18.38. Ownership. – A characteristic that represents a property with a record in an appraiser`s database. Electrified fences must be 38 inches high and five strands of high-strength galvanized wire. Regardless of the type of fence, West Virginia`s fencing laws require that fence materials be strong enough to fence horses, cattle, pigs, goats, and mules. The following diagram provides more information about West Virginia`s laws governing property lines, fencing, and tree pruning. West Virginia has laws that govern separation fences in rural areas. Homeowners must share the cost of a separation fence if the land is used for “agricultural, horticultural, grazing or livestock purposes.” This includes all construction, repair and maintenance costs. If your neighbour builds a fence at your own expense because you did not use your land for the purposes listed at the time of construction, but you later decide to use your land in this way, you are liable to your neighbour for half the cost of the separation fence. These laws can be overridden by a contractual agreement with your neighbor. Note: State laws can always change through the passage of new laws, decisions in higher courts (including federal decisions), voting initiatives, and other means.

While we strive to provide the most up-to-date information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to review the state laws you are seeking. Many states also choose to regulate tree pruning and give landowners the right to “self-help” by pruning intrusive branches down to the property line. West Virginia has no state laws specifically governing border tree pruning. However, under West Virginia law, it is illegal to enter someone else`s land to break, cut or take away trees or wood. If you are a homeowner, you know firsthand that sometimes disagreements arise with neighbors. Often these disagreements involve property lines, fences and trees near the demarcation line. For this reason, many states have passed laws to help landlords resolve disputes. Read on to learn more about fence laws in West Virginia. 18.8. Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA).– The process of using a computer to support property tax assessment and equity assessment. A CAMA system contains one or more relational databases and can also contain a GIS component. The CAMA system for West Virginia is called the Integrated Assessment System (IAS).

18.27. Monument. – A permanent physical structure that marks the location of a survey point or demarcation line. Common types of monuments are inscribed metal plates placed in concrete posts, solid rocks or parts of buildings; distinctive clay posts; and metal rods that are driven into the ground. Neighbors share fences in West Virginia. While it is possible not to have a fence between properties, or for an owner to take sole responsibility for owning and maintaining a fence, it is best to have this agreement in writing and register it as part of the title deed. This avoids confusion when the property changes hands. In addition, West Virginia has a special law for hedge fencing. A hedge fence must not extend more than 18 inches beyond the boundary line of a neighbour`s property or into a public road. Violation of this law could result in 10 days` notice to resolve the issue. If the hedge is not trimmed after 10 days, it is considered a misdemeanor and the owner can be fined up to $1.00 per day until it is trimmed.

18.5. Land register. – Refers to maps and records showing the boundaries, ownership and attributes of property ordinarily created for tax purposes. 18.9. Act. — The history of the transfer of ownership and the main legal document that defines the property and its boundaries. 18.2. Attribute. – A single item with non-graphical information (owner name, property area, property value, etc.) stored in a database field and associated with a single map plot. Attributes can be attached to a point, linear, or polygonal feature and used to query features or create annotations. 18.23. Legal Description.

— The abstract or abridged version of a longer description (as in a metes and bounds description) and often complex in a transfer document such as an act. A legal description briefly describes the owner`s plot in the land register (tax roll). Examples of legal descriptions in condensed form on the land register would be “Lot 10 Smith Addition” or “1.51 acres Smith Mountain”. Those two examples appear in particular on tax forms containing parcel identifiers. Disagreements between neighbors can be frustrating. If you have a problem with property lines, boundary fences or invasive branches, a good first step is to understand how the law applies to you. Depending on your situation, you may also want to consider speaking to a local real estate attorney to understand what remedies are available to you. Maybe.

It depends on whether the fence is on the actual dividing lines between properties or if the fence is fully erected on your neighbor`s property. It also depends on how you and your neighbor want to enjoy your separate properties. In general, a landowner has the right to erect a fence on his own property at his own expense. Even if it is close to the property line, as long as it is not at the border, this type of fence is not a true separation fence and you have no rights or obligations to maintain your neighbor`s fence. If you and your neighbor want a real separation fence to divide the lots, you can voluntarily agree to share the cost if you think the fence would also benefit you. This would ensure that you have a say in the design and maintenance and that it is not taken away without your consent. West Virginia`s fence laws require owners to keep all animals they own on their own property. In terms of fencing, West Virginia is a fence state.

If the animals wander beyond their owner`s fence, the owner is responsible for any damage they may cause. The fencing rules in West Virginia are very explicit about the types of fences allowed. West Virginia`s fencing requirements state that most fences must be at least four feet high for property lines and those along public trails. Worm fences should be 4 1/2 feet high, while stone fences should only be 3 1/2 feet high and 2 feet wide. A hedge fence should not exceed 4 feet and the owner should keep each side trimmed on public land. Metal fences must be 4 feet high and six strands of wire. The bottom wire should be 5 inches above the ground, the following wires 10 inches, 17 inches, 25 inches, 36 inches and 48 inches, respectively. Poles must be within 16 feet of each other. High-strength galvanized wire fences must have eight strands and have a height of at least 46 inches. You must be able to withstand 200 pounds of voltage.

18.32. Identification of the package. In West Virginia, the primary method of identifying unique parcels is to concatenate the county number, district number, map number, parcel number, and suffix number (e.g., 01-01-0001 0001.0001), which serves to reduce legal descriptions to a uniform and more manageable size and is just as defensible as the original descriptions. Parcel identifiers allow for an efficient and coordinated asset registration system (e.g. integrated valuation system) for office and field services. 18.12. Finished Control Charts. – Finite surface control maps show ownership and property boundaries, dimensions or areas, and other cadastral and cultural features that surveyors must maintain under state law and publish to the public. These scale control charts are created manually or automatically and in accordance with the cartographic design, cartographic content and layout specifications prescribed by the Real Estate Appraisal Training and Procedures Commission. 18.3. Basemap. — A map that represents basic reference features, such as roads, lakes and rivers, on which other thematic spatial information such as property or parcel contours, easements, rights of way or other features are placed.

18.22. Integrated Evaluation System (IAS). — The CAMA system for West Virginia. It is an Oracle relational database maintained by the State Department of Revenue that centrally stores statewide property tax and equity valuation information. 18.11. Easement or Right of Way. An easement or right of way is an agreement that gives a person, business or community the right to use a landowner`s property in any way. Easements and rights of way are usually listed on the property`s certificate of ownership and remain with the property and are automatically transferred from one owner to another when the land is sold. Often, an easement is referred to as a “right of way,” and this term is used especially for energy and community easements. A road right-of-way includes the roadway (curb) and the area between the sidewalk and curb. Border fences, called “separation fences” by the West Virginia Code, separate one property from another. In West Virginia, laws governing separation fencing do not apply to all landowners, but only to those living in agricultural areas.

Some states also have “despite the fence” laws that maliciously prohibit building a fence for any purpose other than annoying or harassing a neighbor. At the state level, West Virginia has no laws dealing with “despite fences”; However, many local jurisdictions have ordinances that limit the height and location of fences.