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Survey (Subscribe) Terms, definitions, and concepts used in land surveying.

Land Terms

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Mile equivalents and conversions

One (1) mile is equal to 5,280 feet.
One (1) mile is equal to 80 chains.
One (1) mile is equal to 8,000 links.
One (1) mile is equal to eight (8) furlongs.
One (1) mile is equal to 320 rods, poles, or perches.
One (1) mile is equal to 1,760 yards.
One (1) mile is equal to 63,360 inches.
One (1) mile is equal to 160,934.4 centimeters.
One (1) mile is equal to 1,609.344 meters.
One (1) mile is equal to 1.6093 kilometers.
See the various Converting miles to... entries for conversion examples.

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Original Survey

A cadastral survey which creates land boundaries and marks them for the first time.

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Paper road

Definition: A road or street that is planned and exists on maps or blueprints but does not physically exist; a planned road that has not yet been constructed upon the land.

Terms, Definitions, and Concepts: Real Estate, Construction and Building, Survey, Zoning

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Perch

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A unit of length used in land surveys. The terms rod, pole, and perch are equivalent and may be used interchangeably, although "rod" is the most common. One (1) perch is equal to 25 links, 16.5 feet, or 1/4 (0.25) chain. For conversions and examples, see Rod, pole, or perch equivalents and conversions and the various Converting rods, poles, or perches to... entries.

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Plat

A surveyed map of a town, section, or subdivision indicating the exact locations and boundaries of individual properties, streets, easements, and public recreation areas. Plats are usually required for government approval of subdivisions, and are usually publicly recorded documents.

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Plus or minus

Definition: Approximately; more or less. This phrase is commonly used as a disclaimer in real estate advertisements and listings, meaning that the actual area (square feet, square meters, acres, hectares, etc.) of a structure or parcel of land may be slightly different than stated due to survey errors, rounding of numbers, measurement discrepancies, and so on.
Commonly abbreviated as +⁄− or ±.

Terms, Definitions, and Concepts: Land Measurement, Legal (Law), Real Estate, Survey

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Pole

1. A unit of length or area equal to one linear rod or one square rod, commonly used in land surveys. The terms, rod, pole, and perch are equivalent and may be used interchangeably, although "rod" is the most common. One (1) pole is equal to 25 links, 16.5 feet, or 1/4 (0.25) chain. For conversions and examples, see Rod, pole, or perch equivalents and conversions and the various Converting rods, poles, or perches to... entries.
2. A roundwood product used primarily for structural support. Tree species used for poles are selected for resistance to weather, wear, and mechanical stress and include lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and a variety of southern pines.
3. Term applied to trees that have too small a diameter to be considered sawlogs, but are useful as structural supports, flagpoles, etc.
4. The end of an axis, as in poles of the earth or of cellular mitotic spindles in plants and animals.
5. Either of two opposing parts, forces, or situations, as in magnets, batteries, or opinions.

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Principal Meridian

The true north and south line extending from an initial point in both directions. Principal meridians are the first north-south lines (meridians) surveyed for an area and form the basis for measuring ranges east and west.

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Ramsden's chain

A usually metal chain used to measure length and distance. Less commonly used in land surveys than a Gunter's or surveyor's chain, the Ramsden's or engineer's chain is 100 feet in length, with 100 1-foot links. The terms "engineer's chain" and "Ramsden's chain" apply primarily to the measuring utensil itself and not to any particular unit of length.

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Range

1. A measurement used in the United States Public Lands Survey System (PLSS), consisting of a strip of land six miles wide, running in a north-south direction.
2. A row or tier of townships lying east or west of the principal meridian and numbered successively to the east and to the west from the principal meridian. Abbreviated as R1E (range 1E), R2E (range 2 east), R1W (range 1 west), and so on.

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Raw land

Definition: Unimproved land; land in its unused natural state prior to development or construction of improvements such as streets, lighting, sewers, and the like. Same as bare land.

Terms, Definitions, and Concepts: Agriculture, Appraisal, Auction, Construction and Building, Finance and Investment, Management, Real Estate, Survey, Taxes and Taxation, Zoning

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Reliction

Definition: The gradual and permanent acquisition of dry, usable land due to receding waters in a non-navigable waterway.

Terms, Definitions, and Concepts: Agriculture, Geography, Hydrology, Real Estate, Science, Survey, Water

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Rod

A unit of length used in land surveys. The terms, rods, poles, and perches are equivalent and may be used interchangeably, although "rod" is the most common. One (1) rod is equal to 25 links, 16.5 feet, or 1/4 (0.25) chain. For conversions and examples, see Rod, pole, or perch equivalents and conversions and the various Converting rods, poles, or perches to... entries.

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Rod, pole, or perch equivalents and conversions

A rod is a unit of length used in land surveys.
One (1) rod is equal to one (1) pole or perch.
One (1) rod is equal to 16.5 feet.
One (1) rod is equal to 0.25 chains.
One (1) rod is equal to 25 links.
One (1) rod is equal to 0.025 furlongs.
One (1) rod is equal to 198 inches.
One (1) rod is equal to 5.5 yards.
One (1) rod is equal to 0.0031 miles.
One (1) rod is equal to 502.92 centimeters.
One (1) rod is equal to 5.0292 meters.
One (1) rod is equal to 0.00503 kilometers.

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Rood

Unit of area measurement equal to 1/4 (0.25) acre, 40 square rods, or 10,890.0 square feet. For more rood conversions, see rood conversions or equivalents or converting roods.

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Rood equivalents and conversions

One (1) rood is equal to 1/4 (0.25) acre. One (1) rood is equal to 40 square rods. One (1) rood is equal to 2.5 square chains. One (1) rood is equal to 10,890.0 square feet. One (1) rood is equal to 1,210.0square yards. One (1) rood is equal to 0.2959 arpents. One (1) rood is equal to 0.0004 sections or square miles. One (1) rood is equal to 0.00001 townships. One (1) rood is equal to 1,011.7141 square meters. One (1) rood is equal to 0.1012 hectares. One (1) rood is equal to 0.001 square kilometers.

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Section

A section is a tract of land approximately one (1) mile square and containing 640 acres, within a township. Sections are used in the government rectangular survey system (U.S. Public Lands Survey). Each section is approximately 1/36th (0.0278) of a township. Irregularities exist due to the curvature of the earth; these irregularities are corrected for in the northern and western tiers of sections in each township. One (1) section is equal to 640 acres, one (1) mile square, one (1) square mile, and 27,878,400 square feet.

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Section equivalents or conversions

One (1) section of a township is one (1) mile square and has an area of one (1) square mile. One (1) section is equal to 640 acres. One (1) section is equal to 27,878,400 square feet. One (1) section is equal to 2.59 square kilometers. One (1) section is equal to 3,097,600 square yards. One (1) section is equal to 102,399.59 square rods, poles, or perches. One (1) section is equal to 6,399.9744 square chains. One (1) section is equal to 2,560.0 roods. One (1) section is equal to 757.5523 arpents. One (1) section is equal to 0.0278 (1/36th) townships. One (1) section is equal to 2,589,988.1103 square meters. One (1) section is equal to 258.9988 hectares.

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Section Number

Identifies a within a . Sections are usually numbered 1 to 36 but can be higher in some states.

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Setback

Zoning restrictions on the amount of bare land required surrounding improvements; the amount of space required between the lot line and the building line.

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Square chain

A unit of area measurement (square measure) that is one (1) Gunter's or surveyor's chain in length on each side. There are ten (10) square chains in one (1) acre of land. One (1) square chain is equal to 4,356.0 square feet or 404.687 square meters.

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Square chain equivalents or conversions

One (1) square chain is equal to 4,356.0 square feet. One (1) square chain is equal to 484.002 square yards. One (1) square chain is equal to 404.687 square meters. One (1) square chain is equal to 16.0 square rods, poles, or perches. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.4 roods. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.1184 arpents. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.1 acres. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.0405 hectares. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.0004 square kilometers. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.0002 square miles or sections. One (1) square chain is equal to 0.000004 townships.

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Square foot (feet)

A unit of area measurement (square measure) that is one (1) foot long on each side. One (1) acre of land contains 43,560 square feet. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.09 square meters.

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Square foot (feet) equivalents or conversions

One (1) square foot is equal to 0.0929 square meters. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.1111 square yards. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.0037 square rods, poles, or perches. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.0002 square chains. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.00002 acres. One (1) foot is equal to 0.000009 hectares. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.00009 roods. One (1) square foot is equal to 0.00003 arpents.

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