Boundary Changes
The Law and Real Estate column (Oct. 20) told about how the courts confirmed an old farm land “agreement line,” even though it did not match the original boundary line according to a new land survey. The article did not explain how two adjacent landowners can change their property lines today.
A property owner may want to add onto the house, build a tennis court or something that just will not fit within the boundary lines. If the adjoining property owners agree, they may indeed change the line, and without going to court. Adjusting the boundary lines does, however, take a few trips to City Hall.
The State Subdivision Map Act allows a “lot line adjustments” between two or more existing adjacent parcels where the land taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel, and where a greater number of parcels than originally existed is not thereby created, provided the line adjustment is approved by the local agency or advisory agency, without filing a parcel or tract map or going to court.
In the city of Los Angeles, this is called a “Parcel Map Exemption.” Each city and county has its own procedure, but if you follow directions or have a professional prepare your case and you comply with the rules, you may change the boundary lines without going to court.
L. PAUL COOK
Los Angeles
Cook is president of C.W. Cook Co. Inc., land planners, surveyors, civil engineers.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
