Is this legal?

I am seeing a lot of recent Certificates of Surveys stamped and signed by Louisiana Professional Surveyors for rights of way and servitudes with ties to section corners, etc, and these surveys, although stamped and signed, have a statement on them that they do NOT comply with the BOR Minimum Standards.

Can anyone enlighten me on this? 

In Oklahoma if it is a separate document that is going to be filed then it has to meet our MTS. I have seen many ROW maps that do not meet our MTS but these are filed with the deed as an attachment for clarity. Could this be what you are seeing instead of a full plat of survey?

Who is better qualified to write a description without benefit of a survey, than a surveyor.  As Deral points out, a new r/w or easement that goes along a deed line can be better clarified with a map that accompanies the dedication/deed.  Often a suvey is not necessary.  But if a surveyor prepared it for legal purposes, then they should seal it.

Is the tie to the section corner record or measured?  That should be noted.

I don't think the header "CERTIFICATE OF SURVEY" should be on it though.  Better to call it "EXHIBIT A" or some such thing and a note that "this is not a boundary survey....." yadda yadda. 

Maybe thats not what you're talking about though?

But if they are out there setting corners, and then trying to disclaimer themselves out of their liability - its a whole different story.  The MTS and the state board will over trump any disclaimer.  Good luck with those types...

These things are getting recorded in the clerk's office.  The Louisiana State Law states that no survey shall be recorded without the seal and signature of a surveyor, yet these things are stated not to meet minimum standards.  Perhaps the key word is "survey."  These things are being done for huge pipeline projects this way.  Seems awful to me.

I suggest an opinion from your board.  If it bothers your sense of correctness, just soliciting the opinion of the surveyors on this board is insufficient.

SJ

"Certificate" implies that the document is certified to reflect an actual survey.  If it's a survey and your state has MTS, then the thing should meet those MTS.  Sounds to me like someone is cutting corners beyond what's legal.

I  have never reported anyone.  I guess I should inquire with the board.

I would try a bit of communication first with the company who is stamping the plats. No sense to raise the alarms without some more information. I would like to know what part of the plat does not meet the MTS.  Perhaps the route footage is slope (generally so for pipelines) and the ties are horizontal. This would make the math 'seem' suspect but the maps are to determine the amount of rods across a parcel. 

These plats are for easements and not for property takings so they do have a grey side to some, especially those doing that sort of work. It's all about the footage down line per day and not about the boundary. I know that seems to be at odds with the MTS but these have been done for many years. I recall Texas has set down some pretty good rulings (their BOR) on route surveys. You might talk to someone in the patch down in Texas and see what they decided. 

Deral