Some land cannot be described briefly. In these cases, a "metes and bounds" description is required. "Metes," meaning measurements, and "bounds," meaning boundaries, are designated for so many units of measurement along a specified boundary line.
Therefore, this description is a complete designation in succession of the various courses (segments) of the boundary of a closed area. The following general rules apply to this type of description:
- The total of the courses of the boundary must produce a closed area either mathematically or by ties between points
- The bearing of the courses must be continuous from the point of beginning around the area of the parcel until the final course ends at the point of beginning
- All bearings must be given the same meridian or basis of true direction.
- Any course is fixed by its bearing and length if not fixed otherwise by monuments or known points.
- Point of beginning (POB) is the reference point designated in the description as an initial point for beginning a description. At times, reference is specified as to point of beginning and "true" point of beginning. When the property in question is not monumented, a reference monument or known point is used outside the boundaries of the property in question. From this point of commencement, the descriptive bearings and distances are specified to a point on the property in question termed the "true" point of beginning. The closing courses of such a boundary description should close at the "true" point of beginning, also.
- The principles of metes and bounds descriptions as applied in practice are illustrated by the following example:
That portion of Lot 4 of Tract No. 16824, as shown on a Map recorded in Book 286, page 42 of Maps, records of ______ County, California, described as follows:
Beginning at a point on the Southerly line of said Lot 4 distant thereon North 45° East 150.00 feet from the most Southerly corner thereof; thence along said line North 45° East 300.00 feet to the beginning of a tangent curve concave Northwesterly and having a radius of 100.00 feet; thence Northeasterly along said curve through a central angle of 45° 30¢ an arc distance of 79.00 feet to the beginning of a compound curve concave Southwesterly and having a radius of 50.00 feet; thence Northwesterly along said compound curve through a central angle of 112° an arc distance of 104.72 feet; thence tangent to said curve South 67° 30¢ West 205.00 feet to the beginning of a tangent curve concave Southeasterly and having a radius of 50.00 feet; thence Southwesterly along said curve through a central angle of 36° an arc distance of 31.41 feet to the beginning of a reverse curve concave Northwesterly and having a radius of 50.00 feet; thence Southwesterly along said reverse curve through a central angle of 36° an arc distance of 31.41 feet; thence tangent to said curve South 67° 30¢ West 50.00 feet; thence South 15° 30¢ East 170.00 feet; thence Southeasterly 68.00 feet to the point of beginning.
