Gas line easement questions

cyflier

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Apr 13, 2006
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I'm looking at a purchasing a property that has a gas line/easement through it. I believe its a Mid American gas line. This is a main line. I know it can not be built on, and were trying to get easement info from the owner and Mid American. Anyone have experience with something like this?
 

chuckd4735

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I've dealt with them from the other side quite a bit, and we also have one in our backyard, however, the one we have is also part of a landscaping easement for the HOA, so we essentially cant do anything with it. Im assuming your will just be restricted from any buildings, including fencing, but worth checking into.
 

cyco2000

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If you're in Iowa, you can find it at the recorder's office in which county you reside. It could be on the plat or it could be a recorded easement if it was done after the land was platted.
 

cyflier

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Apr 13, 2006
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I've dealt with them from the other side quite a bit, and we also have one in our backyard, however, the one we have is also part of a landscaping easement for the HOA, so we essentially cant do anything with it. Im assuming your will just be restricted from any buildings, including fencing, but worth checking into.
Yeah, was worried about driveway, etc.
 

cyclonespiker33

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I'm guessing they'll let you pay to have it moved. It's not going to be cheap, though.
 

chuckd4735

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Yeah, was worried about driveway, etc.

I would imagine you would be OK, only problem would be that they will tear the hell out of it if needed, and Im not sure who would be responsible to replace. Really depends on what the restrictions state.
 

Gonzo

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I would imagine you would be OK, only problem would be that they will tear the hell out of it if needed, and Im not sure who would be responsible to replace. Really depends on what the restrictions state.

Could be wrong but I think if they need to dig it's on the homeowner to repair/replace any landscaping/grass/yard that they leave in the aftermath. Can't imagine it would be different if they tore up a driveway but who knows.
 

EnhancedFujita

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The easement will restrict any building in the area. It should also spell out the terms of who is responsible if MidAm tears stuff up to access and repair the main. It probably depends on when and who created the easement. But there could be a good chance it contains language favorable to the property owner.
 
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Macloney

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I'm looking at a purchasing a property that has a gas line/easement through it. I believe its a Mid American gas line. This is a main line. I know it can not be built on, and were trying to get easement info from the owner and Mid American. Anyone have experience with something like this?

I saw a variance last month for a fence and above-ground pool in a utility easement. The owner was allowed to put both in the easement, provided that there was still clear access to the utility.
 

Macloney

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Feb 28, 2014
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I'm looking at a purchasing a property that has a gas line/easement through it. I believe its a Mid American gas line. This is a main line. I know it can not be built on, and were trying to get easement info from the owner and Mid American. Anyone have experience with something like this?

Also, your cities Planning/Zoning Department will be able to provide you the plat information, although they could be available online.

They will also be your best source for what will or won't be allowed in the easement. Utilities are usually surprisingly willing to work with homeowners.
 

CycloneDaddy

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Sep 24, 2006
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Buddy lives in the country and has a gas line running through his property. He can't build anything on 30 feet of either side. Gas company flies over the pipeline I believe at least once a week to check on it. He once tried building a basic shelter for a calf and the gas company came out a few days later and made him remove it as it was within the 30 feet.
 

DurangoCy

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We've ran into a couple instances where vibratory compaction was not allowed for the roads over the lines, but most of them you should be able to do a driveway. As others have said, it really depends on how the easement was written concerning who pays for mitigating impacts of the repairs, as these things are never the same.

If the county where you live has moved into the 21st century and has a GIS website, a lot of times you can pull plats, which may have the dedication or you can get the reception numbers of these (if recorded earlier than the Plat) off the intrawebs. If it's a reception number, you can then go to you Clerk and Recorder website and pull up the scanned easement dedication that was recorded.

TIL awhile back - Natural Gas Mains are actually regulated by the DOT.
 

SpokaneCY

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Apr 11, 2006
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Spokane, WA
I'm looking at a purchasing a property that has a gas line/easement through it. I believe its a Mid American gas line. This is a main line. I know it can not be built on, and were trying to get easement info from the owner and Mid American. Anyone have experience with something like this?

I work for a gas utility and work closely with the interstate pipelines. Different pipelines have different levels of vigilance policing RoWs. But anything you build on the ROW will be taken down at your expense - eventually. Your trees will be trimmed with no regard for aesthetics. And as neighborhoods build up, the classification for that pipe (how much damage it can do should a rapid disassembly of parts occur) can change which could require rerouting the entire pipe through large swaths of existing neighborhoods.

Sometimes they blow up too!
 
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cowgirl836

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Sep 3, 2009
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I work for a gas utility and work closely with the interstate pipelines. Different pipelines have different levels of vigilance policing RoWs. But anything you build on the ROW will be taken down at your expense - eventually. Your trees will be trimmed with no regard for aesthetics. And as neighborhoods build up, the classification for that pipe (how much damage it can do should a rapid disassembly of parts occur) can change which could require rerouting the entire pipe through large swaths of existing neighborhoods.

Sometimes they blow up too!

parents found out there was a gas line running our timber hillside property you can see from the house. Plane went over and then shortly thereafter a new 60ft or so swath of trees were removed.

Think parents knew about it (and the presence of the line) but it hadn't been cleared in decades or something. I think they were told the plane was having trouble picking it up through the trees.
 

CyArob

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Apr 22, 2011
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This might sound super obvious, but the easement language will tell you what you can and cannot do within the easement (pretty much just the cannot part anyways). The language seems to vary from utility to utility. The county courthouse usually has all the easement documentation, and after that your next best bet is that the utility has it in their records.
 
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TOFB4ISU

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Nov 6, 2010
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I'm guessing they'll let you pay to have it moved. It's not going to be cheap, though.

It could cost more than the price of the lot, assuming the utility would even allow for a disruption of service to nearby properties.

Also, your cities Planning/Zoning Department will be able to provide you the plat information, although they could be available online.

They will also be your best source for what will or won't be allowed in the easement. Utilities are usually surprisingly willing to work with homeowners.

Not necessarily. P&Z Departments don't always have all the information on file. Your best bet is the Recorder's Office, IMO. Assume the easement is permanent and untouchable.