Types of Easements
The Village of Sugar Bush Knolls has two types of easements:
- Utility-owned easements. Examples include easements along our major thoroughfares for natural gas pipelines or county sanitary sewers.
- Village-owned easements. Examples include easements for roadways, storm sewer piping, and pathways to Village-owned lakes.
Ownership of the Land
Although the term “owned” is applied to an easement, the owner of the easement (the Village or utility) owns only the right to access the property covered by the easement. Title to the real property is still held by the landowner. Hence, the Village may have an easement for a storm sewer line on your property, but the Village holds no real property in ownership. The easement simply permits the Village to access the property subject to the easement for repair, replacement or maintenance on the storm sewer line.
Restrictions for Land with an Easement
Because access is necessary for these activities, structures cannot be built upon the easement and elaborate landscaping cannot be developed thereon.
Returning the property to its original condition
The Village, or its contractor, is responsible for returning the easement property back to its original condition following access for work.
Ongoing Work
The Village continues to obtain easements for storm sewer improvements, which will allow our Village to best manage its storm water and to protect properties from uncontrolled water runoff.