10.2 Drafting Standards, Text Styles, and Title Block Preparation

10.2 Drafting Standards, Text Styles, and Title Block Preparation

A well-drafted survey plat communicates legal, spatial, and engineering information clearly to clients, municipal planning boards, contractors, and courtrooms. Beyond linework and symbols, text clarity, dimensioning precision, structured plan notes, curve data tables, and title block layout form the core framework of professional drafting standards.

---

Text Height and Readability at Plot Scale

Text in CAD model space must be sized relative to the intended plot scale so that when printed onto physical paper (e.g., Arch D $24" \times 36"$ or ANSI B $11" \times 17"$), all annotations are perfectly legible.

Plotted Paper Text Heights (Standard Rules of Thumb)

• Minimum Legible Text (Minor Labels, Spot Heights): $0.08 \text{ inches } (2.0 \text{ mm})$
• Standard Body Text (Dimensions, Callouts, General Text): $0.10 \text{ inches } (2.5 \text{ mm})$
• Subheadings & Major Feature Callouts: $0.14 \text{ inches } (3.5 \text{ mm})$
• Sheet Titles & Title Block Project Name: $0.20 - 0.25 \text{ inches } (5.0 - 6.0 \text{ mm})$

Model Space Text Height Formula

To compute the required text height in CAD model space, multiply the desired paper text height by the Drawing Scale Factor:

$\text{Model Space Text Height} = \text{Plotted Text Height (inches)} \times \text{Scale Factor}$

Where Scale Factor is the number of real-world units per drawing unit (e.g., at $1" = 50'$, Scale Factor $= 50$).

Example Calculation: If a plan is drawn at $1" = 40'$ and subheadings must plot at $0.14"$ tall, the model space height is $0.14 \times 40 = 5.6 \text{ feet}$.

Annotation Scaling in Modern CAD

Modern CAD software (AutoCAD / Civil 3D) utilizes Annotation Scale. When annotative text, dimensions, or blocks are assigned an annotation scale, the software automatically adjusts the model space display size depending on the viewport scale active in layout paper space. This eliminates the need to duplicate text objects when creating detail viewports at different scales.

---

Text Styles and Font Standards

To maintain legibility across high-speed plotters, reproduction copiers, and digital PDF viewports:

• Font Selection: Use clear, monospaced or clean sans-serif single-stroke technical fonts such as Simplex.shx, Leroy.shx, Arial.ttf, or ISOCPEUR. Decorative, cursive, or complex serif fonts (like Times New Roman) are strictly prohibited in technical linework annotation.
• Capitalization: All technical callouts, plan notes, title block labels, and boundary descriptions should be written in ALL CAPS.
• Width Factor & Obliquing: Keep font width factor between 0.90 and 1.0. Obliquing (slanting) angles should only be applied to specialized features like watercourse names or sewer flow directions.

---

Dimensioning Styles, Plan Notes, and Callouts

1. Survey Boundary Dimensioning

• Bearings: Expressed in Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds ($D^{\circ} M' S''$), aligned parallel to the property line (e.g., $\text{N } 45^{\circ} 12' 30'' \text{ E}$). Read directions clockwise around the boundary traverse.
• Distances: Expressed in U.S. Survey Feet or International Feet to two decimal places (hundredths of a foot, e.g., $145.82'$), or three decimal places for high-precision control points.

2. Plan Notes

• General Notes: Located in a block on Sheet 1. Covers global project attributes:
  1. Horizontal Datum (e.g., NAD83 2011 Epoch 2010.00 State Plane Zone).
  2. Vertical Datum (e.g., NAVD88 established by GNSS observation).
  3. Basis of Bearings statement.
  4. Source of boundary title research and deed reference numbers.
  5. Date of field survey performance.
  6. Underground utility warning note (e.g., "Call 811 Before Digging").
• Specific Key Notes: Tagged callouts using numbered flags or hexagons matching numbered items in a key note table (e.g., [1] = "Found 1/2-inch iron pin 0.3' below grade").

3. Boundary Callouts

• Monument Callouts: Fully describe physical monuments found or set (e.g., FOUND 5/8" REBAR W/ ALUM CAP 'PLS 9876').
• Adjoiner Callouts: Identify neighboring property owners and legal recording references (e.g., N/F JANE DOE, DEED BOOK 412, PAGE 88).

---

Boundary Curve Tables

When a property boundary includes circular arc segments (such as road cul-de-sacs or curved rights-of-way), crowding long curve callouts along linework makes drawings unreadable. Instead, curve segments are tagged (C1, C2, C3) and detailed in a Curve Table.

Key Horizontal Curve Parameters

• Delta ($\Delta$): Central angle subtended by the arc.
• Radius ($R$): Radius of the circular arc.
• Arc Length ($L$): Distance measured along the curved arc: $L = R \times \Delta_{\text{rad}}$.
• Chord Length ($C$): Straight-line distance between Point of Curvature (PC) and Point of Tangency (PT): $C = 2 R \sin\left(\frac{\Delta}{2}\right)$.
• Chord Bearing ($CB$): Compass bearing of the straight chord line.

---

Title Block Preparation & Vicinity Maps

The Title Block is the official administrative panel of a survey plat, situated along the right boundary or bottom margin of the sheet.

Required Title Block Elements:

1. Professional Firm Information: Company name, address, contact info, and business license number.
2. Client & Project Title: Project name, street address, municipality, county, and state.
3. Drawing Scale & Bar Scale: Written scale (e.g., $1" = 30'$) and graphic bar scale.
4. Date & Author: Date of completion, drafted by initials, checked by initials.
5. Sheet Numbering: Sequential page identification (e.g., Sheet 2 of 5).
6. Revision Block: Table recording revision numbers, description of changes, dates, and author initials.
7. Surveyor Seal & Signature Block: Designated empty area reserved for the Professional Land Surveyor's (PLS) embossed or digital seal, signature, and license renewal date.

Vicinity Map (Location Map)

A small inset map placed in the upper corner of the plat (typically scaled at $1" = 1,000'$ to $1" = 2,000'$ or N.T.S. Not to Scale). Its sole purpose is to locate the subject property within the regional transportation network, showing major intersecting roads, water bodies, and municipal borders, complete with its own North arrow.