§ 671. Vermont coordinate systems defined
The most recent system of plane coordinates, known as the State Plane Coordinate System,
that has been established by the National Geodetic Survey or its successors for defining
and stating the horizontal positions or locations of points on the surface of the
earth within the State of Vermont shall be known as the Vermont State Plane Coordinate
System. The terms “Vermont Coordinate System” and “Vermont Plane Coordinate System”
are synonymous with the term “Vermont State Plane Coordinate System.” Previous versions
of this system include “Vermont Coordinate System 1927” and “Vermont Coordinate System
1983.” (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 3, 1988; 2007, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 38; 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)
§ 672. Coordinates defined
(a) The plane coordinates of a point on the earth’s surface, to be used for expressing
the geographic position or location of the point in the appropriate zone of the Vermont
State Plane Coordinate Systems, shall consist of two distances expressed in:
(1) meters and decimals of a meter, or international feet and decimals of a foot, when
using the Vermont State Plane Coordinate System or its successors;
(2) U.S. Survey feet and decimals of a foot when using the Vermont Coordinate System 1927;
or
(3) meters and decimals of a meter, or U.S. Survey feet and decimals of a foot, when using
the Vermont Coordinate System 1983.
(b) One of the distances described in subsection (a) of this section, to be known as the
“east or x-coordinate,” shall give the distance east of the y-axis; the other distance,
to be known as the “north or y-coordinate,” shall give the distance north of the x-axis.
The y-axis of any zone shall be parallel with the central meridian of that zone. The
x axis of any zone shall be at right angles to the central meridian of that zone.
(c) One international foot equals 0.3048 meter exactly. For conversion of meters to international
feet, multiply the meters by 3.280839895.
(d) The international foot shall be used for all foot distances and coordinates unless
the distances or coordinates are tied to one of the legacy systems referenced in this
section.
(e) The U.S. survey foot, which equals (1200)/(3937) meter, shall be superseded by the
international foot specified in subsection (b) of this section, following guidance
from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Geodetic Survey,
the National Ocean Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 3, 1988; 2007, No. 164 (Adj. Sess.), § 39; 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)
§ 673. Additional definitions
(a) The Vermont State Plane Coordinate System is the most recent system of plane coordinates
established by the National Geodetic Survey, based on the National Spatial Reference
System, and known as the State Plane Coordinate System, for defining and stating the
geographic positions or locations of points within the State of Vermont and shall
be known as the Vermont State Plane Coordinate System.
(b) For purposes of more precisely defining the Vermont Coordinate System 1927, the following
definition by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (now the National Ocean Service/National
Geodetic Survey) is adopted:
(c) The Vermont Coordinate System 1927 is a transverse Mercator projection of the Clarke
spheroid of 1866, having a central meridian 72 degrees 30 minutes west of Greenwich,
on which meridian the scale is set one part in 28,000 too small. The origin of coordinates
is at the intersection of the meridian 72 degrees 30 minutes west of Greenwich and
the parallel 42 degrees 30 minutes north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates:
x = 500,000 feet and y = 0 feet.
(d) For purposes of defining the Vermont Coordinate System 1983, the following definition
by the National Ocean Service/National Geodetic Survey is adopted. The Vermont Coordinate
System 1983 is a transverse Mercator projection of the GRS 80 ellipsoid, having a
central meridian 72 degrees 30 minutes west of Greenwich, on which meridian the scale
is set one part in 28,000 too small. The origin of coordinates is at the intersection
of the meridian 72 degrees 30 minutes west of Greenwich and the parallel 42 degrees
30 minutes north latitude. This origin is given the coordinates: x = 500,000 meters
and y = 0 meters.
(e) The position of the Vermont Coordinate System 1983 shall be marked on the ground by
existing or future survey stations established in conformity with standards adopted
by the National Geodetic Survey or its successors for first-order or second-order
work, or both, whose geodetic positions have been rigidly adjusted to the North American
Datum 1983 (NAD 1983). (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 3, 1988; 1993, No. 6, § 1; 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)
§ 674. Record
Coordinates based on any Vermont Coordinate System, purporting to define the position
of a point on a land boundary, presented to be recorded in any public land records
or deed records shall be accompanied by a specific statement as to their basis and
a description of the survey method used to determine them on the record plat or description
of the survey. (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. May 3, 1988; 1993, No. 6, § 2; 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)
§ 675. Restriction
The use of the terms “Vermont State Plane Coordinate System,” “Vermont Coordinate
System 1927,” or “Vermont Coordinate System 1983” on any map, report of survey, or
other document shall be limited to coordinates based on the respective Vermont Coordinate
System as defined in this chapter. (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. May 3, 1988; 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)
§ 676. Description
For the purposes of describing the location of any survey station or land boundary
corner in the State of Vermont, it shall be considered a complete, legal, and satisfactory
description of such location to give the position of such survey station or land boundary
corner on the system of plane coordinates as defined in this chapter. (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. May 3, 1988.)
§ 677. Construction
Nothing contained in this chapter shall require any purchaser or mortgagee of real
property to rely solely on a description, any part of which depends entirely upon
the Vermont Coordinate Systems. (Amended 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. May 3, 1988.)
§ 678. Severability
If any provision of this chapter shall be declared invalid, such invalidity shall
not affect any other portion of this chapter that can be given effect without the
invalid provision; and to this end, the provisions of this chapter are declared severable. (Added 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 3, 1988.)
§ 679. Transition
The Vermont Coordinate System 1927 shall not be used for projects commenced after
January 1, 2000, and the Vermont Coordinate System 1983 shall not be used for projects
commenced after release of the State Plane Coordinate System 2022 by the National
Geodetic Survey. (Added 1987, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 3, 1988; amended 2023, No. 86 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 4, 2024.)