Final answer:
The lot and block system creates detailed subdivision plats with lot measurements and features conducive to orderly development. Historical cadastral systems like metes and bounds and long lots influenced land division
Step-by-step explanation:
The lot and block system is a method employed by licensed surveyors or engineers to create a subdivision plat by dividing land into numbered or lettered lots and blocks, incorporating streets, access roads, and other significant features. The highly detailed map includes all lot measurements and distances between points. One of the historical cadastral systems used for property delineation in the U.S. is metes and bounds, characterized by irregular parcel shapes described using local landmarks like trees and rocks, which later proved problematic due to the transient nature of those markers. Another system is the long lots, narrow parcels of land introduced by French colonists, typically extending from transportation corridors, such as rivers, which allowed equitable farm development and promoted community closeness due to the proximity of homes near riverbanks.
In contrast, the grid system, influenced by the Ordinance of 1785, divided land into rectangular plots to facilitate land sales by the government. This system introduced townships and standardized plot sizes, aimed to support the vision of a democratic society consisting of yeoman farmers. As each family could buy a similarly sized farmstead with reasonable land quality, this was seen as a means to build a vigorous middle class.
Modern land-use regulation derives from these historical origins, with municipalities utilizing master plans and official maps to guide development in accordance with zoning, subdivision regulations, and building codes, ensuring orderly expansion and development of land.