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lunar_unit t1_j9okn7i wrote

Why wouldn't lawyers take the case?

>I had a surveyor confirm it

Did the surveyor mark the corners, or just give you advice?

Virginia statutes on fences and boundaries:

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55.1/chapter28/

You can also confirm what your property line should be on the GIS parcel mapper:

https://cor.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c3ed34c0fb38441fb95cd2d2d6a22d48

Random google search brings up these guys, which seem to specialize in boundary disputes (they recommend negotiating, if possible, before taking things to court):

https://cedlawfirm.com/do-i-need-an-attorney-for-boundary-line-disputes-in-virginia/#:~:text=Virginia%20Boundary%20Fence%20Statute&text=Virginia%20Code%20%C2%A7%2055.1%2D2821,lie%20open%20or%20agree%20otherwise.%E2%80%9D

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wantcoffee t1_j9pfh54 wrote

GIS parcel boundaries are absolutely not precise enough for something like this.

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lunar_unit t1_j9pjrhf wrote

Question, just out of curiosity: If a survey is done, do they send that to the City/GIS Dept to fine tune the GIS maps?

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wantcoffee t1_j9prbrt wrote

I’m on the consultant side so don’t know all the inner workings. I would guess not and that it’s a matter of manpower to process them all. I mostly see boundaries adjusted when parcels are split or right of way is acquired. Looking at the project I have up now, GIS boundaries of some right of way that was acquired within the last 10 years is within 3” of what our survey shows. Right of way that was established in the 50s varies in accuracy, could be dead on or it could be 5’ offset. Skimming through the property boundaries most are pretty close but might be a few feet off. Probably a third have at least one boundary that is 10+ feet from where our survey says it should be including several from a development that was split in the 90s.

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lunar_unit t1_j9qcz7d wrote

My neighbors on both sides of me have had surveys done in the last couple of years.

In one case, with a long time neighbor, my yard is about a foot onto their property, but the fence has been there in one form or another for at least 70 years, so we didn't bother trying to fix anything.

The recent developer/neighbor got a survey after I suggested the existing line might be off, and I got about two feet more property and a tree that previously was shared by us.

Neighbors across the street had their property surveyed, and their fence was placed wrong (a long time ago), meaning four feet of their yard is currently in their neighbors yard.

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tignoras t1_j9quqph wrote

Did you find the steel markers in the ground when they surveyed? When we built a fence, I used a metal detector to find them post having a surveyor mark them in the plat. I wanted to be really sure I wasn’t building a fence on my neighbors land.

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lunar_unit t1_j9tx8lw wrote

Smart that you found them (and cheaper than having a surveyor do it.)

The surveyors exposed our steel marker posts where they could (one was either not present or not accessible) and tied pink tape and put little flags next to them. In one case the marker is at the base of a tree, partially embedded in the roots, 6" below the surface, but they found it.

I never knew about the steel pin thing until I read a thread on here where someone described them. It's a really good thing to know!

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Charadrius t1_j9ptcz3 wrote

Usually yes, but it’s often up to the surveyor or home owner to send the gis data to the gis department of the county/city. It really depends on the jurisdiction. Source: have been the gis manager for local jurisdictions in the past.

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Fuckin_Rakins t1_j9s0gz4 wrote

Yes... kind of. You have to record the survey with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in your locality. At that point the wheels of bureaucracy start turning (very slowly) and eventually it will trickle down to the GIS dept. You can grease the wheels by sending them a recorded copy of your survey/plat with the recording information but they are not obligated to update it faster. Hope this helps!

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