Georeferencing plans: state plane coordinates, layered DXF and two inches of error

It is Rule 2.1.6 of Chapter 2.1 of Joint Regulation No. 9473. Georeferencing means tying the project’s plan to the official coordinate system of the Government of Puerto Rico, so the lot sits in the same place on paper and on the country’s map. The rule is neither about design nor use: it is about precision and format, and whether the plan is acceptable in the process depends on it.

It applies to every application before OGPe or the autonomous municipality with hierarchy I to III that involves creating new parcels, that contains agrarian measures, that requires delimitation for precise siting, that entails changes in the existing topography, new infrastructure works or similar functions. Projects that will connect to existing infrastructure are exempt from this rule.

• That the application be georeferenced to the Official Coordinate System of the Government of Puerto Rico and carry the certification of a professional surveyor or one authorized to practise surveying.Verified against the official source
• That the surveyor certify the Horizontal Datum referred to the state plane coordinate system in its latest revision, with a mark showing the determination comes from an official National Geodetic Survey (NGS) control point, and evidencing the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) method used.Verified against the official source
• Evidencing the equipment and the control monuments established in the project, with the monuments represented on the plan with both plane and geodetic coordinates.Verified against the official source
• In projects containing elevations: specifying the Vertical Datum and evidencing it by a mark showing its determination comes from an official NGS Benchmark or from related government entities.Verified against the official source
• That the plans contain the horizontal or vertical datum information together with the certification of the surveyor responsible for that determination.Verified against the official source
• That the polygon’s position guarantee a standard error not exceeding zero point zero five (0.05) metres, equivalent to two (2) inches, within the Datum used.Verified against the official source
• That the file be in DXF format and georeferenced in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates, including parcel, building or structure footprint, sidewalks, streets and others specified in the CAD standards made by the JP, each on individual layers and in closed polygons.Verified against the official source
• In projects not impacting the whole parcel: delivering a DXF file georeferenced in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates including parcel, project boundary, building or structure footprint, sidewalks and streets, on individual layers and in closed polygons.Verified against the official source

• Certification by the professional or authorized surveyor on the georeferencing to the Official Coordinate System of the Government of Puerto Rico.
• Certification of the Horizontal Datum with the mark of the official NGS control point and evidence of the GNSS method used.
• Evidence of the equipment and the control monuments, represented on the plan with plane and geodetic coordinates.
• Certification of the Vertical Datum with the mark of an official NGS Benchmark, in projects with elevations.
• DXF file georeferenced in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates, with individual layers and closed polygons.

1. 1

   Step 1: Which projects must be georeferenced

   The rule lists five triggers: creating new parcels; the application containing agrarian measures; requiring delimitation for precise siting; entailing changes in the existing topography; and new infrastructure works or similar functions. If the project falls under any, it must be georeferenced to the Official Coordinate System of the Government of Puerto Rico and carry a surveyor’s certification.

2. 2

   Step 2: The horizontal datum and where it comes from

   The surveyor certifies the Horizontal Datum referred to the state plane coordinate system in its latest revision. That certification must contain a mark showing the determination comes from an official National Geodetic Survey control point and evidence the Global Navigation Satellite System method used. Giving coordinates is not enough: it must be shown from which official point they hang and by what method they were measured.

3. 3

   Step 3: Equipment and control monuments

   The equipment and the control monuments established in the project must be evidenced, and those monuments must be represented on the plan with both plane and geodetic coordinates. That is, the plan must show the physical points anchoring the survey and their two sets of coordinates.

4. 4

   Step 4: Elevations and the Benchmark

   Projects containing elevations carry an additional demand: the Vertical Datum is specified and evidenced by a mark showing its determination comes from an official NGS Benchmark or from related government entities. And the plans must contain the horizontal or vertical datum information together with the certification of the surveyor responsible for that determination.

5. 5

   Step 5: Two inches of tolerance

   The polygon’s position must guarantee a standard error not exceeding zero point zero five metres, equivalent to two inches, within the Datum used. It is the figure setting the precision demanded of the whole work. A note on the source: the parenthetical figure is printed with a stray character before the decimal; the spelled-out text gives the value and that is how we publish it.

6. 6

   Step 6: The file: DXF, NAD 83, layers and closed polygons

   The file must be in DXF format and georeferenced in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates, and include parcel, building or structure footprint, sidewalks, streets and other elements specified in the CAD standards made by the Planning Board. Each of these must be done on individual layers and in closed polygons. That last demand — separate layers and polygons that close — is what sends the most submissions back, because an open polygon cannot be processed.

7. 7

   Step 7: When the project does not touch the whole parcel

   Projects not impacting the whole parcel must deliver a DXF file georeferenced in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates including parcel, project boundary, building or structure footprint, sidewalks and streets. The difference from the general case is that here the project boundary appears as an element of its own. These too must be done on individual layers and in closed polygons, per the JP’s CAD standards.

8. 8

   Step 8: The exemption

   The rule closes with one line: projects that will connect to existing infrastructure are exempt from this Rule. A note on the source: the exemption is stated without saying whether it reaches the whole rule or only the file’s georeferencing, and we do not narrow it on our own; it is worth confirming with the agency before skipping the surveyor’s work.

The georeferencing and the DXF file are uploaded with the application in the SUI, before OGPe or the autonomous municipality with hierarchy I to III. The control points and Benchmarks are those of the National Geodetic Survey. The CAD standards governing layers and polygons are made by the Planning Board.

• Submitting an ungeoreferenced plan in a project that creates new parcels or changes the existing topography.
• Certifying the horizontal datum without the mark showing it comes from an official National Geodetic Survey control point.
• Not evidencing the GNSS method used in the determination.
• Omitting the control monuments from the plan or representing them without plane and geodetic coordinates.
• Filing a project with elevations without specifying the Vertical Datum or the official Benchmark’s mark.
• Exceeding the standard error of zero point zero five metres, equivalent to two inches, within the Datum used.
• Delivering the file in a format other than DXF or without georeferencing in State Plane NAD 83 coordinates.
• Putting all elements on a single layer instead of on individual layers.
• Delivering open polygons, when each element must be in closed polygons.
• Forgetting the project boundary in the file where the project does not impact the whole parcel.
• Treating a project as exempt without confirming it will indeed connect to existing infrastructure.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Oficina de Gerencia de Permisos (OGPe)

  OGPe

  docs.pr.gov

• Planning Board

  jp

  jp.pr.gov

• OGPe Single Business Portal

  ogpe

  www.permisos.pr.gov