PS Exam Preparation

Comprehensive preparation for the NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying (PS) exam. 5 modules covering all 5 exam domains with 50 in-depth topics.

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Lesson 9

Surveys for New Parcels & Subdivisions

Learning Objectives

After completing this topic, you should be able to:

Describe the different types of subdivisions and their regulatory frameworks
Explain the platting process from concept through final recording
Identify lot design standards including minimum area, frontage, and access requirements
Describe the surveyor's role in the subdivision approval process
Explain regulatory compliance requirements at local, state, and federal levels
Understand the relationship between subdivision plats and legal descriptions
Describe monumentation requirements for subdivisions

Overview

Subdivision surveys divide existing parcels of land into smaller lots or tracts for sale, development, or other purposes. Subdivision is one of the most regulated areas of surveying practice, involving local ordinances, state statutes, and sometimes federal requirements. The surveyor plays a central role in the subdivision process -- from initial feasibility analysis through final plat preparation and monumentation.

The PS exam tests your understanding of subdivision types, platting requirements, lot design standards, and the regulatory framework governing the creation of new parcels.

Key Concepts

Figure PS.5.9 — Subdivision Approval Process

Types of Subdivisions

Major subdivision:

Creation of a specified number of lots (varies by jurisdiction, often 5 or more)
Requires full regulatory review (planning commission, governing body)
Typically requires construction of public improvements (roads, utilities, drainage)
Subject to environmental review requirements
Requires preliminary and final plat approval

Minor subdivision (lot split):

Creation of a small number of lots (typically fewer than 5)
Simplified review process
May not require public improvements
Often requires only a final plat or survey
Subject to zoning and dimensional requirements

Planned Unit Development (PUD):

Flexible zoning that allows mixed land uses and varied lot configurations
May include common areas, open space, and shared facilities
Reviewed as a unified development plan
Often permits higher density in exchange for open space preservation
Development plan becomes a binding legal document

Metes and bounds subdivision:

Division of land described by metes and bounds rather than a recorded plat
Permitted in some jurisdictions for minor splits
Does not create a subdivision plat of record
May create title problems and is generally discouraged

The Platting Process

Phase 1: Feasibility and concept

Preliminary site investigation (topography, utilities, access, environmental constraints)
Zoning review (permitted uses, density, dimensional requirements)
Concept plan showing general lot layout, road alignment, and open space
Coordination with planning staff for initial feedback

Phase 2: Preliminary plat

Detailed lot layout with dimensions, areas, and street design
Utility layout (water, sewer, storm drainage, electric)
Grading and drainage plan
Environmental features (wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes)
Traffic analysis and access design
Submission to planning commission for review and public hearing
Conditional approval with required modifications

Phase 3: Construction

Build required public improvements (roads, utilities, drainage structures)
Construct stormwater management facilities
Install erosion and sediment controls
Staking and inspection of improvements during construction

Phase 4: Final plat

Boundary survey of the entire subdivision and each lot
Monumentation of all lot corners, street intersections, and curve points
Preparation of the final plat for recording
Certification by the surveyor
Approval signatures from planning commission, governing body, and other authorities
Recording in the county land records

Plat Requirements

A subdivision plat must typically include:

Boundary information:

Perimeter boundary of the subdivision with bearings, distances, and curve data
Tie to section corners, PLSS, or other reference system
Basis of bearings statement
Relationship to adjacent subdivisions and parcels

Lot information:

Lot numbers and block numbers
Lot dimensions (bearings, distances, curve data for all lot lines)
Lot areas (in square feet or acres)
Building setback lines
Easement locations and dimensions

Street information:

Street names and right-of-way widths
Centerline geometry (tangents, curves, with full curve data)
Cul-de-sac dimensions
Intersection details

Other required elements:

North arrow, graphic scale, and legend
Title block with subdivision name, location, owner, and surveyor information
Dedication of streets, easements, and other public areas
Certification by the surveyor (accuracy, compliance with standards)
Approval blocks for planning commission, governing body, and utilities
Monumentation schedule (type and location of monuments set)
Flood zone designation
Reference to any covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs)

Lot Design Standards

Lots must comply with zoning and subdivision ordinance requirements:

Dimensional requirements:

Standard	Typical Requirement
Minimum lot area	Varies by zoning (e.g., 5,000 SF to 5+ acres)
Minimum lot width	Measured at front building line (e.g., 50-200 feet)
Minimum lot frontage	Required road frontage (e.g., 25-150 feet)
Minimum lot depth	Rear building line to front building line
Maximum lot depth-to-width ratio	Typically 3:1 or 4:1
Flag lots	Minimum access strip width (e.g., 20-50 feet)

Design considerations:

Lots should be rectangular or regular in shape when possible
Side lot lines should be approximately perpendicular to the street
On curves, lot lines should be radial to the curve
Corner lots often require additional width to accommodate side-street setbacks
Double-frontage lots (fronting two parallel streets) are generally avoided
Lots should be designed to drain properly without adverse impact on neighbors

Access and Street Design

Street hierarchy:

Arterial -- Major routes carrying through traffic
Collector -- Connect local streets to arterials
Local -- Provide direct access to lots; low traffic volume
Cul-de-sac -- Dead-end streets with turnaround; limited to maximum length

Key design parameters:

Right-of-way width (typically 50-80 feet for local streets)
Pavement width
Horizontal and vertical alignment (minimum sight distance, maximum grade)
Intersection spacing and geometry
Cul-de-sac radius (typically 50-60 feet to property line)

Easements

Subdivisions typically include multiple types of easements:

Utility easements -- For water, sewer, gas, electric, and communications (typically 10-20 feet wide along lot lines)
Drainage easements -- For stormwater conveyance (width varies with drainage requirements)
Access easements -- For shared driveways or access to landlocked parcels
Conservation easements -- Protecting environmental features
Pedestrian easements -- For walkways and trails

Monumentation Requirements

Subdivision ordinances typically require monuments at:

All exterior boundary corners of the subdivision
All lot corners
Street centerline curve points (PC, PT, PI)
Street intersections
Points of change in direction on lot lines
Beginning and end of easement lines along boundaries

Monument types:

Iron pipes or rods (typically 1/2 to 1 inch diameter)
Concrete monuments at primary corners
Survey caps or tags stamped with surveyor's license number
Brass or aluminum disks in concrete or asphalt for centerline control

Common wrong path — side lot lines parallel to the street on a curve. On a straight street, side lot lines typically run perpendicular to the street centerline — essentially parallel to each other and to the neighbors'. Students sometimes extend this rule to curved street frontage: "side lot lines should be parallel to each other on a curve." That's wrong. On a curve, side lot lines should be radial — each side line points back toward the center of the curve. If drawn parallel instead, the lots would either overlap (inside of curve) or leave triangular gaps (outside of curve), neither of which is platable. Exam questions test this with a scenario showing a cul-de-sac or a curved collector street and asking which lot-line orientation is correct. Answer: radial to the curve, not parallel to adjacent lot lines and not perpendicular to the chord.

Quick retrieval check — try before reading on.

▶A subdivision has four lots along a curving street (R = 300 ft, I = 60°, arc = 314.16 ft). Each lot has 78.54 ft of frontage along the arc. If the side lot lines are drawn radial to the curve, what is the angle (at the lot corner on the street) between the street frontage arc and the side lot line?

90° — because a radial line by definition is perpendicular to the tangent of the curve at any point. The side lot line, being radial, strikes the curve at a right angle to the tangent at that point. This is why radial lot lines on curves are the default: they produce a "tangent-perpendicular" corner geometry consistent with perpendicular-side-line geometry on straight streets. Note that the chord of the 78.54-ft arc is about 78.32 ft (barely shorter than the arc for this 15°-per-lot central angle), and the chord is not the tangent — radial lot lines are perpendicular to the tangent, not to the chord, so they do NOT bisect the chord unless the curve is infinitely gentle.

Regulatory Compliance

Local requirements:

Zoning ordinance (uses, density, dimensional standards)
Subdivision ordinance (design standards, improvement requirements, plat format)
Engineering standards (road design, utility design, drainage)
Health department (on-site septic suitability, if applicable)

State requirements:

State subdivision statutes (varies by state)
Professional licensing and survey standards
Environmental regulations (wetlands, stormwater, erosion control)
State highway department approval (if accessing state roads)

Federal requirements:

Clean Water Act (Section 404 wetlands permitting)
National Flood Insurance Program (floodplain development requirements)
Endangered Species Act (if applicable)
Archaeological and historical preservation requirements

Exam Tips

Know the difference between major and minor subdivisions and their approval processes
Lot design: side lot lines should be perpendicular to the street; on curves, they should be radial
Final plats must include complete curve data (radius, arc length, chord bearing, chord distance, central angle) for all curves
Monuments are required at all lot corners, boundary corners, and curve points -- memorize this list
Cul-de-sac lots have narrow frontage and wide rear lines (pie-shaped); corner lots need extra width for side setbacks
The surveyor certifies the plat but does not approve it -- approval comes from the planning commission and governing body
Understanding the difference between a preliminary plat (for review) and a final plat (for recording) is important
Flag lots require a minimum access strip width specified by the local ordinance
Easements shown on the plat become appurtenant to the subdivision and cannot be easily removed after recording

PS Exam Preparation

Module 1: Legal Principles

Module 2: Professional Survey Practices

Module 3: Standards & Specifications

Module 4: Business Practices

Module 5: Areas of Practice