Before installing a fence, creating new buildings, or doing landscaping, it is important to know where your property ends and your neighbor's property begins. Existing fences or trees are not an accurate way to gauge where a property line is.
There are a few ways to find your property lines:
1) Locate Your Property Markers Using A Metal Detector
Homeowners can use a metal detector to locate the iron monuments that are located in the four corners of their property. Specific instructions on how to locate these pins can be found here.
2) Hire A Professional Surveyor
Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries. In addition to finding property markers, surveyors are able to replace property markers if they have moved from their correct position and create a legal surveyor of a property. Hiring a licensed surveyor is an easy and highly accurate way to determine where a property line is. The Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors has a list of surveyors that work in Dakota County. You can access this list here. After opening the page, please select "Dakota" in the list of counties served to find surveyors that work in South St. Paul.
If there is a dispute about property lines, homeowners are advised to obtain a legal survey by hiring a professional surveyor. Unfortunately, the City is not able to help resolve property line disputes.