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SB-414 Land.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 07/16/2021 09:00 PM
SB414:v96#DOCUMENT

Senate Bill No. 414
CHAPTER 106

An act to amend Sections 8726, 8764, and 8780 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 66452.5 of the Government Code, relating to land.

[ Approved by Governor  July 16, 2021. Filed with Secretary of State  July 16, 2021. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 414, Jones. Land.
(1) Existing law, the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of land surveyors by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists and makes it unlawful to practice land surveying without a license, except as specified. Existing law includes within the practice of land surveying cadastral surveying.
This bill would define cadastral surveying for purposes of the act.
Existing law requires a record of survey filed with the county surveyor by a licensed surveyor or licensed civil engineer to include, among other information, any data necessary for the intelligent interpretation of the various items and locations of the points, lines, and areas shown, or convenient for the identification of the survey or surveyor.
This bill would provide that this data may be in graphic or narrative form. The bill would make nonsubstantive changes relating to licensed land surveyors and civil engineers.
(2) The Subdivision Map Act authorizes a subdivider, or any tenant of the subject property in specified circumstances, to appeal from an action of the advisory agency relating to a tentative map to the appeal board or legislative body, as specified, and provides for the appeal from the decision of the appeal board to the legislative body. The act further authorizes any interested person adversely affected by a decision of the advisory agency or appeal board to appeal the decision with the legislative body. Existing law requires a hearing to be held after an appeal is filed pursuant to those provisions within 30 days after the request is filed by the appellant.
This bill would instead require a hearing to be held within 45 days after the request is filed and would make conforming changes.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 8726 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

8726.
 (a) A person, including any person employed by the state or by a city, county, or city and county within the state, practices land surveying within the meaning of this chapter who, either in a public or private capacity, does or offers to do any one or more of the following:
(1) Locates, relocates, establishes, reestablishes, or retraces the alignment or elevation for any of the fixed works embraced within the practice of civil engineering, as described in Section 6731.
(2) Determines the configuration or contour of the earth’s surface, or the position of fixed objects above, on, or below the surface of the earth by applying the principles of mathematics or photogrammetry.
(3) Locates, relocates, establishes, reestablishes, or retraces any property line or boundary of any parcel of land, right-of-way, easement, or alignment of those lines or boundaries.
(4) Makes any survey for the subdivision or resubdivision of any tract of land. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term “subdivision” or “resubdivision” shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, the definition in the Subdivision Map Act (Division 2 (commencing with Section 66410) of Title 7 of the Government Code) or the Subdivided Lands Law (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Part 2 of Division 4 of this code).
(5) By the use of the principles of land surveying determines the position for any monument or reference point that marks a property line, boundary, or corner, or sets, resets, or replaces any monument or reference point.
(6) Geodetic surveying or cadastral surveying. As used in this chapter:
(A) Geodetic surveying means performing surveys, in which account is taken of the figure and size of the earth to determine or predetermine the horizontal or vertical positions of fixed objects thereon or related thereto, geodetic control points, monuments, or stations for use in the practice of land surveying or for stating the position of fixed objects, geodetic control points, monuments, or stations by California Coordinate System coordinates.
(B) Cadastral surveying means performing a survey that creates, marks, defines, retraces, or reestablishes the boundaries and subdivisions of the public land survey system of the United States.
(7) Determines the information shown or to be shown on any map or document prepared or furnished in connection with any one or more of the functions described in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive.
(8) Indicates, in any capacity or in any manner, by the use of the title “land surveyor” or by any other title or by any other representation that they practice or offer to practice land surveying in any of its branches.
(9) Procures or offers to procure land surveying work for themselves or others.
(10) Manages, or conducts as manager, proprietor, or agent, any place of business from which land surveying work is solicited, performed, or practiced.
(11) Coordinates the work of professional, technical, or special consultants in connection with the activities authorized by this chapter.
(12) Determines the information shown or to be shown within the description of any deed, trust deed, or other title document prepared for the purpose of describing the limit of real property in connection with any one or more of the functions described in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive.
(13) Creates, prepares, or modifies electronic or computerized data in the performance of the activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (11), and (12).
(14) Renders a statement regarding the accuracy of maps or measured survey data.
(b) Any department or agency of the state or any city, county, or city and county that has an unregistered person in responsible charge of land surveying work on January 1, 1986, shall be exempt from the requirement that the person be licensed as a land surveyor until the person currently in responsible charge is replaced.
(c) The review, approval, or examination by a governmental entity of documents prepared or performed pursuant to this section shall be done by, or under the direct supervision of, a person authorized to practice land surveying.

SEC. 2.

 Section 8764 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

8764.
 (a) The record of survey shall show the applicable provisions of the following consistent with the purpose of the survey:
(1) All monuments found, set, reset, replaced, or removed, describing their kind, size, and location, and giving other data relating thereto.
(2) Bearing or witness monuments, basis of bearings, bearing and length of lines, scale of map, and north arrow.
(3) Name and legal designation of the property in which the survey is located, and the date or time period of the survey.
(4) The relationship to those portions of adjacent tracts, streets, or senior conveyances that have common lines with the survey.
(5) Memorandum of oaths.
(6) Statements required by Section 8764.5.
(7) Any other data, in graphic or narrative form, necessary for the intelligent interpretation of the various items and locations of the points, lines, and areas shown, or convenient for the identification of the survey or surveyor, as may be determined by the civil engineer or land surveyor preparing the record of survey.
(b) The record of survey shall also show, either graphically or by note, the reason or reasons, if any, why the mandatory filing provisions of paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 8762 apply.
(c) The record of survey need not consist of a survey of an entire property.

SEC. 3.

 Section 8780 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

8780.
 (a) The board may, upon its own initiative or upon the receipt of a complaint, investigate the actions of any land surveyor licensed under this chapter or any civil engineer licensed under the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) who is legally authorized to practice land surveying and make findings thereon.
(b) By a majority vote, the board may publicly reprove, suspend for a period not to exceed two years, or revoke the license or certificate of any land surveyor licensed under this chapter or civil engineer licensed under the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) who is legally authorized to practice land surveying on any of the following grounds:
(1) Any fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in their practice of land surveying.
(2) Any negligence in their practice of land surveying.
(3) Any incompetence in their practice of land surveying.
(4) Any fraud or deceit in obtaining their license.
(5) Any violation of any provision of this chapter or of any other law relating to or involving the practice of land surveying.
(6) Any conviction of a crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a land surveyor. The record of the conviction shall be conclusive evidence thereof.
(7) Aiding or abetting any person in the violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted by the board pursuant to this chapter.
(8) A breach or violation of a contract to provide land surveying services.
(9) A violation in the course of the practice of land surveying of a rule or regulation of unprofessional conduct adopted by the board.

SEC. 4.

 Section 66452.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

66452.5.
 (a) (1) The subdivider, or any tenant of the subject property, in the case of a proposed conversion of residential real property to a condominium project, community apartment project, or stock cooperative project, may appeal from any action of the advisory agency with respect to a tentative map to the appeal board established by local ordinance or, if none, to the legislative body.
(2) The appeal shall be filed with the clerk of the appeal board, or if there is none, with the clerk of the legislative body within 10 days after the action of the advisory agency from which the appeal is being taken.
(3) Upon the filing of an appeal, the appeal board or legislative body shall set the matter for hearing. The hearing shall be held within 45 days after the date of a request filed by the subdivider or the appellant. If there is no regular meeting of the legislative body within the next 45 days for which notice can be given pursuant to Section 66451.3, the appeal may be heard at the next regular meeting for which notice can be given, or within 60 days from the date of the receipt of the request, whichever period is shorter. Within 10 days following the conclusion of the hearing, the appeal board or legislative body shall render its decision on the appeal.
(b) (1) The subdivider, any tenant of the subject property, in the case of a conversion of residential real property to a condominium project, community apartment project, or stock cooperative project, or the advisory agency may appeal from the action of the appeal board to the legislative body. The appeal shall be filed in writing with the clerk of the legislative body within 10 days after the action of the appeal board from which the appeal is being taken.
(2) After the filing of an appeal, the legislative body shall set the matter for hearing. The hearing shall be held within 45 days after the date of the request filed by the subdivider or the appellant. If there is no regular meeting of the legislative body within the next 45 days for which notice can be given pursuant to Section 66451.3, the appeal may be heard at the next regular meeting for which notice can be given, or within 60 days from the date of the receipt of the request, whichever period is shorter. Within 10 days following the conclusion of the hearing, the legislative body shall render its decision on the appeal.
(c) (1) If there is an appeal board and it fails to act upon an appeal within the time limit specified in this chapter, the decision from which the appeal was taken shall be deemed affirmed and an appeal therefrom may thereupon be taken to the legislative body as provided in subdivision (b) of this section. If no further appeal is taken, the tentative map, insofar as it complies with applicable requirements of this division and any local ordinance, shall be deemed approved or conditionally approved as last approved or conditionally approved by the advisory agency, and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the legislative body to certify or state that approval, or if the advisory agency is one that is not authorized by local ordinance to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the tentative map, the advisory agency shall submit its report to the legislative body as if no appeal had been taken.
(2) If the legislative body fails to act upon an appeal within the time limit specified in this chapter, the tentative map, insofar as it complies with applicable requirements of this division and any local ordinance, shall be deemed to be approved or conditionally approved as last approved or conditionally approved, and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the legislative body to certify or state that approval.
(d) (1) Any interested person adversely affected by a decision of the advisory agency or appeal board may file an appeal with the legislative body concerning any decision of the advisory agency or appeal board. The appeal shall be filed with the clerk of the legislative body within 10 days after the action of the advisory agency or appeal board that is the subject of the appeal. Upon the filing of the appeal, the legislative body shall set the matter for hearing. The hearing shall be held within 45 days after the date of a request filed by the subdivider or the appellant. If there is no regular meeting of the legislative body within the next 45 days for which notice can be given pursuant to Section 66451.3, the appeal may be heard at the next regular meeting for which notice can be given, or within 60 days from the date of the receipt of the request, whichever period is shorter. The hearing may be a public hearing for which notice shall be given in the time and manner provided.
(2) Upon conclusion of the hearing, the legislative body shall, within 10 days, declare its findings based upon the testimony and documents produced before it or before the advisory board or the appeal board. The legislative body may sustain, modify, reject, or overrule any recommendations or rulings of the advisory board or the appeal board and may make any findings that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or any local ordinance adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(e) Each decision made pursuant to this section shall be supported by findings that are consistent with the provisions of this division and any local ordinance adopted pursuant to this division.
(f) Notice of each hearing provided for in this section shall be sent by United States mail to each tenant of the subject property, in the case of a conversion of residential real property to a condominium project, community apartment project, or stock cooperative project, at least three days prior to the hearing. The notice requirement of this subdivision shall be deemed satisfied if the notice complies with the legal requirements for service by mail. Pursuant to Section 66451.2, fees may be collected from the subdivider or from persons appealing or filing an appeal for expenses incurred under this section.