Looking for TOPO:Mass, and a Favor

[AlpineSummit]

Hi.
I have a fun project going, but I need a little help.

A friend just bought land in Mass and we are trying to figure out the borders so she can machete some hack marks onto her trees (aw shucks, just kidding - she'll use pink paint I bet :D )

I have a map w/her land drawn in. IF I had Topo software, I guess that I could use that to draw the same lines and then make a track or route that could be used on a GPS to find her approx lines on the ground. Even a waypoint at the corners would be good - maybe that's even better?

Does anyone have the software who would be willing to take a few mins?
Does anyone have a better idea?

Thanks if you can help, I'll owe you a favor.....

[neighbor]

not sure i could do it but i'll give it a whirl if you'd like!

[hawk]

Hi.
I have a fun project going, but I need a little help.

A friend just bought land in Mass and we are trying to figure out the borders so she can machete some hack marks onto her trees (aw shucks, just kidding - she'll use pink paint I bet :D )

I have a map w/her land drawn in. IF I had Topo software, I guess that I could use that to draw the same lines and then make a track or route that could be used on a GPS to find her approx lines on the ground. Even a waypoint at the corners would be good - maybe that's even better?

Does anyone have the software who would be willing to take a few mins?
Does anyone have a better idea?

Thanks if you can help, I'll owe you a favor.....

I sent you a PM.

I'm just wondering how you plan to figure this. what you need to do is establish the perimiter from the survey stakes and take a waypoint at each corner or along any boundaries. With that information, the waypoints could be transferred to the software and then a route created using those waypoints. That would give a visual of the boundaries on a topo map.

Sounds to me you are trying to do just the opposite and i don't think that will work.

Or else I'm just not understanding you correctly.

And she can use fluorescent ribbon and not disfigure or damage the trees at all.

[neighbor]

jus' thinking, could you do it using topozone??

[AlpineSummit]

Thanks for the replies.
It's a 30 acre lot, heavily forested. Only one pin is known. The other two (triangle lot) are who-knows-where. The plot is traced onto a Topozone map now.

So,,,,,,,,I thought that if it was re-traced in Topo and then the route was imported into a gps, the perimeter could be roughly calculated - enough so that she'll have a good idea what is hers and waht's not. Even if the pins remain lost, she'll have a fairly accurate outline of her property.

Make sense??

I have the traced map at work - I can email it tomorrow.

And she's a granola-crunchin', tree-huggin', hippie-type - she ain't gonna cut or paint any trees. I was just being me - jerk'like and looking for the cheap laugh......

[hawk]

Thanks for the replies.
It's a 30 acre lot, heavily forested. Only one pin is known. The other two (triangle lot) are who-knows-where. The plot is traced onto a Topozone map now.

So,,,,,,,,I thought that if it was re-traced in Topo and then the route was imported into a gps, the perimeter could be roughly calculated - enough so that she'll have a good idea what is hers and waht's not. Even if the pins remain lost, she'll have a fairly accurate outline of her property.

Make sense??

I have the traced map at work - I can email it tomorrow.

And she's a granola-crunchin', tree-huggin', hippie-type - she ain't gonna cut or paint any trees. I was just being me - jerk'like and looking for the cheap laugh......

For a route to be imported into a gps and then exported into topo software, it needs co-ordinates to put the route in the right place.

If you need accuracy for any civil or legal reason, you'll probably need to get a surveyor.

[Eric]

AlpineSummit

You may want to do a search for taxmaps in Mass.

for example: You are purchasing property, land, house. A taxmap will show you the borders of the property from an ariel view. I recently purchased a house and did a search in the local taxmap and was able to see the borders of the property highlighted.

www.maphost.com

[AlpineSummit]

I think that's where she got what she has, the tax map. The idea is to try and find her approx lines on the ground. It's not too easy.

Yea, she could hire a surveyor, we talked about that. But she's been scraping her finances together to buy the land and she's pretty tapped out, cashwise, so we're hoping that we can get a rough idea ourselves. Surveyors are several hundred $$$

[hawk]

I think that's where she got what she has, the tax map. The idea is to try and find her approx lines on the ground. It's not too easy.

Yea, she could hire a surveyor, we talked about that. But she's been scraping her finances together to buy the land and she's pretty tapped out, cashwise, so we're hoping that we can get a rough idea ourselves. Surveyors are several hundred $$$

Who owns the land on the periphery of her property? They should know their boundaries and might be able to help.
Since there is nothing contentious at this point, that might be the best course of action. Yopu could mark those, and then set waypoints for the gps and then use the gps to give you the area measurement (some have this feature).

[masshysteria]

Bruce, what kind of deed does she have? Is it of fairly recent origion, or is it something along the lines of " from the pile of stones head 19 rods to the big ash tree.." If it has distance and bearing, you should be able to get a ballpark idea of the boundries using a gps and software program. Like Hawk said, if I understand what you're asking?

As far as surveyor fees, she'd be very fortunate if it only cost her a few hundred. I would venture a guess that if the deed is vague, she's probably looking at a couple thou. Not to mention, surveyors are like plumbers, they're booked 6 months in advance.

Can you divulge what town in Mass. she bought the property in? Unless she's related to the Kennedy's, she probably didn't buy 30 acres east of the I-91 corridor, I'm guessing.

[joseywalesb]

Property tax maps are 6 bucks at the local town hall and are public record for anyone to obtain. they should have coordinates on them. Mine did for a 500 acre lot I just purchased a few years ago.

[Little Rickie]

[I was just being me - jerk'like and looking for the cheap laugh......[/QUOTE]


Ya did good.

[AlpineSummit]

I know someone who could help her that has the proper equipment and a real interest in surveying! :D
How far from the NY / MA border are we talking?

I kinda forgot about this thread - gee, try to help some people!
She is about 40 mins from the NY line - Monroe Mass.