Easement Laws in Tennessee: Understanding the Basics Easement laws in Tennessee play a crucial role in regulating property rights and the use of real estate. They determine the rights and obligations associated with easements, which grant specific individuals or entities the right to use or access another person's property for a particular purpose. Let's delve into the details of easement laws in Tennessee, exploring different types and providing examples. 1. Affirmative Easements: Affirmative easements grant someone the right to use or access a specific portion of another person's property. Examples of affirmative easements in Tennessee include: a) Right-of-way easements: When a landowner allows their neighbor to use a pathway or driveway crossing their property to access a public road. b) Utility easements: These easements grant utility companies the right to install and maintain utility lines, such as power lines, gas pipelines, or water mains, on private property. c) Conservation easements: Landowners can voluntarily enter into conservation easements, where they restrict certain uses of their land in favor of preserving its natural or historic value. 2. Negative Easements: Negative easements, also known as restrictive easements, restrict a landowner from using their property in a specific way. Examples of negative easements in Tennessee are: a) Light and air easements: These easements prohibit neighboring property owners from constructing structures that obstruct the natural light or air flow to another person's property. b) View easements: In scenic areas, landowners may agree to limit the height or location of structures to preserve the views from neighboring properties. 3. Prescriptive Easements: Prescriptive easements arise when someone uses another person's property openly, adversely, and without permission for a specific period, typically ten years. Examples in Tennessee might include: a) A neighbor consistently using a portion of someone's land as a shortcut to access their own property. b) A hiker routinely crossing an undeveloped parcel of land to reach a nearby hiking trail. 4. Easements Appurtenant: Easements appurtenant are attached to a specific piece of property and benefit a neighboring property, known as the dominant property. These easements transfer automatically when the dominant property is sold. An example is: a) A shared driveway where one property owner has the right to access their property through their neighbor's land. 5. Easements in Gross: Easements in gross benefit an individual or entity rather than a particular piece of property. They do not transfer automatically when the benefiting party changes ownership. An example is: a) A utility company's right to install and maintain power lines across a designated area of private properties. Understanding these different types of easements will help property owners in Tennessee navigate easement laws more effectively. It is crucial to consult with an expert or seek legal advice when dealing with easements to ensure compliance with Tennessee's specific regulations.