Surveys
The City conducts surveys to locate, describe, monument and map the boundaries of a parcel of land. Sometimes surveys include topography and the location of buildings on the parcel. This information is used before construction projects and also provides important historical reference.
The Survey staff:
- Preserves, improves and maintains the City's century-old boundary monument system
- Creates topographic site maps to support design and pre-construction projects
- Provides stakeout and support services for City construction projects
- Retraces and analyzes boundaries, prepares deeds and provides expert testimony for other City departments
Some information about survey terms:
Boundaries are property lines usually created by written documents, such as land deeds. These documents give specific location information. Sometimes boundaries have not been written, but are established through long-time occupation of land.
Monuments are objects that mark corners of property. In the past, many monuments were natural, such as a tree or a creek. Today, monuments are set by surveyors and are man-made, such as a pipe or an iron pin.
Maps/GIS—Detailed Views of Oakland
You can use a variety of tools to explore Oakland and the city's infrastructure.
Oakland GIS Tool
Central ArcSDE geodatabase with aerial photos, parcel, street, sewer information and more. Click on the question mark under “Details” for user instructions
Capital Improvement Program Application (CIP)
Projects that are designed to upgrade and improve the City’s infrastructure including building facilities, parks/open space, streets, sidewalks, and sewers. Projects involving maintenance and repair of existing facilities are not shown here.
