Ethics question

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:36:11 GMT

I have an ethics issue for which I would like to hear any comments. I have done very little surveying in many years, but have maintained my license. From time to time people ask me to perform a survey. I usually refer them to someone else. Something I occasionally get is someone wanting to subdivide land in such a way that it violates the city or county subdivision regulations. They want me to do a survey and make a plat of the land so subdivided. Then, using the plat, they intend to draw up deeds based on the metes and bounds of the plat, execute and record the deeds, and not record the plat, thus creating the "subdivision" without recording the plat. I refuse to get involved in such regardless, but I try to explain to them that the city or county can deny services to properties so subdivided and I explain problems that can arise for the owners of the lots in such subdivisions. Can some of you comment on the ethics of such from the standpoint of the surveyor, and have you had experiences in which an illegal subdivision was made and the city or county took action against it? Thanks.

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 19:07:35 GMT

In my mind, if what is asked for is not allowed in that particular jurisdiction I do not believe a surveyor should do it. I have been asked many times, mostly by lawyers, to subdivide a property in a way that is not allowed. I always tell them that I won't do it and they should try to get the ordinance or regulation changed through local government if they don't like the way it is worded or what it requires. Regarding enforcement, in my jurisdiction I have never seen the city or county publically go after anyone who illegally subdivided property, and I've been around a while. But illegally subdividing property does not happen very often around here and is not a hot issue for the city or county.