UPDATE May 20, 2020: Columbia County has developed a plan to begin opening our doors to the public under Phase I of the Governor's plans. Phase I must continue to meet with all of the social distancing requirements during this pandemic. As part of the reopening plan, beginning June 1, the Columbia County Surveyor's Office will be physically open to the public by appointment only. We continue to be available by phone, 503-397-2322 and email nathan.woodward@columbiacountyor.gov, during our regular business hours.

The Columbia County Surveyor’s office provides customers of Columbia County, county departments and local agencies with professional surveying expertise and advice.

The office, under the guidance of the Oregon Revised Statues, serves the public by:

• reviewing private surveys for State compliance and filing them in the Surveyor’s records
• reviewing subdivisions, partitions and condominium plats for State compliance and filing an exact copy in the Surveyor’s records
• maintaining survey records and provide a means for public research
• restoring and maintaining Public Land Survey System corners (Government Corners).

About

Columbia County has had a County Surveyor since 1854. Since that time, the most valuable role of the County Surveyor is to survey county-owned property and to restore and maintain the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). The original PLSS is not only the basis for the establishment and protection of property rights, but also the foundation of the County’s ability to accurately assess and collect the property taxes that fund many County services. As Columbia County continues to grow, development, construction and logging threaten the PLSS on a daily basis and consequently, many of the public’s rights and functions of government are threatened. This is why the County Surveyor’s office has developed a strong PLSS Corner Restoration Program that will continue to support the County into the future.

Assisting the public is the most important non-mandated service that the Surveyor’s Office provides. With a growing county and property changing hands daily, the Surveyor’s office strives to be a resource for the public to find answers to their survey related questions.

The County Surveyor does not survey private land. Please use the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon directory to select a surveyor for your personal needs.