Legal Definitions - plat

A plat primarily refers to a detailed map or diagram that illustrates a specific parcel of land and its various features. This map is typically prepared by a licensed surveyor and includes crucial information such as property boundaries, the division of land into individual lots, the location of streets, alleys, and public rights-of-way, and any easements (rights for others to use a portion of the land for specific purposes, like utilities). Plats are often required by local governments before land can be developed or subdivided, ensuring that new constructions comply with zoning laws and infrastructure plans. Less commonly, "plat" can also refer to a small, defined piece of land itself.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of a plat:

• New Residential Development: Imagine a real estate developer planning to build a new neighborhood with 50 single-family homes. Before any construction can begin or individual lots can be sold, the developer must submit a detailed plat to the local planning department. This plat will precisely show the boundaries of the entire development, how it's divided into 50 individual building lots, the exact layout of new streets, sidewalks, and common areas like parks, and where utility lines (water, sewer, electricity) will run. The city reviews this plat to ensure it meets zoning requirements, road standards, and environmental regulations before granting approval.

  This example illustrates how a plat is used to formally plan and delineate a large parcel of land into smaller, buildable units, along with all necessary infrastructure and public access points.

• Dividing a Large Rural Property: Consider an individual who inherits a large, undeveloped rural property and wishes to divide it into three smaller parcels to sell to different buyers. To legally divide the property, the owner commissions a surveyor to create a plat. This plat will precisely delineate the boundaries of the original large parcel and then show the new, distinct boundaries for each of the three smaller parcels. It will also indicate any access roads or shared driveways, and potentially any easements for utilities that might cross the new property lines. This plat is then recorded with the county, officially establishing the new legal descriptions for each parcel.

  This example demonstrates how a plat is essential for legally subdividing an existing property into multiple new parcels, providing clear legal descriptions for each.

• Establishing Utility Access: A municipality needs to run a new public water main across several privately owned properties to serve a growing area. The municipality would create or reference an existing plat that clearly shows the affected properties. On this plat, they would mark the specific path where the water main will be laid, establishing a utility easement. This plat, once recorded, legally grants the municipality the right to access that specific strip of land for installation, maintenance, and repair of the water main, even though the land remains privately owned.

  This example highlights how a plat is used to formally document and establish easements, granting specific rights to use portions of private land for public or private purposes.