Somethin's Fishy???

[Brian Christensen]

I have been contacted by a developer (owner of a 20+ acre parcel doing a two parcel Parcel Map) to continue a project already approved by the Co. Planning Commish. For whatever reason, the developer doesn't want to continue with the surveyor who started the project.

I told the dev. that I needed to see the Staff Report and do some research, but the hard part was mostly over with. After I told dev. what needed to be done to complete the project, she told me to not contact the planning dept. regarding this issue as she was "shopping" the project around.

I contacted the surveyor who subdivided the parent parcel back in 2005 and asked him if he had been contacted by the developer (being his caps in the ground to begin with) and wondered if he was puting a bid together. If he was, I would call the dev. back and recommend she go with the surveyor who originally mapped the parcel. He had no clue of the project in question but the dev. is well aware of the orig. survey and surveyor.

She faxed me the Staff Report which had a copy of the tentative map. The engineer had been redacted (to protect the innocent, I presume). I think at the very least I should contact the co. planners to find out who the project rep. is and ask them if the dev. is square ($) with them.

I'm thinking that I should stay far, far away from this one???????? I would appreciate any opinions on the subject.....

[E_Page]

If the prospective client is not honest up front, why would that behavior change later... once she owes you $.

[dmi]

i ALWAYS find out what happen in the previous client/ consultant relationship. I have to much on my plate to worry about friction in the relationship or chase down payments

[goodgps]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt the staff report and conditions of approval Public Record ? AND I see nothing preventing you from a casual phone call to the previous consultant.

I agree with Dane, too much going on to chase money etc.

Good luck ! hopefully this turns out to be legit' for you.

[Brian Christensen]

She told me that once the app. was approved, the surveyor/engineer renegotiated the contract for nearly double the orig. amount.

My take on this:

Client was a royal pain in the rump. Had issues complying with the cond. of app. for either lack of money or something. Engineer told client to give them a call when they got things squared away. Client is now ready to proceed and engineer doesn't want anything to do with her so he renegotiated for something worth his while.

I gave her a cost estimate to finish the project. If she wants to proceed with us then I'll make some calls and find out the skinny on the developer before entering into a contractual agreement.

[subman]

Doing a Parcel Map of a parcel from a recently recorded parcel map. Is there something fishy about the ownership structure? Is there any arms-reach issues on the same entity creating more than 4 parcels contiguously and a major land division alarm being triggered?

[Brian Christensen]

No, the chain of title appears legit. I don't believe there is any attempt to subvert the SMA here. Like I said; project comes pre-approved from planning commission.

[land butcher]

Whenever I get a call like that my first call is to the other engr/surveyor.

Many, many times the owner/developer is holding payment from the other engr/surveyor but wants his project finished.

[Brian Christensen]

Since the engineer has been redacted from all documents I have seen from developer, I'll see if I can't figure out who they are Monday and give them a call just to let him know what is going on and hopefully find out what kind of client she was.

[subman]

You might check with the County Engineer or County Surveyor to see who the surveyor was that applied for the Tentaive Parcel Map number that was issued. In Los Angeles County, the tract and parcel map numbers are issued by my office and not the Planning Agency. They should have the name, address etc of the person who applied for the #.