LEGAL LAND DESCRIPTIONS AND BASIC MATH
March 19, 8:30 am – March 21, Noon
$550.00
$495 if payment is received by ICC by December 31, 2011
Hotel information will be available later
Agenda
Instructor: Warren Beckwith
Warren Beckwith, an Indian land professional, has worked in the realty field at the Southern California Agency in 1998 and 1999 and with ICC Indian Enterprises from 2004 to 2006 and then again from 2008 to the present. He has taught the Legal Land Descriptions class and has assisted Leon Kabat with the Legal Land Descriptions and Land Descriptions II classes. Warren coordinates much of the behind the scenes arrangements for ICC classes. He has worked in the private sector in the promotional field and has managed Subway Sandwich stores. Beckwith attended Haskell Indian Nations University from 1993 to 1995.
Since the class will include hands on field work, casual attire is recommended.
Course Objective: To provide basic training essential to employment in the field of Federal Indian Lands, as it relates to land descriptions, surveys, map-reading, boundaries and basic math.
I. SURVEYS AND LAND DESCRIPTIONS
A. Role and Importance
1. General Land Office/Bureau of Land Management
2. Bureau of Indian Affairs
B. Definitions
1. Land Description
2. Legal Description
3. Sufficient Description
C. Methods of Describing Land
1. Public/Rectangular Land Survey (Aliquot Part)
2. True Metes and Bounds
3. Quasi Metes and Bounds
4. Recorded Subdivision
D. Rectangular Surveys
1. Brief History
2. Definition of Cadastral Surveys
3. Prime/Principal Meridian & Base Line
4. Townships and Ranges
5. Sections
6. Riparian Considerations
E. True Metes and Bounds
1. Brief History
2. Using the Protractor and Scale
F. Quasi Metes and Bounds
1. Strip Descriptions
2. “Of” Descriptions
G. “More or Less”
H. Recorded Subdivisions
1. Townsites
2. Housing Subdivisions
3. Industrial Parks
II. MAPS AND MAP-READING
A. GLO/BLM Survey Plats
B. Reservation Boundary Maps
C. County Plat Books
D. BIA Road Atlas Maps
E. USGS Quads/Topographical Maps
F. Aerial Photographs and Use of the Stereoscope
G. Maps as Title Documents
1. Subdivision Plats
2. Rights of Way
3. Dedications
H. Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
I. Computing/Measuring Acreage
1. Dot Grids
2. The Planimeter
III. BOUNDARIES AND BOUNDARY DISPUTES
A. Conducting Research
B. Identifying and Describing Problems
C. Problem Resolution
1. Administrative
2. Legislative
3. Judicial
IV. THE IMPORTANCE OF FIELD WORK
A. Using a Tape and Compass
1. Locating Property from Land Descriptions
2. Running a Basic Traverse
B. Natural vs. Artificial Monuments
C. Locating Corners and Property Lines
D. Risks and Responsibilities
1. Conveyances and/or Partition by Deed
2. Wills
3. Leases
4. Land Assignments/Possessory Interest Holdings
V. BASIC MATH RELATING TO INDIAN LANDS
A. Fractions
B. Decimals
C. Percents
D. Conversion Methods
Land Descriptions II
March 21 (1:00) – March 23 (3:00)
(The test will be at 1:00 Friday)
San Antonio, Texas
$550.00
$495 if payment is received by ICC by December 31, 2011
Warren Beckwith, Instructor
Prerequisite: Students should have completed the Legal Land Descriptions and Basic Math or an equivalent course, or have practical hands-on experience in field survey and/or writing of land descriptions.
Course Objective: To hone the skills of the participants in order for them to be more professional and effective in completing work assignments and to give them a body of knowledge that will make the participants more competitive in seeking and/or meeting personal career goals.
To achieve these objectives, the focus will shift from long lengthy classroom lectures and is directed to the class participants working as a group, in team settings and/or individually as is necessary to complete the assignments.
These objectives will be accomplished through:
Short morning and afternoon formal classroom lectures,
Group discussions in the classroom and/or in the field,
A team effort involving the layout, survey and survey note keeping involving the tract of land,
An individual effort in drafting (drawing) a legal land parcel plat, writing its’ legal land description, calculating its interior angles from its surveyed (compass) bearings – actual vs. calculated and calculating the acreage of the tract,
Problem solving exercises if needed
Short quizzes if needed, and,
A short formal exam at the end of the session which will test the participants understanding of Course II.
COURSE OUTLINE
I. Short Review of Course I (Only a brief overview)
a. Township and Range Lines and their numbering system
b. Sections and lots and their numbering system
c. Aliquot parts of a section, the reading of descriptions and determination of acreage
d. Section corner monumentation
e. Affects of water and their terms
II. Hand Compass – Determination of Bearings
a. Determination of bearings by azimuth reading
b. Measurements and Equivalents
III. Legal Land Descriptions – The main part of the course
a. Map/plat requirements. A land description is only as good as the survey from which it was written
b. BIA guidance for writing land descriptions – March 10, 1955
c. The writing of sufficient land descriptions – emphasis is on consistency and uniformity
1. Aliquot part land descriptions
2. True Metes and Bounds
3. True Metes and Bounds description with an aliquot part
4. Quasi Metes and Bounds
5. Recorded Maps or Plats
6. Description by Reference
7. “Of” Descriptions
IV. Survey Math – This aspect of the course introduces the participants to various geometric shapes, math and applications usable for completing day-to-day assignments. An airy and light hearted session will be presented to avoid frustration.
a. Review of various geometric shapes
b. Discussion of the mathematical relationships
c. Practical application of geometric shapes to office and field work
d. Introduction to formulas for calculating acreage
ICC is 100% Indian owned. Lela Beckwith, President, Chickasaw; Terry Beckwith, VP, Quinault/Chehalis
