223 Certificate - This is a certificate that the District Council issues when they are satisfied that the survey plan provided by the surveyor is consistent with the subdivision consent. This has also been known as "sealing the plan".
224(c) Certificate - This is a certificate issued by the District Council stating that Council is satisfied that the conditions of the subdivision consent have been satisfied. This is also commonly called the conditions certificate.
Affected Party - This is a person or organisation that may be affected by an activity. The Local Authority may require the written consents of affected parties to demonstrate to the Council that either the proposal does not affect that party, or the concerns of a potentially affected party have been addressed by the person applying for a Resource Consent.
Amalgamation Condition - This is a legal requirement imposed by the District Council requiring that two or more parcels of land are held in the same Certificate of Title.
Boundary Adjustment - This is a type of subdivision where the boundary or boundaries between two or more properties are "moved".
Cadastral Survey Dataset - Elements of a Cadastral Survey Held in Landonline; including header information, field measurement records, records of calculations, easement schedules, structured data records, survey report, occupation information, survey and title diagram sheets and certifications.
CAD Draughting - This is the use of a computer to prepare plans. We use computer software such as AutoCAD and more specialized surveying software such as CivilCAD and SDRmap in our offices.
Coastal Permit - This is a Resource consent issued by the Regional Council for activities in the Coastal Marine Area.
Computer Register - Formerly known as a Certificate of Title. A legal document held by LINZ which provides information regarding the ownership and interests in land. It is produced and held by LINZ in a computer database called Landonline administered by the New Zealand Government. It contains information such as the registered owners of the land, easements, covenants mortgages and other registrable interests in the land. It also provides boundary dimensions and an area of the property.
Covenant - Is a document binding the owner of the property to do or not to do something. A common covenant is a conservation covenant, where the landowner covenants with the Local Authority to protect in perpetuity an area of bush or wetland in order to mitigate effects created by a subdivision. Another example is a covenant binding the landowner to follow the recommendations of an Engineering Report on certain aspects of the property, such as building foundation design. Covenants are often registered on the Certificate of Title to the land.
Controlled Activity - This is a term set out in the Resource Management Act 1991. A Controlled Activity means that a Resource Consent is required for the activity and the consent authority must grant the resource consent, except in certain cases. The consent authority has the power to impose certain conditions in granting the consent.
Conveyancing - This is the interaction with LINZ for the registration of interests in land. This is most commonly undertaken by Solicitors. Surveyors are unable, by law, to undertake this work on behalf of their clients. As surveyors, we undertake liaison with the subdivider's conveyancer to ensure that the subdivision is successfully concluded and that the land has interests appropriately registered.
CSD Plan - A series of sheets generated out of Landonline containing relevant survey information.
Deformation or Monitoring Survey - This is a survey where several repeat measurements are taken to a structure or the ground over time to determine movements in it. This provides useful information regarding how a structure or the ground is behaving under certain conditions. An example of this is to repeatedly measure the face of a water dam wall to determine whether the wall is moving, thereby indicating a possible failure of the wall. Another is to monitor the floor levels of a building to determine whether the floor is subsiding.
Development Contributions - These are a tax sometimes imposed by the District Council when a property is subdivided. They are imposed in order to meet the costs on existing public infrastructure caused by an increased use on the infrastructure by the additional properties being created. An example of increased use is where Council may have an existing sewer pipeline that was designed to carry the sewage from a set number of houses. When that number of homes is exceeded, then the Council is forced to upgrade the sewer main by replacing it with a larger sized pipe. These contributions are set by the Council, generally on an annual basis, and are reviewed in accordance with the Construction Cost Index.
Discharge Permit - Is a Resource consent issued by the Regional Council for discharges to land, water or air.
Discretionary Activity - This is defined in the Resource Management Act 1991 where a Resource Consent is required for the activity; and the consent authority may grant the resource consent with or without conditions or decline the resource consent; and the activity must comply with the standards, terms, or conditions, if any, specified in the District Plan.
District Plan - This is a document prepared by a Local Authority which controls land use and land development.
Easement - This is a right conveyed from one property to another property or entity. An example is where a rear property in a residential suburb uses the driveway over the front section to gain access to the road (Right of way easement).
Ecological Report - This is a document prepared to support or oppose an application for a Resource Consent. It contains information regarding the ecology of a feature of a property such as an area of bush or a wetland and how the particular development project may impact upon it. Another form of Ecological Report may cover the impact of a particular development on a particular species of plant or animal.
Engineering Plan - This is a drawing or set of drawings which show how a particular feature is to be built. These may include roads, sewers, water supply networks, and how a property may be recontoured to suit a particular development.
Environmental Impact Assessment - This is an assessment of the impact a particular activity may have on the environment. It may include reports, scientific studies, maps, plans, artist's impressions etc. The Resource Management Act 1991 requires that any adverse effects that are considered to be more than minor are to be adequately avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Environment Court - This Court deals with planning matters and provides rulings upon various planning matters and disputes.
Geotechnical Report - Is a report which covers geological, soils and hazards (land stability, flooding etc) information regarding a particular project. This can be an important part of an Assessment of Environmental Effects.
GPS - Global Positioning System - This is a system provided by the United States Government that contains satellites orbiting the earth. These satellites emit radio signals, which receivers can use to determine position. Surveyors use GPS for a number of applications. Techniques have been developed to obtain very accurate results using GPS.
Judicial Committee Hearing - The Judicial Committee is a group of Councilors of the Local Authority who hear evidence and make decisions on various planning applications. This Committee may be involved when a Resource Consent Application contains elements which do not comply with the Rules of the District Plan. Some local authorities employ Hearings Commissioners to fulfil this role.
Land Use Consent - This is a consent issued by the District Council for a particular land use activity which is not a permitted activity in the District Pan.
Legal Survey - Is a Cadastral Survey, which defines boundaries between properties. These surveys are controlled by various laws and regulations. LINZ (Land Information New Zealand) administers Legal Surveys. The survey work undertaken to peg a new subdivision is an example of a Legal Survey.
LIM Report - Land Information Memorandum. This is a document provided by the District Council upon application by an interested party. It provides all of the information the Council has on a particular property. Such information may include a copy of the title, services information, building information, Resource Consents issued, reports held by the Council and Council Rules which may affect the property etc.
Limited Notification - When the Local Authority is considering an application for a Resource Consent, they may consider particular parties to be potentially affected by the proposed activity. If the applicant has not provided the written consents of these affected parties, then the Council may serve notice on these parties and provide them with some time, usually one month, to provide a submission on the proposal. The Council will take notice of the content of the submissions when they contain information or comments regarding effects on that party, which may need to be avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Limited Title - This is a certificate of title which contains an endorsement which states "Limited as to Parcels", or "Limited as to Title". The latter case is very rare now. Limited as to parcels means that the boundary measurements and the area of the property are uncertain until a survey is undertaken and the limitations are removed. These limitations removal surveys can be more involved than ordinary boundary surveys because they require that boundary occupation (fences, buildings, walls) of sufficient age be taken into account as well as the survey plans and ground marking. Often these surveys require a wider area to be surveyed than just the landowner's property. Shortages and excesses of title distances are to be adjusted by various means to attain what measurements are actually available on the ground.
Maori Land - This is land which falls under the jurisdiction of the Maori Land Court.
Non-Complying Activity - This is an activity which does not comply with the rules of a District or Regional Plan
Parcel of Land - This is an area of land which is separately identified in the survey records. It may have known boundary dimensions and an area. A certificate of title may contain one or more parcels of land.
Permitted Activity - This is an activity which does comply with the rules of a District or Regional Plan, and that does not require a Resource Consent for the activity to occur.
PIM Report - Project Information Memorandum. This is a document provided by the District Council upon application by an interested party for a building consent. It provides all of the information the Council has on a particular property with respect to the building consent application. Such information may include a copy of the title, services information, building information, Resource Consents issued, reports held by the Council and Council Rules which may affect the property etc.
Public Notification - When the Local Authority is considering an application for a Resource Consent, they may consider there to be adverse effects created by the proposed activity, which may have wider effects than on known parties such as the immediate neighbours to the property. The Council may serve notice on parties whom they consider to be potentially affected and advertise the proposal in the local newspaper and provide some time, usually one month, for any party to provide a submission on the proposal. The Council will take notice of the content of the submissions when they contain information or comments regarding effects on that party, which may need to be avoided, remedied or mitigated.
Right of Way - This is a special type of easement which confers a right to pass and repass over a particular property.
Redefinition Survey - This is a boundary survey which locates boundaries that are already in existence. The boundary markers which were placed when the boundaries were created may have been lost over a long period of time, or may have been removed at some stage when the ground may have been disturbed. Examples of this disturbance are when a new service such as a phone cable is laid, or a new fenceline is put in.
Reserves Contribution - This is a tax levied by the District Council when a subdivision or development is undertaken. It is intended that these funds are used for the potential increase in the demand for parks and reserves created by the new subdivision or development.
Resource Consent - Includes a Land Use consent, Subdivision Consent, Coastal Permit, Water Permit or a Discharge Permit. The former two are dealt with by the District Council. The latter three are dealt with by the Regional Council. Refer to each type in this glossary for a definition.
Scheme Plan - This is a plan or set of plans which are prepared to support a subdivision consent or land use application.
Section 72 Notice - This is a memorial recorded on a certificate of title by the District Council when a building consent has been issued for a property where a known hazard may exist. Such hazards may include erosion, subsidence or inundation. Where such a notice is recorded on the title, the landowner may not be able to obtain insurance for a loss incurred as a result of the known hazard recorded.
Set Out - This is a survey operation where a position on a plan is indicated on the ground and usually marked with a peg or other mark.
Subdivision - Is the division of a title into two or more titles. It includes adjusting the boundaries between two titles. It may also include combining existing titles into fewer titles. This is a process where one or more titles are cancelled and new titles are issued in their place.
Subdivision Consent - This is a consent issued by the District Council which allows a property to be subdivided.
Theodolite - A surveying instrument which measures horizontal and vertical angles. This is often seen sitting on top of a surveyor's tripod and a surveyor looking through the telescope.
Title Plan - A series of sheets generated out of Landonline containing relevant title information.
Total Station - A surveying instrument which measures horizontal and vertical angles and is combined with an EDM unit. An EDM unit measures distances by emitting a beam of laser light which is then reflected off a prism or other reflective surface. The laser light propagates through air at a known speed. The EDM unit measures the time taken for the light to travel from the EDM to the target and back again, and calculates the distance from the known information. This instrument is often seen sitting on top of a surveyor's tripod and a surveyor looking through the telescope.
Traverse - This is a series of survey measurements undertaken by a surveyor. These sets of measurements are mathematically combined to answer certain questions, such as where is the boundary peg we are looking for.
Redefinition - This is a survey undertaken to find boundary marks which may have been lost or are no longer available.
Topo or Topographic Survey - This is a survey undertaken to measure the shape of the land and any features on the land.
Water Permit - A Resource Consent issued by the Regional Council to take, use, dam or divert water for some purpose.