All plan graphics and page content produced by John Feltmate
| Parts | Civic addresses | comments | |
| 017 | 1-12 | 50-59 | from part 90 just north of causeway, clockwise |
| 019A | 13-23 | 60-69 | continuing clockwise |
| 019B | 20-34 | 66-79 | continuing to concession rd |
| 62A | 123-101 | 96-12 | skipping to east point |
| 62B | 108-96 | 6-18 | continue clockwise |
| 61 | 84-67 | 19-33 | |
| 38 | 55-42 | 34-48 | |
| 52 | 94-90 | 48, causeway, 49 | area near old bridge |
| 28R9202a | 94 | ||
| 28R9202b | |||
| RCP 353 West | |||
| RCP 35 East | |||
| Internal roads, lots | |||
| 101A | 132-136 | N/A | +roads |
| 108 | 182-207 | N/A | east roads, internal lots, small lots backing on pts 90 and 1-6 |
| 101B | 134-145 | N/A | east-central roads, internal lots |
| 109A | 154-181 | N/A | south-west roads , lots backing on parts 98-123 |
| 109B | 147-160 | N/A | south roads, lots backing on parts 81-103 |
The property survey of Birch Island is made up of a series of engineering drawings. These drawings are on file in the land registry office in Brockville and form part of the public record. These drawings are also referred to a “R Plans”. Each R Plan is issued a number. Within the plan individual lots may be identified. The separately identified lots are generally referred to as part(s) followed by a unique number to distinguish it form the other lots/parts on the same R Plan. The R Plan shows what is referred to as the “meets and bounds” of the individual lots/parts. With some exceptions the map formed by the R Plan shows the location and type of markings that makes up the boundary of each lot. For the most part these markings are “surveyors iron bars” and “cut crosses”. The surveyors bars are square in varying sizes as noted on the plan, usually 5/8″ and 1″ square with a length of about 2 feet. Embossed on the side of each bar is a number. This number is the official license number the surveyor responsible for placing the bar. Surveys done prior to 1970 may have marks on the plans indicating cut crosses. Cut crosses were permitted prior to 1970 and are small crosses cut/chiselled into live rock.
On the R Plans distances and bearing are shown. On the older plans the distances are shown in decimal feet or survey feet, not to be confused with feet and inches. The bearings are the azimuth between points measured from south to north with deviation from true north. All bearings are astronomic, not magnetic. In the Birch Island area the magnetic deviation is unusually high, in excess of 20 degrees. If using a sighting compass you must correct for the extreme deviation.
As a caution it is a criminal offence to remove or deface a survey monument. Prior to 1928 it was a Capital offence. Today you are not likely to be hanged; however, imprisonment and stiff fines are not out of the question. What is a little more scary is that if found tampering with a monument the culprit could be held liable for the cost of reestablishing the survey. At a minimum the cost would run into the thousands.
To the right are a partial set of survey plans for the island. Click reference number for image. Should you choose to use these plans please proceed with due caution and keep in mind they are not complete.