Land Transfer
Policy
Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL LAND TRANSFERS

All deeds and land contracts must be checked and stamped by the Wood County Land Parcel Division. All scriveners of instruments of conveyance are encouraged to have descriptions checked prior to the actual time of conveyance since the time required to check the descriptions may be lengthy. This prior checking will avoid delays and allow time for any corrections that may be necessary. (7 days)

Any subdivision or parcel split is subject to the Wood County subdivision regulations and applicable zoning regulations.

Any subdivision or split of an existing lot must have an accurate description to establish a tax structure for the portion being conveyed. This enables the county offices to determine the residual land (remaining balance) based on existing records.

All reference to cities, villages, roads, recorded plats, railroads, streams, etc.., must use current or existing names of record. Old or original names or numbers may be used along with, but not in place of, the current name or number for chain of title purposes.

Whenever the intent of any deed or land contract is to convey ownership of an adjacent parcel for the purpose of expanding the use of an existing parcel, and such parcel cannot be combined with the existing parcel into a single parcel, and such proposed conveyance does not meet planning commission regulations, the statement "the above described parcel cannot be conveyed separately or independently of property described in volume ____, page _____, of Wood County Deed Records without prior approval by the Wood County Planning Commission" shall be stated on said instrument.

Every deed or land contract shall have its existing parcel number stated on said instrument. The previous volume and page shall be on all deeds and land contracts following the legal description.

It is required that all deeds or land contracts leave adequate space for affixing the necessary certifications by the Engineer and Auditor by designating a bottom margin of at least three inches of vertical space from left to right, and a top, left-side, and right-side margin of at least one-half inch on the LAST PAGE of the instrument and by designating a top margin of at least four inches of vertical space from left to right, and a bottom left-side, and right-side margin of at least one-half inch on the FIRST PAGE of the instrument for use by the recorder. All documents must be legible and shall not be less than a 10 point type or 10 pitch which is denoted as 10 characters per inch and 6 lines per inch. Minimum paper size is 8½" X 11" and Maximum size is 8½" X 14". Black or blue/black ink.

Any instrument of deed that is exempt from real property conveyance fees and has a description that is vague or ambiguous to the point that it requires a survey to adequately locate the intended parcel, will be allowed to transfer until such time as it no longer exempt. However, if the description can be corrected by means other than having a survey made, the corrections will be required prior to transfer.

Descriptions other than metes and bounds may be acceptable if they properly describe the tract, i.e., "Being 10 feet off the west side of Lot 1000, etc."

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL RECORDED LOTS OF RECORD:

All deeds or land contracts conveying a record lot in a municipal or recorded subdivided area must designate the lot number(s), the official recorded name, the plat book and page reference of official record, and the prior recorded deed reference if any exists.

Any vacated lot(s) that are not absorbed by surrounding parcels shall be surveyed, described by metes and bounds and transferred as such since the lot lines will no longer exist. This description shall also refer to the former subdivision and lot number for title chain purposes.

Any lot being conveyed in what is commonly known as an "unrecorded plat" must have a metes and bounds description.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTIONS:

All descriptions must denote the state, county and municipality or township, range, town, section and quarter section if applicable, or (River Tract, Road Tract, USR, Spafford’s Grant) must have a clear point of beginning, and close. They shall show acreage for each description or show final acreage after all stated exceptions.

All descriptions of record which do not alter the current tax structure of a parcel(s) and all parcel splits of five(5) acres or more, will be checked by the land parcel division to verify description adequacy. If the description is discovered to be vague or deficient, the instrument will be returned for corrections.

Any existing metes and bounds description which, since the previous conveyance, has been incorporated into a municipality or transferred to another political subdivision by means of annexation, must be modified to reflect the new corporate location.

If a description spans more than one tax parcel, and these tax parcels cannot be combined for real property taxation purposes (for example, part in a municipality and part out), acreage must be stated for each tax parcel.

Each description shall state the total acreage being conveyed by each parcel after the exceptions have been made.

Any description stated as an exception must meet the above stated guidelines set forth from other descriptions.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTIONS FOR CONVEYANCE

All new metes and bounds descriptions, not previously recorded, must incorporate the following:

Situate:

1. Must denote state, county, township, municipality (if appropriate). It must also denote Range, town, section, half section, etc. (River Tract, Road Tract, USR, Spafford’s Grant)

2. Must denote deed reference as to the tract(s) of origination.

Starting Point:

All descriptions must be referenced to an established point of beginning or commencement such as centerline intersections of streets or roads of record, established property corners of record, section and quarter section corners or lines, etc.

Courses:

1. Each course of a new metes and bounds description should be a separate paragraph, and all courses must be stated in a clockwise direction from point of beginning to point of termination for the subject description.
2. Each course of a new metes and bounds description shall contain a bearing expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds and a distance recited in feet and decimal parts thereof, from point of origination to a point of termination of each course.
3. The basis of the bearings shall be given in a statement similar to the following:
   "Bearings used hereon are based on an assumed median and are for the express purpose of showing angular measurement."
4. Each course must recite all monumentation (see 4733-37-03) of Minimum Standards, either placed or found, along each course, or at the point of origination and or termination of each course. This recitation shall include the type, size and material of each monument.
5. Every boundary monument and or reference monument set by the surveyor shall, when practicable, be in accordance with 4733-37-03 of the Minimum Standards for Boundary Surveys in the State of Ohio.
6. Each course must show all other common lines such as centerlines of roads, rivers, streams, etc. quarter or half section lines, or any other pertinent common line of record or interest as witnessed by the survey for the conveyance.

Curves:

Any course of a new metes and bounds description which is a curve must contain the direction of the curve (right or left), delta angle, radius arc length, the radius (in feet and decimal parts thereof), chord length and chord bearing of same.

References:

All references to roads, rivers, streams, railroads etc. must use current or existing numbers or names of record. Old or original names may also be mentioned if they would add clarity.

Acreage:

1. All new metes and bounds descriptions must give the acreage contained within its perimeter and calculated to the third decimal place. The total acreage contained within the road right of way shall be recited to the third decimal place. Total calculated square footage may also be mentioned as a matter of option.
2. Whenever a new metes and bounds description encompasses two or more taxing districts, or two or more tax parcels, a breakdown of the total acreage must be recited as to the entire description as required in 6A, and as to each existing tax parcel to create an accurate tax structure.

Prior Deed References:

The deed reference(s) from which the grantor of the conveyance acquired title must be recited.

All new metes and bounds descriptions will be subject to computer verification as to the accuracy of the traverse closure (1/10,000 minimum allowable traverse closure) of the area as described. Whenever this process is necessary there will be a delay in approving the conveyance for transfer purposes. The survey must be presented for pre-transfer approval at least 24 hours in advance of making the survey available to the public.

All instruments containing new metes and bounds descriptions, which meet all of the aforementioned requirements will be stamped "Description Approved" and the proper notations will be made on the instrument of conveyance, verifying a correct tax structure to the County Auditor.

All splits must be approved by the Local Planning Authority.

If the number of exceptions is more than 4, it its requested that the instrument author simplify the description.

Survey:

1. All new metes and bounds descriptions prepared by a registered surveyor must incorporate the following:
   1. Printed surveyors name and address.
   2. Ohio Registration Number and Seal.
   3. The date of writing and/or survey.
   4. Surveyor’s signature.
2. A statement indicating whether the subject description was prepared from an actual field survey or from existing records similar to the following: The above description is based on a "field survey performed by _________ on month, day, year" or "from existing records".
3. All new metes and bounds descriptions prepared by a registered surveyor must be accompanied by a signed and sealed plat of survey.

All deeds with new Metes and Bounds descriptions not previously recorded shall comply with O.R.C. § 5301.25 Section B.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR PLATS AND PLATS OF SURVEYS

Any author shall prepare a scale drawing of every new metes and bounds description he or she originated, and make available a full sized copy of the drawing on drafting film to be filed with the Wood County Engineer’s Department.

All plats of survey and plat drawings must incorporate the following details:

1. A situate, such that the general location of the subject survey can be readily identifiable. (This requirement should include the same information as established by Sections 1, Item A and B of the "REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTIONS FOR CONVEYANCE").
2. A north arrow with a clear statement as to the basis of the reference – Direction Used.
3. The control station(s) or starting point reference as cited in the deed description.
4. All monumentation either found or placed, as cited by the metes and bounds description, together with a legend of the symbols used to identify the subject monumentation showing the material and size for each. If all monuments are identified individually, no legend will be required.
5. All tax parcel numbers of the adjoining unplatted properties along each boundary line of the subject survey.
6. All boundary information for each course as established by "REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTIONS FOR CONVEYANCE" Section 3, Items A thru F and Section 4 Item A.
7. A citation of pertinent documents and sources of data used as a basis for carrying out the work. This may include Field Book number and page or right of way drawing number for all limited access highway centerlines, if such record exists.
8. The scale of the subject drawing.
9. The surveyors printed and signed name, Ohio Registration Number and reproducible Stamp or Seal.

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MINIMUM DRAFTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PLATS OR SURVEYS TO BE FILED WITH THE WOOD COUNTY ENGINEERS’ OFFICE

All Plats shall be on drafting film with permanent ink. Sheets shall be 20 inches by 30 inches, minimum and 24 inches by 36 inches maximum.

All lettering shall be applied to the film without the use of intermediate film.

The minimum letter size shall be 0.125 inch in height.
The width shall be a factor of 1.

Survey drawings on 8 ½" x 11" or 8 ½" x 14" shall have a minimum letter size of 0.100 in height. The width factor shall be 1.

Survey drawings larger than specified in Section 4 shall have a minimum letter size of 0.125 in height. The width factor shall be 1.

Ink must be on top. (Non-mirrored side)

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WOOD COUNTY LAND USE POLICY

This policy became effective February 1, 1998 and is in compliance with ORC§319.203. The Wood County Auditor and Wood County Engineer have adopted these standards to be used for all real estate conveyances.

The policy drafting committee included:

Anthony Allion, Wood County Engineer
Michael Sibbersen, Wood County Auditor
Sue Kinder, Wood County Recorder
Max Swope, Wood County Tax Map Draftsman
Kerry Rothenbuhler, Wood County Auditor's Office
Diane Huffman, President, Wood County Bar Association
Barb Schnitker, President, Wood County Realtor's Association
Sarah Peper, American Title Agency, Inc.
Eric Durbin, Port Lawrence Title and Trust Company
Larry Askins, Poggemeyer Design Group
David Meismer, Wood County Planning Commission
Robert Kuhlman, Caughey, Kuhlman, and Beck

This policy is believed to assure uniformity in the conveyance of property in Wood County and to protect the property interest of its citizens.

If you have questions regarding this information, please feel free to contact either the current Wood County Auditor Michael Sibbersen at 419-354-9150 or current Wood County Engineer Ray Huber at 419-354-9060.

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