Editing Plat (section)

{{Short description|Map showing divisions of a piece of land in America}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2024}}
[[File:Ottawahillsplatmap.gif|thumb|A plat map that shows the location of a [[Lot (real estate)|lot]] for sale]]

In the [[United States]], a '''plat''' ({{IPAc-en|p|l|æ|t}}<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=s.v. 'plat' |encyclopedia=American Heritage Dictionary |edition=3rd}}</ref> or {{IPAc-en|p|l|ɑː|t}})<ref>{{Cite magazine |year=1802 |title=Whimsical Peculiarities at Manchester Noticed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc6JTJZxH4EC&pg=PA212 |magazine=The Gentleman's Magazine |location=London |page=212 |volume=72 |issue=1 |quote=... many attorneys ought to be whipt for not knowing how to spell; that ''plot'' a conspiracy and ''plat'' a piece of ground were pronounced exactly alike ...}}</ref> ('''plan''') is a [[cadastral map]], drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. [[United States General Land Office]] surveyors drafted township plats of [[Public Lands Survey System|Public Lands Surveys]] to show the distance and bearing between section corners, sometimes including topographic or vegetation information. City, town or village plats show subdivisions broken into [[City block|blocks]] with streets and alleys. Further refinement often splits blocks into individual [[Lot (real estate)|lot]]s, usually for the purpose of selling the described lots; this has become known as [[subdivision (land)|subdivision]].

After the filing of a plat, [[Land description|legal descriptions]] can refer to block and lot-numbers rather than portions of [[section (land)|sections]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Land Subdivision (Platting) |url=http://www.cctexas.com/?fuseaction=main.view&page=120 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010183544/http://www.cctexas.com/?fuseaction=main.view&page=120 |archive-date=2012-10-10 |access-date=December 13, 2012 |website=City of Corpus Christi}}</ref> In order for plats to become legally valid, a local governing body, such as a [[public works]] department, [[urban planning]] commission, [[zoning]] board, or another organ of the state must normally review and approve them.