What does an easement appurtenant involve?

An easement appurtenant involves two or more parcels of property because it is a right granted to the owner of one parcel (the dominant estate) to use a portion of another parcel (the servient estate) for a specific purpose, such as access or utility lines. This type of easement passes with the land, meaning that when one property changes hands, the easement remains intact, thereby benefiting the dominant estate. For example, if a property owner needs to cross a neighbor’s land to reach a public road, that right would typically constitute an easement appurtenant, as it involves the relationship between two distinct properties and continues even if the ownership of either parcel changes.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of an easement appurtenant. A single property owner would not involve an appurtenant easement, as there needs to be at least two parcels for the easement relationship to exist. Temporary usage arrangements do not define appurtenant easements, which are generally permanent rights. Lastly, while a parcel that is landlocked may necessitate the creation of an easement, this characteristic alone does not define the broader concept of an easement appurtenant.