What type of easement allows access to utilities?

An easement in gross is a specific type of easement that is typically associated with utility access. It is not tied to a dominant estate (the property benefiting from the easement) but instead benefits a person or entity, such as a utility company. This means the utility provider can access the property to install, maintain, or repair utility lines, such as water, electricity, or gas, regardless of ownership changes of the land.

By allowing utilities to have this access, an easement in gross ensures that essential services can be provided without the need for the utility company to own adjacent property. This type of easement is critical for infrastructure development and maintenance in both residential and commercial areas.

Other types of easements, like prescriptive easements, typically arise when someone uses another's property without permission over a period, leading to an implied right of use. Negative easements restrict a property owner from doing something on their own land that could affect another's property rights, and reciprocal easements often involve a mutual agreement between two property owners regarding access rights. None of these serve the specific purpose of facilitating utility access as effectively as an easement in gross does.