The corner must be located on the map using both direction and distance from a known reference. A bearing provides the direction from the reference line or point, and the distance gives how far along that direction the corner lies. Together, bearing and distance uniquely fix the corner’s position on the map. Distance alone doesn’t specify where along a line the point sits, and a radius/arc describes curves rather than a straight boundary corner. While GPS coordinates can be used in modern surveys, the standard way to tie a corner for a survey map is by bearing and distance.

Monuments are markers that establish and perpetuate land boundaries. If there’s an existing monument that is undisturbed and adequately marks the boundary, there’s no reason to place another one. Adding a new monument when the current marker already defines the boundary wastes time and money and can create confusion if measurements don’t perfectly align. New monuments are warranted only when the existing marker is disturbed, missing, or inadequate to perpetuate the boundary, or when reestablishing the line after a break in the chain of title. Landowner requests don’t by themselves justify monumenting, and an unclear boundary isn’t automatically a reason to place a new marker without first verifying the boundary. So the situation where no monument should be placed is precisely when the existing monument is undisturbed and adequate.

Remote sensing surveys rely on data captured from a distance using sensors on aircraft or satellites, not by people on the ground with traditional instruments. In the Tennessee surveying practice taxonomy, this approach falls under Category IV. Category IV is assigned to methods that obtain information from remotely sensed data, rather than from on-site ground measurements. The other categories relate to field-based, conventional measurement methods, which is why remote sensing is the separate Category IV.

Soundings, the measured depths or elevations shown on a survey plan, are traditionally drawn in black. Black ink provides the clearest contrast and remains legible when copies or scans are produced in grayscale, which is common in field reports andoffice workflows. Using black also helps the numerical elevation data stand out amid other color-coded features, reducing confusion with things like proposed features, utilities, or water features that might be colored differently. While some contexts may use blue for hydrographic data or other colors for specific categories, the established practice for soundings on standard survey drawings is black.