Access Control Easement

An easement is a "nonpossessory" property interest that allows the holder of the easement to have a right of way or use property that they do not own or possess. An easement doesn't allow the easement holder to occupy the land or to exclude others from the land unless they interfere with the easement holder's use.

Express Grant by Instrument. An express grant by written instrument is the most common source of an easement. Implied. The owner of a large tract of land splits up the land with one or more parcels that do not abut a public highway or road. Necessity. Dedication.

Rights of way (similar to the driveway example, but also including walkways or pathways); Public utilities, such as gas, electricity or water and sewer mains; Parking areas; Access to light and air; and. Shared walls.

The party gaining the benefit of the easement is the dominant estate (or dominant tenement), while the party granting the benefit or suffering the burden is the servient estate (or servient tenement). For example, the owner of parcel A holds an easement to use a driveway on parcel B to gain access to A's house.

Include the whole length and width. Do this by reference to plans and a ground inspection. Deduct the "after scenario" value from the "before scenario" value to arrive at a value per unit of the easement land. Multiply by the measured area of the easement land to arrive at a total market value.

When termed as a utility easement, it means a utility company's right to access and control the portion of another person's land that is located near utility facilities and structures (i.e. utility poles, transformers, overhead or underground electrical lines).

The value of the easement is based on the difference between the value of the whole property before the taking and its value after the taking with the easement in place.

In most situations, easements will not decrease the value of the property. If the easement has strict rules or requirements the property owner must follow, however, it can affect property value and marketability.

Although an easement grants a possessory interest in the land for a specific purpose, the landowner retains the title to the property. Easements may be given to anyone, such as neighbors, government agencies, and private parties.