Right of Way and Easements
Easements are designated areas on private property that are used for specific purposes. They allow utility companies and the public to access certain parts of the property for things like utilities and sidewalks.
Most properties already have easements. These easements are in place to ensure that utilities like water, electricity, and internet can reach buildings, or to provide public access which make room for pathways or sidewalks, so people can walk safely near the road.
Permanent public access easements give others the right to use private property for a certain purpose, even when the property is owned by someone else. For example, a sidewalk could be constructed, and the public would have the right to use this walkway. If there is an easement on a property, the property owner still retains ownership but must legally allow other people to use or access it.
Temporary construction easements are granted by the property owner for a limited duration of time for the purpose of carrying out construction of a project on their property. Once construction is completed, the easement is no longer in place or granted. For example, to tie existing driveways into the new roadway and sidewalk could require temporary access onto a property to reconstruct a portion of the driveway.
The Iris Avenue Transportation Improvements Project team is working to minimize impacts to adjacent properties. Easements will only be sought in the most constrained part of the corridor and not on its entire length.
Impacts can be minimized by:
| Easement Type | Potential Temporary Construction Easements | Potential Permanent Public Access Easements |
|---|---|---|
| A & B | 1 to 5 | 0 |
| C | 15 to 20 | 6 to 8 approximately 2.5 to 5-feet-wide |
| D | 5 to 10 | 2 to 4 approximately 5-feet-wide |
Until the city can coordinate directly with property owners for permanent or temporary easements, the city will not share details on exact locations or addresses where easements are potentially needed.
