This brochure is strictly for informational

purposes only. For additional information regarding easements, please contact one of the Building Safety Division’s Development Information Specialists at (480) 644-4BSD.

For specific definitions of an easement, please refer to Real Estate Services.

BUILDING SAFETY DIVISION55 North Center Street

P.O. Box 1466Mesa, Arizona 85211-1466

480-644-4BSD (4273) 480-644-4900 FAX

IVR Inspection Scheduling .... 480-644-2428Blue Stake ............................... 602-263-1100Customer Service .................. 480-644-2221Maricopa County Assessor ... 602-506-3406Maricopa County Recorder .... 602-506-2859Planning Division ................... 480-644-2385Real Estates Services ............ 480-644-2577Utilities Marketing ................... 480-644-2652Utility Emergency Line ........... 480-644-2262

Building.Safety.Info@cityofmesa.orgwww.cityofmesa.org 480-644-4273

easements

Types of Easements An easement is a grant by the owner of any parcel of land to a public agency, corporation, or persons; for specific uses and purposes, and so designated and recorded (as defined in the City of Mesa Subdivision Regulations). In general terms, this means that another individual or orga-nization may access a portion of the property for various uses. In any case, this area is still owned by the property owner; but an easement limits what may be constructed on that portion of the property.

There are many different types of easements that can be dedicated on a piece of property. This brochure is intended to help a property owner identify and understand these easements.

Examples of common easements are:

Public Utility Facility Easement

Public Utility Easement

Irrigation Easement

Landscape Easement

Use and Benefit Easement

Vehicular Non-Access Easement

Public or Private Drainage Easement

Pedestrian Access Easement

Cross Access Easement

Easements can be identified on the subdivision plat applicable to the property. If the property is not part of a recorded subdivision, easement information will be recorded on the legal description of the property. This information may also be obtained from the Maricopa County Recorder, or the office where the property title is recorded.

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Public Utility Facility Easement (PUFE) Public Utility Facility Easement is land dedicated for installation of facilities overhead or underground, furnished for use by the public. This easement may also be used to dedicate ingress/egress to another property, as in private street subdivisions. Also included are improvements such as streetlights, traffic signals, sidewalks, landscaping, and flood control. These facilities may be owned and operated by any person, firm, corporation, municipal department, board, or duly authorized by State or municipal regulations.

Public Utility Easement (PUE) Public Utility Easement is land dedicated for underground public facilities and includes extensions aboveground. Examples are improvements such as fire hydrants, meter boxes, and manhole rims.

Irrigation Easement Irrigation Easement is used for installation or maintenance of public or private irrigation facilities.

Landscape Easement Landscape Easement is a portion of land dedicated for landscaping. This may be a required landscape barrier or buffer between properties of different uses, or between a residential neighborhood and an arterial street.

Use and Benefit Easement Use and Benefit Easement is a grant to an adjacent lot for ingress/egress for the purpose of repair, maintenance, drainage, and improvement of any of the lots that are contiguous to the easement area. No structure and/or other permanent improvement of any nature shall be placed, maintained, or permitted to remain on or within the easement area.

Vehicular Non-Access Easement (VNAE) Vehicular Non-Access Easement is used to restrict vehicular access to a property. This may be from a street or between inappropriate uses (i.e., Zoning District boundaries).

Public or Private Drainage Easement Public or Private Drainage Easement is an area designed and used for conveyance or retention of runoff in which nothing can be placed that will impede, divert, or cause the runoff to have an adverse affect on adjoining property. This may be publicly owned and maintained by the city, or privately owned and maintained.

Pedestrian Access Easement Pedestrian Access Easement allows pedestrian traffic to cross a property. This may include access to a park facility, or access to an adjacent property or facility.

Cross Access Easement Cross Access Easement is typically used on commercial properties that share a driveway entrance, as with the case of a large commercial complex. This way traffic can cross one property to access another.