2002 Minnesota Statutes

     505.08 Preparation of plat; filing; certification; fees; 
  penalties. 

    Subdivision 1.    Sizes, sheets, copies.  All plats 
 shall be of either of two standard sizes measuring 20 by 30 or 
 30 by 40 inches from outer edge to outer edge.  A border line 
 shall be placed one-half inch inside the outer edges of the plat 
 on the top, bottom, and right hand side of the plat; a border 
 line shall be placed two inches inside the outer edge on the 
 left hand side of the plat.  A north arrow and the scale of the 
 plat shall be shown on the plat, which scale shall be of such 
 dimension that the plat may be easily interpreted.  A plat shall 
 consist of one or more sheets, and if more than one sheet, the 
 sheets shall be numbered progressively.  Two or more identical 
 copies of each plat shall be prepared in black on white mat 
 surface photographic card stock with double cloth back mounting, 
 or material of equal quality. One plat shall be labeled 
 "Official Plat" and each other copy shall be labeled "copy."  
 One exact transparent reproducible copy shall be prepared, by a 
 reproduction print on linen tracing cloth by a photographic 
 process, or on material of equal quality.  Every official plat 
 when duly certified, signed, witnessed, and acknowledged, as 
 provided in section 505.03, shall be filed in the office of the 
 county recorder, together with an exact copy and an exact 
 transparent reproducible copy thereof.  When the plat includes 
 both registered and nonregistered land, the official plat, and 
 the exact transparent reproducible copy together with two exact 
 copies shall be filed with the county recorder.  The official 
 plat and said transparent reproducible copy shall be placed 
 under the direct supervision of the county recorder and open to 
 inspection only in the presence of the county recorder or the 
 recorder's representative.  Upon request of the county auditor 
 of the county wherein the land is situated, the county recorder 
 shall cause a reproduction copy of the official plat, or of the 
 exact reproducible copy, to be made and filed with such county 
 auditor, at the expense of the county. 

    Subd. 2.    Public certified copies.  The copies of the 
 official plat or of the exact reproducible copy shall be 
 compared and certified to by the county recorder in the manner 
 in which certified copies of records are issued in the 
 recorder's office, and the copy thereof shall be bound in a 
 proper volume for the use of the general public and anyone shall 
 have access to and may inspect such certified copy at their 
 pleasure.  When the plat includes both registered and 
 nonregistered land two copies thereof shall be so certified and 
 bound, one for such general public use in each of the offices of 
 the county recorder and registrar of titles; provided, however, 
 that only one such copy so certified and bound shall be provided 
 for general public use in those counties wherein the office 
 quarters of the county recorder and registrar of titles are one 
 and the same.  When the copy, or any part thereof, shall become 
 unintelligible from use or wear or otherwise, at the request of 
 the county recorder it shall be the duty of the county surveyor 
 to make a reproduction copy of the official plat, or the exact 
 transparent reproducible copy under the direct supervision of 
 the county recorder, who shall compare the copy, certify that it 
 is a correct copy thereof, by proper certificate as above set 
 forth, and it shall be bound in the volume, and under the page, 
 and in the place of the discarded copy.  In counties not having 
 a county surveyor the county recorder shall employ a licensed 
 land surveyor to make such reproduction copy, at the expense of 
 the county.  The county recorder shall receive as a fee for 
 filing these plats, as aforesaid described, 50 cents per lot, 
 but shall receive not less than $30 for any plat filed in the 
 recorder's office.  Reproductions from the exact transparent 
 reproducible copy shall be available to any person upon request 
 and the cost of such reproductions shall be paid by the person 
 making such request.  If a copy of the official plat is 
 requested the county recorder shall prepare it and duly certify 
 that it is a copy of the official plat and the cost of such copy 
 shall be paid by the person making such request. 

    Subd. 2a.    Counties with microfilm.  In counties 
 having microfilm capabilities, a plat may be prepared on sheets 
 of suitable mylar or on linen tracing cloth by photographic 
 process or on material of equal quality.  The plat shall be 
 labeled "Official Plat." Notwithstanding any provisions of 
 subdivisions 1 and 2 to the contrary, no other copies of the 
 plat need be filed. 

    Subd. 3.    Premature reference to plat; forfeiture.  
 Any person who shall dispose of or lease any land included in a 
 plat by reference to the plat before the same is recorded, shall 
 forfeit to the county $100 for each lot, or part of a lot, so 
 disposed of or leased; and any official, land surveyor, or 
 person whose duty it is to comply with any of the provisions of 
 this chapter, shall forfeit not less than $100 for each month 
 during which compliance is delayed.  All forfeitures under this 
 chapter shall be recovered in an action brought in the name of 
 the county.  Notwithstanding any provisions of this subdivision 
 to the contrary, this subdivision shall not apply to an offer to 
 sell or lease a unit in a proposed common interest community as 
 defined in chapter 515B. 

    HIST: (8243) 1913 c 101 s 1; 1959 c 339 s 3; 1967 c 580 s 4; 
 1976 c 6 s 1; 1976 c 181 s 2; 1978 c 499 s 1; 1985 c 281 s 13; 
 1986 c 444; 1998 c 324 s 9; 1999 c 11 art 3 s 19; 2000 c 497 s 3