PURPOSE: This rule prescribes the type of monument to be installed to preserve the position of the United States Public Land Survey Corner.

1. (1) All corner monuments, witness monuments, and reference monuments shall be permanent monuments of a type providing a degree of permanency consistent with that of the adjacent terrain and physical features. Monuments shall meet the requirements for a permanent monument in accordance with the Missouri Standards for Property Boundary Surveys.
2. (2) In such cases where the placement of a required corner monument at its proper location is impractical, it shall be permissible to set a reference or witness monument or mark near that point, and if such reference monument or mark is set, its location shall be properly shown on the certified land corner document.
3. (3) All monuments shall be marked and designated in accordance with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) system of marking monuments that furnishes ready identification of the position of the monument which bears the mark. Letters and numerals should be carefully stamped with three-sixteenths inch (3/16") or one-eighth inch (1/8") steel dies and should always be made to read from the south. Lines and crosses should be made with a sharp, cold chisel. The precise position shall be marked by a point, cross, or appropriate symbol on the monument.
4. (4) Where possible, four (4) reference ties (distance and direction) to durable objects will be made to provide the means for restoring the position of the marked corner if the monument is disturbed. Durable objects include, but are not restricted to: house corners, marks on concrete structures or pavement, marks on ledge or bedrock, trees, additional permanent monuments, fence posts, utility poles, and crosses on curbs. All durable objects and reference ties shall be fully described on the document.
5. (5) In some special cases where an existing monument is found and it is deemed appropriate to preserve the monument in its original location, a reference or witness monument may be installed nearby.
6. (6) At locations where a stone, iron pin, pipe, or other monument is to be replaced by a permanent monument, the existing monument will be removed and buried or placed alongside the permanent monument in such a manner that it will not be confused with the permanent monument.

AUTHORITY: sections 60.321 and 60.550, RSMo 2016.* Rule originally filed as 10 CSR 30-3.050. Original rule filed May 3, 1994, effective Dec. 30, 1994. Moved to 2 CSR 90-61.050 and amended: Filed Dec. 1, 2016, effective June 30, 2017. *Original authority: 60.321, RSMo 1989, amended 2013 and 60.550, RSMo 1969, amended 2013.