Property lines via bearings

[Nicinus]

Working on a property lot with three straight lines and the fourth side made up of curves. Please see picture. I created the three straight lines starting with a cad point, but it get's tricky when I get to the curved side. I created the three curves as separate elements one by one trying to estimate and tinker with the angles. I'm very close but the last curve (the one with a r=980) is now 88' but should be 84'.

There has to be a better more precise way. In Revit one enters all segments into a table, which then generates the closed loop and figures out how the curve segments fit together (by giving their direction).

What is the suggested workflow in CA?

[sutcac]

I have struggled with those too. I usually just block the arcs and get them visually as close as I can so they don't snap to the lines, and then just enter the correct text for the arcs and lines separately. Not perfect, but plenty close enough for con docs where this is normally at a small scale. I agree, there ought to be a better way to do these.

[lbuttery]

Nicinus:

In Revit one enters all segments into a table, which then generates the closed loop

I have been advocating this method for almost a decade

Lew

[dshall]

If you know length and radius, you can figure the delta of arc. Draw one arc. You know second arc is tangent to first arc, draw second arc, now do third arc tangent to second.

Draw line connecting the two end points of arcs. This line will be parallel to line that connects two end points of straight lines. Rotate and then connect.

With info you have here, you should get perfect results .

[bbbuilders]

I have found it is easier and faster to import a jpeg of the plot plan, scale the longest measurement, and then draw my own site plan cad lines and delete the jpeg. It's not perfectly accurate, but at 1"=20' it's close enough and is very fast. For remodels/additions I use a jpeg of google earth in the same way to quickly place existing structures and property lines.

[johnnyprc]

I have yet to draw a site plan in CA, but this thread has me a bit concerned. Is the problem here that there are too many curves for CA?

[Glenn Woodward]

johnnyprc,

The problem depends on what information you have to define the boundaries and how you go about drawing them.

[amddrafting]

If you know your bearings (N 00d00'00" w, etc) and your distance of each line and curve on your plot then it's actually quite easy to do in CA

1. In the CAD section use the tool "Place Point" and place your first temporary point
2. Next go back to the same tool list and use "Input Point".
3. First click on the bottom button that says "Num Style" and set the Number Style to "Decimal Feet" and then your Angle Style to "Minute + Seconds" and click "Ok"
4. Now working in a clockwise orientation enter in the distance and line angle of your next point. Enter in the distance (example 100.25') and the angle (example N 45d25'15" w) and click "next". It will automatically place the point and staying in the open tab you can enter in the next point.

Something to note at this part:

When entering these points you always want to go around in one direction. So if you have two sides of the lot with bearings N 00d00'00" W you will have to reverse the orientation for the other side, so N 00d00'00" W would be S 00d00'00" E

When you get to curves you will focus on the "Chord Length" and "Chord Bearing" only at this point. That will get you the end points of the curves. These are usually on plot plans as CH = ___'

5. Once you've entered your last point close the "Input Point" box and select and straight CAD Pline and connect the dots; Besure your angle snaps are off and your Point Snaps are turned on.

6. Once you have closed polyline go to the lines where the curves are. Select the segment that you want to make a curve and covert to arc.

7. Orient the arch in the direction you want it to bulge by using the little triangle when selected.

8. Once it's bulging in the right direction open the arc and on the first tab set the Lock to "Chord"

9. Now in the Radius Box in the "Arc" section enter the radius of the curve and click "Ok"

10. Repeat that for every curve you have.

That should get you a complete lot outline

As CA usually works with the front door on the bottom of the open plan I alway like to rotate my plot to be aligned with the house that I'm working on as it will sit on the lot. To do this I draw a straight line from the corner of the lot that I want to be aligned with the house 90 degrees from the plan. Then I use an Angle Dimension to find the angle. I then put a temporary point at the intersection of the line I just drew and plot border. From there I fence select the the plot (this is better than just clicking on the line) and click the transform/ replicate object. Check "Rotate" and enter the angle between the plot and the line. Depending on the direction you want it to rotate you may have to put minus ( - ) in front of the angle. Then at the bottom make sure "About Current Point" is selected and click "Ok"

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. I do all of my plots this way and I do a lot of them . If you have any questions or need help shoot me a PM or email me amddrafting@gmail.com

[William H Lynch]

I have yet to draw a site plan in CA, but this thread has me a bit concerned. Is the problem here that there are too many curves for CA?

There is no problem as long as you have the correct data from a 'good' surveyor. If you are trying to guess at points and make them work from GIS info gathered from inaccurate county tax maps then you will have problems... Get the info from the correct source and the problems vanish... CA can handle correct data, no matter how many curves you throw at it...

Been there, done that...

[dshall]

I have yet to draw a site plan in CA, but this thread has me a bit concerned. Is the problem here that there are too many curves for CA?

Why would you be concerned. I just explained how he could do it. I just did a 7 sided site where 3 of the sides were arced…… and it closed perfectly. If you don't have enough information pertaining to each side, you could not draw the site in ACAD or any other program.

I am not sure why others are tracing or faking it, I can't fake it, I have to deal with FAR's and setbacks, if I didn't have the bearings, and it was crucial, I would insist on a survey…… but in 99% of the cases I can get the bearings from plats or surveys on file at the county.

Easy Peasy if you know what you are doing.

[johnnyprc]

OK, great. In some ways I didn't fully understand why it was an issue and when someone said they scan in plot maps and trace over them I was concerned. I understand fully now, and I am glad you guys clarified its not a problem. Per the instruction videos it appears easy.

[sutcac]

CA's approach is clearly many magnitudes more convoluted when it comes to plotting arcs than simply entering the information into a table. "Easy Peasy" when it take Joey to list 10 separate steps and nearly 600 words to do it? Come on.

[Glenn Woodward]

Bryce,

Not really hard to speed things up and make it simpler.
It's a lot faster use the Input Line tool instead of the Input Point tool.
Also, you can orient the plot plan so that it draws correctly by first placing a north pointer so that there is no need to rotate it after it is drawn.

[dshall]

CA's approach is clearly many magnitudes more convoluted when it comes to plotting arcs than simply entering the information into a table. "Easy Peasy" when it take Joey to list 10 separate steps and nearly 600 words to do it? Come on.

Simply inputting info in a table does not always work. I am sure we have all had plats where the arc is neither perpindical nor tangent to adjacent line, I could not begin to understand how to put that in a table.

I think the real problem is Aaron. He must pare down his directions to 350 words and only 5 steps. Aaron, please work on this.

[spencerdesign]

I have done these in Chief but prefer to do them in Revit. I use a separate table for each segment and then move/snap the end points together. I do this so that when I get to the end and there appears to be a mistake from the surveyor its easier to deal with. Sounds like someone suggested similar in Chief. I use Revit just because it is quicker for me. Then I import into Chief. Or, you could do same with AC.