Message from the President

James D. Sens, PLS

Welcome to the summer edition of the e-Coordinate. We are deep in to August and vacation time will unfortunately be ending soon. I hope you had the opportunity to relax and enjoy your family and friends in the warm weather.  NJSPLS’s new public relations initiative is a one page informational chart entitled “Services That May Only Be Performed by a New Jersey Professional Land Surveyor.” I want to thank Al Faraldi, Lew Conley, Nick Wunner, Carl Peters and especially Bill McGrath for the effort in putting this together.  Click the highlighted link above to download a copy of the chart.

I hear often that municipal agents and reviewing bodies don’t follow or know what the regulations are. NJSPLS will be sending the chart to every municipality in the State in an effort to inform them of the vital role land surveyors fill. NJSPLS has also posted the document on our website with live links to the recited codes and statutes so all the information is readily available for review. Headquarters will also have copies available to our members upon request. I encourage every member of NJSPLS to distribute the chart to municipal employees or board members they know. Take a few minutes to talk to them about the chart and the role of land surveyors. This interaction will pay huge dividends not only for your practice but for the entire profession.

On another note, the readopted Administrative Code has just been published in the New Jersey Register. As you probably recall, NJSPLS was very proactive during this process. A committee was formed to solicit suggestions from NJSPLS membership, review the entire Code and offer suggestions to the State Board for their consideration. The Committee worked diligently and offered numerous suggestions. We will be reviewing the final regulations as published in the Register over the next couple of weeks and will provide our members with a synopsis of the changes and how they affect your practice.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming golf outing.

What’s Up with the GEOID?

By Frederick A. Czepiga, PLS

What is the geoid? What is it used for? Why is it important?

According to the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), the geoid is “the equipotential surface of the Earth’s gravity field, which best fits, in a least squares sense, global mean sea level.”

The above statement also means that every point on this surface is perpendicular to the force of gravity. It is the surface that astronomic azimuths and geodetic leveling are referred to. We now have a definition of the geoid, but what is it used for? <more>

Acquiescence

By Knud E. Hermansen and Robert A. Liimakka

Acquiescence, similar to the doctrines of estoppel and practical location, is an equitable doctrine that will fix the location of a common boundary in a location that may differ from the location where a surveyor would place the common boundary based on the rules of construction.

The doctrine of acquiescence is known in some jurisdiction as a consentable boundary. Some states have equated it to a boundary by implied agreement. The motivation for a court recognizing a boundary different from the record is to let boundaries that appear to have been settled to be settled. A person that sleeps on their rights should not be allowed to demand with passion what they have for so long ignored with indifference. <more>

My Experience at the 2011 Survey Summit, San Diego

Editor's Note:  New Jersey Institute of Technology (ACSM Student Chapter) student Stanley Pilny recently attended the ESRI Users Conference for the first time.  He was asked by Peter Borbas, PLS to report on his experiences at the Conference.

Dear Mr. Borbas:

Please accept this letter as an overview of my experience as a Student Assistant at the 2011 Survey Summit in San Diego last month. I would like to first provide a little of my pertinent background, as it shows the relevance of what I learned at the Summit to my current situation and hopes for my future as a Land Surveyor.

I am currently a student at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), studying Surveying Engineering. I have another year or so to complete my Bachelor’s degree. I have been working as an Instrument Operator, Field Crew Member, for a small company, Robert Poole Professional Land Surveyor, for nearly four years. My experience with this small company has exposed me to a broad range of knowledge and hands-on technique, especially from working so closely with Robert Poole, who has been surveying for over 30 years. I learned extensively from being “out in the field,” and I realize that such information cannot necessarily be taught in school. Some of my experiences include:

• Electronic Total Station operation with electronic data collection for performing boundary surveys, topographic surveys, and construction layout projects.

• Comprehensive research prior to surveying, utilizing deeds, file maps, legal sources, etc., to perform a preliminary analysis.

• Proper care and maintenance of all equipment.

• Some experience in AutoCAD and Land Desktop Development.

• Some experience as Crew Chief.  <more>