Once the Environmental Health Division has granted a preliminary approval of the submitted certificate of survey, an identification (ID) number will be assigned to that survey. After the ID has been assigned, the Environmental Health Division with then forward a paper copy (the check print) of the certificate of survey to the Surveying Division of the Missoula County Department of Public Works for their review for errors and omissions.

The basis of the review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting by the Surveying Division are the established rules set forth by the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act, the Uniform Standards for Monumentation, and the Uniform Standards for Certificates of Survey. The Surveying Division also follows the regulations, resolutions, and standards adopted by the County of Missoula or the City of Missoula for the review of certificates of survey as it pertains to their jurisdiction.

Before a review for errors and omissions (referred to as the “courtesy review” by the Surveying Division) is carried out, a review fee must be received by the Surveying Division. For this, a review fee invoice will be forwarded to the land surveyor in charge of the survey. The review fee is as follows: $140.00 per survey for services of the County Surveyor (now known as the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor) to provide the errors and omissions review of certificates of survey (as per Resolution 2009-017).

Shortly after the review fee has been paid, a full review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting of the “as submitted” paper copy will be conducted. At the conclusion of that review, a comment letter will be forwarded to the land surveyor in charge of the survey. The land surveyor will also be forwarded either a reduced paper copy or an electronic copy (.pdf format), whichever is chosen by the land surveyor in charge of the survey, of the submitted copy showing the required corrections, if any.

In order to verify the certificate of survey includes any additional requirements called for in the approval letter issued by the governing body or their designated department, please be sure a paper copy or an electronic copy of the approval letter is forwarded to the Examining Land Surveyor.

If the land surveyor chooses to have the same survey re-checked after it has been reviewed by the Surveying Division, a review fee equal to the original amount would be assessed. That fee must be paid before the second courtesy review will take place. Subsequent reviews will also require the full fee. If no re-check is requested, all drawings necessary to fulfill the Uniform Standard’s requirements for the filing of a certificate of survey, referred to as a “record set” by Missoula County, shall be submitted to this office for final review and approval.

A “record set” recognized by Missoula County consists of one (1) reproducible copy on stable base polyester film (3 mil or heavier) or equivalent, and one (1) white paper copy (3 mil or heavier) utilizing black ink (no other color). The record set is required to include the dated signature and the seal of the surveyor responsible for the survey. The record set must be legibly drawn with permanent ink or produced by a process guaranteeing a permanent record and must be 18 inches by 24 inches, or 24 inches by 36 inches overall, and include a 1 1/2" inch margin on the left binding side. A poorly drawn or illegible record set or a record set of insufficient quality to assure acceptability for micro-filming will be rejected.

When a record set is submitted, it will be reviewed for errors and omissions prior to signing by the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor. There is no charge for this review. The record set will be compared to the previously reviewed paper copy. If the record set still contains errors noted in the previously reviewed paper copy, or if new errors are discovered, the final review will be suspended and the land surveyor will be notified. The land surveyor may then either choose to retrieve and correct the record set which must include an affidavit of correction noting what corrections were made to the original record set, or to submit a new one. The affidavit of correction will be reviewed and approved by the Surveying Division prior to the final approval of the record set by the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor. This affidavit is to accompany the record set when it is offered for filing with the Clerk and Recorders Office.

As an alternative, the land surveyor may choose to forward a written request to the Surveying Division that an additional courtesy review of the record set be completed. The applicable review fee must accompany that request.

If the submitted record set contains a different number of parcels or tracts as compared to the previous courtesy review, or if the survey altered the configuration of the parcels or tracts, or added or subtracted items from the previous courtesy review, an additional review fee will be assessed. Once the additional review fee has been paid, a review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting will commence.

After the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor of the Surveying Division has approved the record set; the land surveyor in charge of the survey will be contacted by telephone informing them of its approval. It is then that land surveyor’s responsibility to retrieve the record set in order to secure any and all other necessary signatures and approvals from the applicable departments.

If anyone, other than the land surveyor in charge of the survey or an employee of that surveyor, wishes to take the record set from the office of the Surveying Division, the land surveyor in charge of the survey must authorize in writing to this office its release to an individual.

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Procedure for the review of subdivision plats

and amending subdivisions plats

All subdivision plats and amending subdivision plats presented for review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting (sometimes referred to as check prints) are to be submitted to the Surveying Division of the Missoula County Department of Public Works.

For specifics regarding the submittal of subdivision plats and amending subdivision plats presented for sanitary approval to the Environmental Health Division of the Missoula City-County Health Department for their review, you will need to contact them.

The basis of the review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting by the Surveying Division are the established rules set forth by the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act, the Uniform Standards for Monumentation, the Uniform Standards for Certificates of Survey, and the Uniform Standards for Final Subdivision Plats. The Surveying Division also follows the regulations, resolutions, and standards adopted by the County of Missoula or the City of Missoula for the review as it pertains to their jurisdiction.

Before a review for errors and omissions (referred to as the “courtesy review” by the Surveying Division) is carried out, a review fee must be received by the Surveying Division. For this, a review fee invoice will be forwarded to the land surveyor in charge of the survey. The review fee is as follows: $35.00 per lot, tract, or parcel for services of the County Surveyor (now known as the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor) to provide the errors and omissions review of amending subdivision plats and subdivision plats (as per Resolution 2009-017).

Shortly after the review fee has been paid, a full review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting of the “as submitted” paper copy will be conducted. At the conclusion of that review, a comment letter will be forwarded to the land surveyor in charge of the survey. The land surveyor will also be forwarded either a reduced paper copy or an electronic copy (.pdf format), whichever is chosen by the land surveyor in charge of the survey, of the submitted copy showing the required corrections, if any.

In order to verify the subdivision plat or amending subdivision plat includes any additional requirements called for in the conditions of approval letter for the subdivision plat or the approval letter for the amending subdivision plat issued by the governing body or their designated department, please be sure a paper copy or an electronic copy of the approval letter is forwarded to the Examining Land Surveyor.

If the land surveyor chooses to have the same plat re-checked after it has been reviewed by the Surveying Division, a review fee equal to the original amount would be assessed. That fee must be paid before the second courtesy review will take place. Subsequent reviews will also require the full fee. If no re-check is requested, all drawings necessary to fulfill the Uniform Standard’s requirements for the filing of an amending subdivision plat or subdivision plat, referred to as a “record set” by Missoula County, shall be submitted to this office for final review and approval.

A “record set” recognized by Missoula County consists of one (1) reproducible copy on stable base polyester film (3 mil or heavier) or equivalent, and one (1) white paper copy (3 mil or heavier) utilizing black ink (no other color). The record set is required to include the dated signature and the seal of the surveyor responsible for the survey. The record set must be legibly drawn with permanent ink or produced by a process guaranteeing a permanent record and shall be 24 inches by 36 inches overall, and include a 1 1/2" inch margin on the left binding side. A poorly drawn or illegible record set or a record set of insufficient quality to assure acceptability for micro-filming will be rejected.

When a record set is submitted, it will be reviewed for errors and omissions prior to signing by the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor. There is no charge for this review. The record set will be compared to the previously reviewed paper copy. If the record set still contains errors noted in the previously reviewed paper copy, or if new errors are discovered, the final review will be suspended and the land surveyor will be notified. The land surveyor may then either choose to retrieve and correct the record set which must include an affidavit of correction noting what corrections were made to the original record set, or to submit a new one. The affidavit of correction will be reviewed and approved by the Surveying Division prior to the final approval of the record set by the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor. This affidavit is to accompany the record set when it is offered for filing with the Clerk and Recorders Office.

As an alternative, the land surveyor may choose to forward a written request to the Surveying Division that an additional courtesy review of the record set be completed. The applicable review fee must accompany that request.

If the submitted record set contains a different number of lots or parcels as compared to the previous courtesy review, or if the survey altered the configuration of the lots or parcels, or added or subtracted items from the previous courtesy review, an additional review fee will be assessed. Once the additional review fee has been paid, a review for errors and omissions in calculations and drafting will commence.

After the Assistant Director of Public Works – Examining Land Surveyor of the Surveying Division has approved the record set; the land surveyor in charge of the survey will be contacted by telephone informing them of its approval. It is then that land surveyor’s responsibility to retrieve the record set in order to secure any and all other necessary signatures and approvals from the applicable departments.

If anyone, other than the land surveyor in charge of the survey or an employee of that surveyor, wishes to take the record set from the office of the Surveying Division, the land surveyor in charge of the survey must authorize in writing to this office its release to an individual.

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Checklists for Subdivisions and Certificates of Survey

• Certificate of Survey Checklist
• City Amended Checklist
• City Final Checklist
• County Amended Checklist
• County Final Checklist

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