Surveyor News and Articles
Blueline Geo
TBPLS
Surveyor property appraisals
Oct 22nd
Formal property appraisals play a key role in the final determination of individual property values, and therefore in the final determination of parcel-specific ROW (right of way) costs. The most common and accepted valuation method is the sales comparison approach, which requires access to recent and relevant arms-length sales data. Other accepted valuation methods include the income and the cost approaches (FHWA, 2002a, Wurtzebach and Miles, 1991). The income approach may be used for commercial or investment properties, by considering gross rent, vacancy rates, and typical operating expenses, in order to estimate net income. The cost approach evaluates the replacement cost, and subtracts depreciation or obsolescence of the existing structure. This last approach is only used in cases where special purpose improvements develop the property to its highest and best use (FHWA, 2002a). In addition to being the most common and accepted method, the sales comparison approach is generally the easiest method to use. Comparable sales, listings, or rental data may be obtained from appraisal districts, title companies, private appraisers, and/or online data services. This method is most helpful in assessing the value of single-family residential properties and raw land, where sales data are plentiful (Wurtzebach and Miles, 1991). Sales data for commercial properties are relatively limited and more difficult to obtain (Carey, 2001, Gatzlaff and Geltner, 1998). This research enhances the literature by providing predictions of commercial property values, based on a large sample of commercial sales transactions for Texas’s major metro areas. These data are described in the Data Assembly section.
Cited from (http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/kockelman/public_html/TRB04ROW.pdf)
By Jared D. Heiner
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Right of way Acquisition
Oct 22nd
Right of way (ROW) acquisition for highway and transportation projects can be very expensive and time consuming. The federal government spent nearly one billion dollars for ROW in fiscal year 1999, at an average federal cost of $36,400 per parcel (FHWA, 2003). States and local agencies spent $1.8 billion in the same year, on projects subject to federal acquisition regulations. An additional $100 million in federal and state funds was paid to displaced business and property owners for reestablishment and relocation assistance (FHWA, 2003). The federal totals represent approximately 4 percent of total federal funding for highways in 1999 (AASHTO, 2002). Accurate ROW cost estimation can be key to project budgeting and completion.
Texas ROW administrators report a number of challenges routinely encountered in ROW cost estimation (Kockelman, anticipate the extent of takings based on limited information. Second, administrators often have limited time to prepare estimates, thus restricting the amount of research that can be undertaken for complex parcels. Third, they typically prepare ROW estimates several years in advance of actual ROW acquisition, during which time significant inflation and speculation can occur, resulting in property and damage appreciation. Administrators (both urban and rural) report that this time interval is typically three years, but it may stretch to seven years in some cases (Kockelman, et al., 2003). First, early estimates are based on planning-level maps, so project administrators mustet al., 2003). These factors can easily combine to bias ROW cost estimates low.
Cited from (http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/kockelman/public_html/TRB04ROW.pdf)
By Jared D Heiner
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
TBPLS New board Members
Sep 28th
The Governor appointed two new public members, Robert “Bob” Price and James “Jim” Childress to replace Ty Runyan and Kelley Neumann. Bob is the Director of Public Works with the City of Southlake and a professional engineer. Jim is an attorney in San Saba and owns a title company.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Requirements for TBPLS License Renewal
Sep 28th
You will need 8 hours of Continuing Education Credit to renew your license to practice in 2010. Please continue to report CE credit to the Board throughout 2009, as you have done in the past. New rules have been proposed that WILL NOT impact the reporting of continuing education this year. The new rules will impact CE reporting in 2010. Next year, 2010, you will be responsible for maintaining your own record of CE courses. When renewing, you will be asked if you have completed the required 8 hours of CE credit. If you answer yes, you will be able to renew. If you answer no, you will not be able to renew. The Board will audit approximately 5% of all registrants and ask for verification of the CE. If you are unable to provide verification, your license to practice will be suspended until such time as you are able to provide verification. See the proposed rules printed below for additional information.
The Board is aware of confusion regarding the number of continuing education hours needed for license renewal. The Board has proposed rules that require 8 hours of continuing education credit for license renewal. These rules do not change the number of hours needed. The rules do change the method of reporting the hours. Starting in January 2010, the Board will no longer maintain a record of CE courses taken. Each registrant will be responsible for maintaining their CE information, which will be subject to audit as noted above.
Rule 663.19 (4) states “Courses shall be referenced by notation upon the survey plat to an identifiable line for directional control.” In order for a line to be identifiable it must be physically marked.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
TBPLS New Rules
Sep 28th
Since the last Newsletter (September 2008), the following rules have been amended:
661.44 – Rejections. Added deadline dates for the board to consider additional information for rejected applications. Additional information must be received on or before the next application deadline (either January 15 or July 15).
661.45 – Examinations. Added language for examination candidates that have been called into active U.S. military duty. The examination may be postponed once the board has received copies of orders and a request to postpone the examination. The candidate must notify the board within 60 days of release to resume the examination cycle.
661.53 – Active Duty Military. New section regarding registrants who are active duty are exempt from penalty if they failed to renew their license on time and can show the board they were on active duty outside of Texas.
661.55 – Surveying Firms Registration. Added the definition of “full-time” employee.
661.56 – Surveying Firms Renewal and Expiration. The change clarifies that each certificate of registration is valid until December 31 of the year registered and then must be renewed yearly.
661.62 – Complaint Process. Language was added that a contested case hearing or an Informal Settlement Conference must be requested within 20 business days of receiving notice of the violation.
663.10 – Disciplinary Rules. Added language to clarify that a land surveyor may be guilty of only one of the behaviors noted.
663.17 – Monumentation. The change removed language that was redundant. All monumentation must comply with subsection (b) of this section.
664.4 – Types of Acceptable Continuing Education. The authorship of technical papers must be in a board approved publication.
664.7 – Determination of Credit Units. There is not a specific number of hours for authorship of technical papers. Each will be credited on a case by case basis.
664.13 – Exemptions. New section to list reasons a registrant may be exempt from obtaining continuing education.
A complete copy of all rules can be found on the Board’s website, www.txls.state.tx.us
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!