Our county subdivision ordinance calls for a 15 foot wide public utility easement all the way around lots equally divided between them (probably handed down from the 80's). To me this is really old school. I've worked in a lot of recreational home developments (mountain subdivisions). Rarely do these easements get used and later on when owners want to combine lots or do boundary line adjustments they just get in the way and further complicate the process by requiring public hearings to move them or eliminate them. It's sort of a shotgun approach (let's just put an easement everywhere). Most utilities are served from the street and any lot owner can grant any easement to a provider they want to serve their house from the street. Even the outside easements won't get the utility all the way into the house. So basically lots are being burdened with easements to serve the neighbors (once in a while) when the street works just fine (maybe an extra width along the street). Things should be more planned out at this date and any easements needed to get between streets should or could be planned in from the beginning.
So I'm just curious, is this practice in wide use around the US?
I think I'll lobby to get this removed for our subdivision ordinance.
All new subdivisions here go through a review process where by utilities have the opportunity to request the dedication or modification of utility easements prior to the plat's approval. What you describe sounds like complete and utter over kill. Vacating one of these easements once it's been dedicated is extremely burdensome for the average home owner.
Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.
I think when they went from old rear line power lines, etc to front yard services, it seems reasonable that they would not require them any more. Especially the side yard ones, aside from the occasional drainage easement which is more of an exception than the rule.
Me thinks that the state Utility Czars should activate things to make it more sensible.
PS - pretty common around these parts for subdivisions from the 60's & 70's to have utility easements along all lines. Yes it does goof up things when it comes to combining lots, lot line adjustments, set backs, etc because the utility companies have to sign off to extinguish them, which then requires county board approval. Tick tock tick tock, 4 months later it's gone.