Video Summary
Between an easement and an offset or setback. An easement is where you have granted a right to use your property to someone. Usually it has to do with utilities and it’s shown on your plat or whenever you purchased the property, the developer set aside, let’s say, ten feet on the back of your property and allows the utility companies, like water, sewer, cable, to use that property. You own it, but someone else has the right to use it. Also you could grant a private easement for someone to drive in across your property, which would also be an easement, whereas an offset or a setback is something that’s imposed by the building department and the county or city where you’re situated, and they prescribe how close you can build to a property line or construct things close to the property line, and that’s called a setback, and that’s controlled by what kind of zoning you have, and as far as commercial property or residential property. And that’s how close you can build your structures.
Some of this is based upon public health and safety, and that they need … you talk about putting a fire truck or whatever between the properties on the rear setback, that has to do with your neighbors being able to, as far as view, and things such as that. So hopefully that answers any questions you have on the difference between an easement and an offset, which is really a setback, which is prescribed by a county or city as to how close you can construct something. If you have any other questions, give me a call at 727-847-2288