When governors face a crisis, they often ask the same question first: “Show me where we are.” In 2024, housing affordability topped state…
Category: Feature
05.20.2026
It’s a Matter of Opinion
I have testified as an expert witness in six cases involving land surveying practice or property rights. My article in the American Surveyor,…
05.20.2026
From Grief to Grit—The Making of a New Darling
“When my son died, I leaned hard on my passion for land surveying, my positivity, and my search for purpose. The opportunity to…
05.20.2026
Beyond Boundaries
The Productivity Shift Redefining Surveying
“The surveyor’s fundamental responsibility to serve as the legally accountable source of truth for spatial data remains unchanged.” After decades of incremental improvements,…
05.20.2026
Mentorship, Mortality and the Making of a Professional Land Surveyor
I’ve spent thousands of hours riding in a survey truck beside my father, but these days I find myself noticing the passenger seat…
05.20.2026
AI & Professional Judgment Part 1
When a client says, “Just pin the four corners,” technology can do the math —but only a surveyor can draw the line between…
05.20.2026
What Are (and Aren’t) Relative Error Ellipses?
Relative error ellipses show the horizontal positional random error between two points, which is what’s tested in some important accuracy standards for property…
02.25.2026
Montana Zoning Atlas: Mapping Drives Bipartisan Housing Reform
When Kendall Cotton walked into Montana legislative committee meetings in early 2023, he carried two zoning maps—side by side. One showed Missoula, Montana,…
02.01.2026
LiDAR & Lawmen
It’s hard to talk of Tombstone, Arizona and not immediately picture the great shootout at the O.K. Corral. A town filled with dusty…
02.01.2026
Doubling Down On Digital
Six 2026 surveying trends
The surveying profession enters 2026 amid accelerating digital transformation, driven by pressure to deliver faster, more accurate results while navigating workforce shortages, evolving…
