Property lines - How do I find out where my property lines are and, what and where is public right-of-way?

You can usually locate property stakes in and around your yard using a metal detector.  If you cannot locate the pins in your yard, the department suggests you contact the developer (if in a new subdivision) or a professional surveyor for assistance. 

Another method that can be used to estimate where your front property line is located by calling the City for the right-of-way (ROW) width for the street your property is located on. The ROW is a strip of land in which all public roads are located. The ROW includes not only the pavement width of the roadway, but in most instances, includes public utilities and sidewalks.

Once you know the right-of-way width, you can measure from the center of the street to a distance of ½ of the right-of-way width. This is where your front property line is generally located. As a rule of thumb, your property line is approximately one foot behind a sidewalk in most subdivisions.

Before you call the City to obtain right-of-way information, it is best that you have a legal description or parcel number for your property.