2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 30-A: MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES › Part 2: MUNICIPALITIES › Subpart 3: MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 129: TOWN LINES › 30-A §2851. Identification of boundary lines

§2851. Identification of boundary lines
If a municipality, acting through its board of municipal officers, formally advises the municipal officers of one or more adjoining municipalities that there is a dispute regarding the location of the boundary or boundaries between the municipality and its adjoining municipalities, the boundary lines between municipalities must be perambulated to determine whether the boundary location is apparent within 5 meters, except as provided in subsection 7. The following procedures apply.   [PL 2003, c. 7, §1 (AMD).]
1.  Notice.
The municipal officers shall give a 10-day written notice to the officers of the adjoining municipalities advising them of the time and place of meeting for perambulation.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
2.  Failure to appear.
If the officers of any municipality fail to appear in person, or by representative, at the time and place appointed for the required perambulation, the municipality which complies with its duty may perambulate the line and charge the other municipality for 1/2 the expense incurred.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
3.  Expense.
Each municipality shall pay an equal share of the expense of perambulation.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
4.  Unorganized area.
Where a municipality adjoins an unorganized area, the county in which this area is located has the duties of a municipality for the purpose of perambulating its boundary lines and paying its share of the expense of the perambulation. The county commissioners shall perform the duties required of municipal officers.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
5.  Record of observations.
The adjoining municipalities shall record:
A. The dates and times when the perambulation took place;   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B. The names of the municipal officers participating; and   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
C. Either:
(1) A certification by the participants that they were able to identify all monuments described in the legislated definition of the boundary and that the boundary location was apparent within 5 meters at all locations along its length; or
(2) A statement of the deficiencies found and a record of the action taken to correct those deficiencies.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
6.  Deficiencies.
If all monuments are found in place and apparently undisturbed, but the boundary location is in doubt because of obstructions to visibility between monuments occurring since the last perambulation, the municipal officers shall have the line cleared of obstructions. If monuments have been disturbed or destroyed, or for some other reason it is necessary to precisely locate the boundary line, the municipal officers shall locate and monument the line, so that the certification required by subsection 5 may be completed.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
7.  Monumentation and record.
Municipal boundaries do not need to be perambulated if:
A. Monuments of granite or other material of comparable life and resistance to movement are located at all angle points and at intervals not exceeding 500 meters along straight boundaries, except for water crossings that exceed that interval;   [PL 2003, c. 7, §2 (AMD).]
B. Monuments have drill holes or punch marks in inserts not exceeding one centimeter in diameter, indicating the point on the monument to be used as the boundary; and   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
C. Boundaries are shown to scale on a plan filed at the offices of the adjoining municipalities and at the registry of deeds of the county, or adjoining counties, in which the municipalities are located, and that plan includes:
(1) The location of all monuments together with dimensions by which those monuments may be found and checked for accuracy; and
(2) A certification by a qualified and registered land surveyor that the surveyor has examined the records of the legislative action which created that boundary, verified the location of the boundary monuments on the ground and finds agreement, subject to any minor discrepancies that have been noted on the plan.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 2003, c. 7, §2 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 7, §§1,2 (AMD).