The Planning Process Starts with a Survey
Any renovation or development to a property starts with a Survey. The acquisition of property in our area cannot be completed without a Boundary Survey. In the commercial and the higher end value properties a requirement is an ALTA Land Title Survey, with good reason. Land is a valuable commodity and to protect the investment a small price to pay is to have the Surveyor review and interpret all available documents and show how they affect the property on a Plat. The Surveyor is the "physical" aspect of this process. It is the Surveyor that aids your attorney in not only plotting the complex descriptions in documents and Title Reports but it is also the Surveyors responsibility to show possible encroachments or physical easements on the property. Owners of large properties especially in metropolitan areas have many neighbors, some tend to want to enjoy a bit more than what they own. Until a Professional Surveyor marks the property lines, approaching the neighbors tends to become frustrating and at times confrontational.
The planning process uses a Topographic Survey as a base to any design. Architects may have a number of ideas or concept plans in the beginning of a design process but the physical conditions that a Topography reviles will determine the most feasible and cost effective planning. The Surveyor is the "physical" aspect of the process. We aid the Architect and the Civil Engineer with the physical location of current improvements, utilities and other necessities for completing a successful design. A current topographic map is also the best tool to keep inventory on natural features, manmade improvements and is easily incorporated in any GIS programs or marketing tools. Flooding and drainage issues can be explained by Topography as well as any ADA accessibility requirement concerns. County, municipal and MWRD require special attention for permitting in the process that Boundary and Topography Surveys meet.
We at W-T Land Surveying, Inc. specialize in these services as well as any document preparation such as Plat of Easements, Subdivisions, Vacations or Dedications... required in a development process. For more than 20 years we have been aiding the W-T family of companies in these matters and have helped make the process easier and cost effective.
Contact us for a free quote on your Surveying needs.
frank.maticic@wtengineering.com
The Value of Land: Why we survey
In 1807, a land surveyor would earn two dollars and fifty cents a mile while working for the federal government subdividing land in the territory that is now the State of Illinois. At the time the smallest lot was a quarter section which should amount to 160 acres and most of the lines were run twice. The surveyor was to prepare a plat, set monuments and witness accessories every half mile and pay the chainmen and axemen from that fee. But at the time, one acre of land was sold for two dollars. Today one acre of farm land is priced at 20 to 35 thousand dollars and in our metropolitan areas it is sold at hundreds of dollars per square foot.
Land is one of the most precious commodities in our lives today and until recently one of the safest investments made. Several professions are driven by it, profits are made on land sales or land development. For most of us land ownership is not just a place to live but also a place of security. Land Surveying is a licensed profession because of the value we place on land and the need to know where exactly the ownership lines are. Disagreements over boundary lines and land use have caused great turmoil in our past.
Land is beautiful; we reserve it as treasures for future generations to gaze upon it, we preserve it for wildlife or for ourselves so we have a tranquil place to visit. We modify it to suit our needs as open spaces or places to stretch our legs. Some of our fondest memories as youngsters might be of running around not bounded by fences. To teach our children to enjoy it more would be one of our greater achievements.
The Ecomonic Downturn: Use it to Your Advantage
One of the keys of a healthy community is to keep active physically and have place to retreat emotionally. The health of our children depends on having a place to play and run outdoors, to keep their interests in outdoor activities rather than TV, video games and the internet. The economic dividends impact the community in much the same way as the local schools and business. In the scheme of a community one reflects and feeds off the other.
Land is always a worthwhile investment but especially now. In the current state of the economy land and property values are down and so is the cost to develop it. The professional design industry (including Land Surveying) is very competitive as are most of the trades. The price of materials has come down from the inflated levels during the building boom. Help your community now and it will pay dividends for generations to come.
In an effort to create a better quality of life for its communities, the State of Illinois has made funds available through the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program. This program is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) which is releasing nearly $17 million dollars in grants this year helping 49 of our communities in acquiring land, constructing new trails, playgrounds and creating new recreational opportunities such as athletic fields and fishing peers. This open space and local park initiative is fully funded and potentially provides in excess of $20 million dollars annually. The application filing period is between May 1 and July 1 of each year and grant awards announced the following December to January. Assistance in completing and submitting applications with IDNR are available as part of the many services W-T Engineering, Inc. offers including Boundary and Topographic Surveys. Other worthwhile grant programs are the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF) and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). One project application is required for consideration of the OSLAD and LWCF programs. Please contact Brusseau Design Group, LLC. to aid you in completing a successful application. www.brusseaudesigngroup.com