if my land title on SLOPING property says that my lot is 30 meters long, does this mean it is really smaller?

Question

if my land title on SLOPING property says that my lot is 30 meters long, does this mean it is really smaller than 30 meters if i measure it horizontally? I mean, did the geodetic engineers who measured the lot use the natural sloping countour of the property when determining length for the land title, INSTEAD of the horizontal distance? I am asking this since I plan to build a house on the property and don't know what is the maximum single storey house floor area i can build on the property. Thanks.

Two people here have given me 2 conflicting answers. Which is correct?

Answer 1

Land surveys are always done along the surface of the ground being measured, that was the only way to do it when surveys were done by hand and without electronic instruments.

The interesting thing is that you will have to design a house with a purely horizontal floor plane - so the "ground line" will be along the edge of a polygon with the floor plane as the opposite side and the two walls as the vertical sides.

From a zoning and legal standpoint, you are safe to use the 30 meters in your title deed, but there is a very real engineering problem to be worked out. Get a good architect to work with you.

Edited to add for John S:

Your statement is correct, but even rural land is measured in a series of horizontal traverses, so it "follows" the slope of the land. The effect is more pronounced on larger parcels, but in more urbanized towns and cities with zoning bylaws the survey measurement refers to the "on the ground" distance, which may occasionally create a zoning problem when you are determining setbacks and the like on a steeply sloped lots. We're not really disagreeing on how the land is measured.

Answer 2

I would disagree. Farmers that buy land to farm would always want rolling land because they get more surface in the same amount of acreage. If I have a hill on my property and I level it, I do not lose acreage. Are city lots measured differently than farm land.

Answer 3

A meter is equal to 98.42519685039 feet US

Surely you aren't going to build a house that size...

The land is surveyed on the surface. Remember that when land was first surveyed it was done with standard lengths of chain, thus surveyors are often referred to as rod and chain men.

Answer 4

Yup...30 meters running. Here in northern Kentucky we are at the southern edge of a glacier terminus and almost all of the houses are built on ridges meaning walkout basements and decks and generally lots with nothing behind you.