Gas line easement - legal options?

[IHaveAMustang]

You do have control, just not over the portion that someone in the past signed away to the gas company. This is a common issue and you're unfortunately stuck with it unless the gas company abandons the line sometime in the future.

How far are you wanting to encroach over the easement line?

And for the obvious question, you can't add on without encroaching?

The easement literally touches my garage wall. I cannot build even 1" past my current foundation.

I submitted an appeal to Atmos. The current house sits 19' from the HP gas line. I wanted to use 12' of that leaving 7' to work. They denied it, decision is permanent.

Just buy on of those shipping containers and slap it right next to your house. Storage plus room to park!

Oh yeah, neighbors and the city would love that! I should have just bought land in the country and dealt with the crap drive.

[Trip McNeely]

The easement literally touches my garage wall. I cannot build even 1" past my current foundation.

I submitted an appeal to Atmos. The current house sits 19' from the HP gas line. I wanted to use 12' of that leaving 7' to work. They denied it, decision is permanent.



Oh yeah, neighbors and the city would love that! I should have just bought land in the country and dealt with the crap drive.

I haven't lived in the D/FW area in decades, but who's the investigative "On your side" reporter there? Contact them. I mean if other people are clearly on the easement and they are allowed and you are being singled out, I would make a stink about it. I also don't think Atmos has the greatest reputation as a utility company anyways.

[bubbaearl]

one thing i learned during the shale thing is land owners have no surface rights . mineral rights and easements trump ownership .

[Gasser64]

You'd still be 7' from the line? Pfft just build it anyway and never say anything. Will you still even live there by the time they need to do something with that line? Likely not.

[bubbaearl]

never get a building permit with an easement .

[IHaveAMustang]

never get a building permit with an easement .

This.

In order to get the project even started with the concrete company and framers, I need a permit.

They will pull my survey, see there is an easement and then deny my permit without a letter from Atmos.

Im currently trying to re-negotiate the appeal with Atmos, minus the one car garage.

[bubbaearl]

reason i moved to the county . only permit is septic . i built all my own stuff with no contractors or permits . with the coming shit storm now might be a good time to rethink your priorities . commute or shoot .

[Trip McNeely]

This.

In order to get the project even started with the concrete company and framers, I need a permit.

They will pull my survey, see there is an easement and then deny my permit without a letter from Atmos.

Im currently trying to re-negotiate the appeal with Atmos, minus the one car garage.

Hire a contractor who doesn’t give a fuck?

[TX_92_Notch]

if he's planning to live there long-term or may keep the property as a rental after he moves, building over the easement without permission is a terrible idea.

Depending on the city, if/when they catch you building without a permit, the gas company is no longer your only concern.

As much as it sucks, the easement is a reality and his garage dreams (at least in that location) are kaput.

[IHaveAMustang]

if he's planning to live there long-term or may keep the property as a rental after he moves, building over the easement without permission is a terrible idea.

Depending on the city, if/when they catch you building without a permit, the gas company is no longer your only concern.

As much as it sucks, the easement is a reality and his garage dreams (at least in that location) are kaput.

Probably, but I spoke with the Atmos rep that interacts with the approval board yesterday. I am submitting two more plans, one with the garage pad reduced to 9' (giving them a full 10' of work space) and a plan with the garage expansion removed, but 4 feet encroaching into the easement for exterior stairs into the second floor apartment that we want to build.

He told me i'll probably get shot down on the first (not even sure I can make a 9' garage work) and get the second approved. We need the living space more than the car space, so I'll take what I can get.

[TX_92_Notch]

Probably, but I spoke with the Atmos rep that interacts with the approval board yesterday. I am submitting two more plans, one with the garage pad reduced to 9' (giving them a full 10' of work space) and a plan with the garage expansion removed, but 4 feet encroaching into the easement for exterior stairs into the second floor apartment that we want to build.

He told me i'll probably get shot down on the first (not even sure I can make a 9' garage work) and get the second approved. We need the living space more than the car space, so I'll take what I can get.

Do you have a copy of your survey and/or plat? My background is architecture and civil engineering and I'm curious to see what you're dealing with. If you don't have the legal plat, I can probably find it in a few minutes if I had your address.

[lincolnboy]

if he's planning to live there long-term or may keep the property as a rental after he moves, building over the easement without permission is a terrible idea.

Depending on the city, if/when they catch you building without a permit, the gas company is no longer your only concern.

As much as it sucks, the easement is a reality and his garage dreams (at least in that location) are kaput.

x's 2

[yellowstang]

Does your back garage wall go to the house, or can you knock it out and build the garage deeper, like a tandem garage?

[IHaveAMustang]

Do you have a copy of your survey and/or plat? My background is architecture and civil engineering and I'm curious to see what you're dealing with. If you don't have the legal plat, I can probably find it in a few minutes if I had your address.

Does your back garage wall go to the house, or can you knock it out and build the garage deeper, like a tandem garage?

Not an option for me unfortunately, garage backs up to our patio which is small enough as is, but we enjoy having fires and cookouts on.

[IHaveAMustang]

Do you have a copy of your survey and/or plat? My background is architecture and civil engineering and I'm curious to see what you're dealing with. If you don't have the legal plat, I can probably find it in a few minutes if I had your address.

Bump, plat has been posted