Strata Property Act Plans - Dimensioning Errors By Peter Goodier, BCLS, Assistant Manager Practise Advisory Department, Association of BC Land Surveyors
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n recognition of the continual increase of strata property tenure in British Columbia, the Practice Advisory Department (PAD) has shifted its focus to review more Strata Property Act plans than in previous years. We expect a total of over 50 strata plans to be reviewed in 2019. The Practice Advisory Department has encountered numerous critical strata plan errors, in greater proportion to other plan types reviewed. Dimensioning errors are by far the most common strata plan error encountered by the Department.
FIGURE 1
Fortunately these types of errors are completely avoidable with a thorough, quality-assurance routine. Although land surveyors carry out routine checking procedures on strata plan dimensions, these checks are not always completely effective. This article discusses best practice recommendations for checking dimensions on strata plans. If every land surveyor follows the following best practice recommendations, then dimensioning errors in strata plans will become a thing of the past. Corrections to registered strata plans can be onerous and time consuming especially if owner consent is required. In the long run a rigorous and complete plan-checking regime will save time and stress for all parties involved.
Best Practice Recommendation 1: Ensure that every closed polygon on a strata plan is subject to a check on dimensions. This means that the following figures will be subject to an independent and rigorous closure routine: Strata lots- Every dimension on every strata lot must be confirmed. In addition, the area shown on the final plan will be confirmed by an independent process (a discussion on what this entails follows later in this article)
a check on dimension on building foundation diagrams. Figure 1: A plan representation of a building foundation which does not close mathematically when the assumption is made that the walls are at right angles. The surveyor did not complete a closure check for this diagram. It is not uncommon for building foundations to not be square. This would have become apparent had the figure been checked for mathematical closure. In instances where the building is not square, the best practice is to add bearings (or angles) to the diagram to allow for an acceptable mathematical closure. Areas of limited common property (e.g. decks, patios, yard areas - see Figure 2) Figure 2: An area of limited common property (yard) is designated for Strata Lot 33. The area is partially described by an arc but the arc parameters are not provided.
FIGURE 2
Building foundation diagrams (see Figure 1) - The PAD occasionally comes across foundation diagrams which mis-close. As with all closed figures, it is important to complete
the LINK | December 2019
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