcription errors. To minimize these errors, appraisers often use photocopies of deeds or other documents containing the description as addenda to the appraisal. Appraisers can calculate a parcel area imputing the metes and bounds description into a computer program. The computer program can also simulate a survey around the boundary of the property to see if the description ends at exactly the point of beginning. The metes and bounds system is often used instead of the rectangular survey system, and is especially good when describing unusual or odd-shaped parcels of land.