What does a record boundary refer to in land surveying?

A record boundary refers to the boundary that is marked or occupied on the ground. This concept is crucial in land surveying because a record boundary represents a physical manifestation of property lines as they exist in reality, which may include boundary markers, fences, or other forms of delineation that can be verified on-site.

When surveyors perform land surveys, they often refer to official documents such as deeds and plats that define these record boundaries. While the legal descriptions in property documents set the stage for understanding property rights, the record boundary goes a step further by illustrating where those rights are in the physical landscape.

In contrast, choosing theories about historical context, geographic features, or legal documents alone does not accurately capture the notion of a record boundary. Historical contexts may influence the creation of boundary lines, but they do not define where those boundaries actually exist today. Geographic features might serve as natural boundary markers, but they aren't always the defining factor in determining a record boundary. Legal documents represent intentions but don’t equate to the physical reality on the ground; thus, they are essential in establishing boundaries, but they don't provide an actual spatial reference as record boundaries do.