Easements, Flag Lots, and PLAs

State v. Fowler & Country Realty

• Agent represented developer
• Developer marketed and sold lots which violated Oregon subdivision lots
• Guilty of misdemeanor

Terminology

• Lot
• Legal Lot
• Tax Lot
• Partition
• Subdivision
• Parcel

What We'll Cover:

• Types of Easements
• Creation of Easements
• Termination of Easements
• Flag Lots and Related Issues
• Property Line Adjustments

What is an Easement?

Similar to Easements

• Right of Way
• Profit a Prendre
• License
• Permit

Types of Easements

• Written & Agreed Upon
• Prescriptive
• Implication
• Necessity

Affirmative vs. Negative Easements

Elements of an Easement

• Parties
• Legal Description of Property
• Location of Easement
• Use & Maintenance
• Duration

Parties

Legal Description

Location

• Aeriel
• Surface
• Subterrainian

Use & Maintenance

Duration

Termination

• Expiration by Terms
• Misuse
• Perpetual
• Merger
• Abandonment

Easement via Plat

Tax Map

Plat

Easement by Necessity

• Landlocked Parcel
• Court Petition
• ORS 376

Prescriptive Easement

• Open & Adverse
• Notorious
• 10 Year Period
• Continuous

Flag Lots

Components

• Flag - the only building site
• Pole - connects the flag to the street

Advantages

• Less expensive development
• Increased density
• Secluded
• Zoning

Issues

• Access
• Maintenance
• Utilities

Requirements (Hillsboro)

• Approval via land division process
• No more than 3 dwellings on same access strip
• Min. driveway easement: 12' (1 lot), 17 ' (2 lots), 22' (3 lots)

Property Line Adjustments

Boundary Agreements vs. Boundary Adjustments

Reasons for PLA

• Resolve disputes
• Fix past unlawful land divisons
• Fix setback issues

Requirements

• No new parcels or lots are created
• Resulting lots or parcels comply with zoning and density requirements