Land Surveying

The County Surveyor is responsible for the county’s remonumentation and maintenance of section corners in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) as well as maintaining survey records and reviewing Certified Survey Maps.

INFORMATION FOR LAND OWNERS

LIST OF SURVEYORS

View the List of Surveyors (PDF) to contact a private surveyor in our area. Please note that this is not a complete listing of licensed surveyors or any recommendation of a specific firm or individual.

Information for Surveyors

LATEST CORNER INFORMATION

Corner records or tie sheets are also available in the GIS Web Map by clicking on the "Corner Tie Sheets" symbol and viewing the link in the pop-up box. The latest records are listed below for quick access:

• New CLCR Tie Sheets 2022 (PDF)
• New CLCR Tie Sheets 2023 (PDF)

Digital csm & plat review process

We will be conducting the Certified Survey Map (CSM) and plat reviews digitally and ask that surveyors please follow our digital review process for the quickest review process:

1. COMPLETE THE FORM
   • Complete the Bayfield County CSM & Plat Review Process Form.
2. SUBMIT PAYMENT
   • Submit review payment online via PayPal.
   • Check payment can also be mailed to Bayfield County Land Records; please note that review will not begin until payment is received.
   • If mailing a check payment, please make the review fee check payable to: "Bayfield County Land Records."
3. EMAIL DOCUMENTS
   • Email the survey along with related paperwork to: carmen.novak@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov.
   • Related paperwork includes: surveyor’s checklist, lot division application, sign off sheet, and any necessary corner records.
4. REVIEW PROCESS
   • Review is done by three parties: County Surveyor, Zoning Administrator, and Real Property Lister.
   • Check the status on survey to see where it's at in the review process.
   • Surveyors may receive feedback and corrections via email during the review process. Email corrected surveys to: carmen.novak@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov.
   • Once all corrections are made and the CSM or plat has been reviewed and approved, surveyors will be notified by email that the review is complete.
   • Please only submit a hard copy survey after the digital copy survey has been approved. This allows for the most efficient review process.
5. RECORDING
   • After the review process, surveyors can record a final CSM or plat by mailing a hard copy on approved paper to Bayfield County Land Records (address listed below).
   • Include check payment for the $30 recording fee and make check payable to: "Bayfield County Register of Deeds." Please make sure all signatures and stamps are completed before mailing the CSM or plat.
   • Once the CSM or plat is received in the Land Records office, it will be held until the Zoning Administrator can add a signature, then it will be delivered to the Register of Deeds office along with the recording fee check and the completed signature page.

Bayfield County Land Records, 117 E 5th Street, P.O. Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891

SURVEY FORMS

• Application for Corner Restoration (PDF)
• Application for Lot Division (PDF)
• CSM Sign-Off (PDF)
• Monument Record Tie Sheet (PDF)
• Remonumentation Program Info (PDF)
• Survey Review Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Surveyor’s Checklist (PDF)

request remonumentation equipment

Bayfield County Land Records has equipment available for section corner remonumentation:

• PLS Remonumentation Equipment Request Form

GEODETIC CONTROL

This section provides information on surveying in Wisconsin primarily as related to mapping. From here you have access to applications for statewide geodetic control stations and Public Land Survey System corners (PLSS), and CORS data for Wisconsin (including links to the WISCRS). Users can also obtain information pertaining to the Wisconsin Height Modernization Program (HMP), which improves the density of geodetic control stations listed in the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) with accurate orthometric heights (elevations) throughout the state. In addition, our resource links provide quick access to a variety of survey-related topics.

• Survey Control Finder
• Survey Station Condition Report Form
• Wisconsin County Surveyor’s Association

NGS DATA EXPLORER

The National Geodetic Survey Data Explorer is an interactive map to find control points.

OTHER SURVEY LINKS

• Original field survey notes conducted by the General Land Office between 1832 and 1866.
• WI Department of Safety and Professional Services Land Survey Laws and Regulations
• GLO Records from the Bureau of Land Management
• USGS Topo Quad Maps - Sections 1-40