Boundary Line Adjustment Surveys in Kitsap County
DC Surveying can help property owners identify where property lines start and end helping establish where land ownership starts and ends. This can be important with constructing new structures, finding the division between tidelands and shorelines, or settling disputes between two or more parties. We serve all residents in Kitsap, Jefferson, and Mason Counties.
What is a Boundary Line Adjustment Survey?
A boundary line adjustment, or BLA, changes the line between two or more existing pieces of land. It is not the same as subdividing land because it does not add any new lots.
A BLA is often used when the current property line does not match how the land is being used. For example, a shed may sit partly over the line, a shared driveway may need to be cleaned up, or one owner may want to buy a small strip of land from a neighbor. A BLA helps make the property records match the real use of the land.
The county or city reviews the request to make sure each lot still follows local rules and regulations. This includes zoning, setbacks, access, septic areas, and minimum lot size. Once approved, a survey map and new legal descriptions are prepared. The owners sign the needed documents, and the final papers are recorded with the county auditor. This makes the new property line legal and clear for future owners
What does a boundary survey include?
Which Service Best fits Your Situation?
| Your situation | The right tool |
|---|---|
| Not sure where your lines or corners are | Boundary survey |
| Building a fence, garage, or addition near a line | Boundary survey with corner staking |
| A structure or driveway sits over the line | Boundary survey, then often a boundary line adjustment |
| You and a neighbor want to trade or sell a strip of land | Boundary line adjustment |
| You want to create new lots to sell or build on | Short plat |
Who Orders or Requests These Surveys?
Homeowners usually order boundary work when they are planning a project near a property line. This can include fences, garages, sheds, additions, driveways, easements, and land clearing across the Kitsap Peninsula, Bainbridge Island, and along the shores of Hood Canal south to Mason County.
A boundary survey can also help solve confusion with a neighbor. If a fence is in the wrong place, a driveway crosses the line, or a yard has been used a certain way for many years, the survey helps show what the deed and property records say.
Commercial landowners use boundary surveys and BLA’s to make sure the property is ready for the next step. Before a sale, lease, refinance, or building permit, clean parcel lines can help reduce questions from buyers, lenders, title companies, and city or county staff.
Common Answers to Boundary Line and Survey Questions Asked:
Usually a few months, covering the survey, the county or city review, and the recording. Simple adjustments move faster.
No. GIS maps are for general reference and can be off by several feet or more. Only a field survey conducted by a licensed surveyor (like DC Surveying) can identify the true property line.
Yes. DC Surveying sets durable monuments at your corners and can place stakes or flagging along the lines so you can reference them while you build or complete your project.
Start with a boundary survey so everyone is working from facts. Many issues get solved with a friendly talk, a boundary line adjustment, or an easement. If it turns into a dispute, you may then need to seek legal assistance but having a BLA done should help.
Usually not. Fences are often built off the line for convenience. A long-standing fence can raise legal questions, and we advise consulting a local attorney who can explain how those rules work in the State of Washington.
Fixing encroachments, trading land between neighbors, straightening odd lines, and making a lot work better for a project.
Boundary line adjustments cannot create a new lot, and they cannot leave any lot in violation of zoning, setback, or septic rules.
Yes. We recommend that every owner involved signs the application and the deeds that transfer the land.
When DC Surveying sets new monuments, Washington state law requires a record of survey to be filed with the county auditor. That protects you, because future surveyors and buyers rely on that data.
How the BLA Process Works
Your title company prepares a title commitment that lists the recorded documents affecting the property. We review those documents, measure the site in the field, and prepare a draft map that shows how everything fits together. Once the parties review the draft, we sign and certify the final survey to those named in the deal.
Local Knowledge Matters: DC Surveying
Many Kitsap boundaries come from plats drawn a century ago, and old surveys do not always agree with each other. Waterfront parcels add tideland lines and shifting shorelines to the puzzle.
The team at DC Surveying has served Kitsap, Mason, Jefferson Counties as well as Bainbridge Island for decades. We have the knowledge and expertise
so we know the local plats, the quirks, and how to resolve them. We likely were part of your properties original survey when the boundary lines were set.
Contact DC Surveying Today
Not sure where your line is, or ready to move one? Contact DC Surveying here in Poulsbo. We will take a look at any current records and walk you through the process.