Monumenting Public Landsurvey System Section Or Quarter Section Corners

The Board's rules provide that Land Surveyors must adhere to the Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards and with state laws pertaining to the surveyor's area of practice. A.A.C.  R4-30-301(4) and (13) (effective August 7, 2004). The Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards at section 9 provides standards for establishing, replacing or setting boundary monuments. Section 9(A) concerns setting monuments at Public Land Survey System Section or Quarter Section corners by referring to "applicable state statutes" relative to monumenting those positions. Section 9(C) concerns setting monuments, in general. Questions have been raised regarding the Board's interpretation of what state statutes are applicable when applying Section 9(A) and regarding the interplay between Sections 9(A) and (C). This substantive policy statement is offered as guidance to persons interpreting those sections in complying with the Board's rules.
 
This substantive policy statement is advisory only. A substantive policy statement does not include internal procedural documents that only affect the internal procedures of the agency and does not impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties or include confidential information or rules made in accordance with the Arizona administrative procedure act. If you believe that this substantive policy statement does impose additional requirements or penalties on regulated parties you may petition the agency under Arizona Statutes § 41-1033 for a review of the statement.
 

Substantive Policy Statement

The Board's rules provide that Land Surveyors must adhere to the Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards and with state laws pertaining to the surveyor's area of practice. A.A.C.  R4-30-301 (4) and (13) (effective August 7, 2004). The Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards at Section 9 provides standards for establishing, replacing or setting boundary monuments. Section 9(A) concerns setting monuments at Public Land Survey System Section or Quarter Section corners by referring to "applicable state statutes" relative to monumenting those positions. Section 9(C) concerns setting monuments, in general.
 
The Board believes that the "applicable state statutes" relative to monumenting Public Land Survey System Section or Quarter Section corners are those which address landmarks and surveys, currently contained in A.R.S. § 33-103. Accordingly, the land surveyor shall follow the requirements of A.R.S. § 33-103 when establishing, replacing or setting Public Land System Survey monuments at Section or Quarter Section corners and shall follow the requirement in Section 9(C) of the Arizona Boundary Survey Minimum Standards when establishing new or replacement boundary monuments and witness corner monuments. Finally, land surveyors shall also comply with the requirements of A.R.S. § 104 through 106 when establishing, replacing or setting any type of boundary monument.