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County Surveyor

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The Office of the County Surveyor processes final maps parcel maps, records of surveys and corner records in accordance with the Subdivision Map Act, the Land Surveyors Act, and local ordinances. It serves as the Librarian of Public Works records by maintaining an archive of tens of thousands of survey records and engineering plans that date back to 1850. The County Surveyor also has direct responsibility over the County survey crew, which provides mapping and survey support to a variety of County departments and agencies.

Map Review

Map References

MONUMENT REFERENCES ON SURVEY MAPS

The purpose of this checklist is to strive for the standardization of monument reference data shown on survey records to allow future surveyors to clearly understand the history of the monuments show. This reference format is commonly used in many California counties.

Please use the following reference descriptions:

Description	Abbreviation	Abbreviation Meaning
Found monuments without a known record of origin, including monuments with no tag or stamp	O.U.	Unknown
Found monuments with known record of origin, (the record that shows the monument being set)		Per
Found monuments that has tag or stamped cap, but no known record of origin	N.R.F.	No record found
Found monument that has tag or stamped cap, but no known record of origin, but it has been shown on another survey record	A.S.O.	As shown on

Monument Standards

OFFICE OF THE COUNTY SURVEYOR

Monument Durability Standard to comply with 8771(a)

B&P 8771(a) requires “monuments set shall be sufficient in… durability to assure... the perpetuation of facile reestablishment of any point or line of the survey.” B&P 8772 further requires our set monuments to be permanently marked or tagged with our license number. Therefore, all new monuments set shall meet the following minimum standard as to size and material:

• All government corners (section corners, ¼ corners, rancho corners, etc.) shall be marked with a galvanized iron pipe not less than 2” in diameter and 24” in length. This follows the standard set for County Surveyors in Govt. Code Section 27580, as follows: “If in the performance of his official duties any surveyor finds a government corner which has been marked by a government surveyor by placing charcoal in the ground or a wooden stake, earth mound, or other perishable monument, he shall remark the corner by placing therein a monument of heavily galvanized iron pipe or galvanized iron stake not less than two inches in diameter and not less than two feet long, or other monument not less in size and equally imperishable.”

Obviously, physical conditions may not permit setting such a large monument, but it should be as substantial as possible.

• All other survey monuments set in earth shall be marked with a galvanized iron pipe not less than 3/4” in diameter and 21” in length, with a brass tag stamped with the surveyor’s license number or with a plastic plug imprinted with the surveyor’s license number or not less than a #5 steel rebar with a plastic or metal cap imprinted with the surveyor’s license number. However, plastic should be used with discretion, since exposure to sun or fire destroys plastic plugs.

• Survey monuments set in pavement, rock or concrete may use alternate materials that will provide a monument that is comparable in durability. In all cases, the monument must bear the license number of the responsible land surveyor or agency.

Monterey County GIS/Maps

List of County Surveyors 1850 to Present