What is an example of an easement that benefits one property at the expense of another?

An easement appurtenant is a type of easement that benefits one property (known as the dominant tenement) while burdening another property (the servient tenement). This means that the easement is tied to the land itself and transfers with the property when it is sold. A common example is when a residential property has a right to use a pathway or a road that crosses a neighboring property, allowing the first property owner easier access, which benefits them but comes at the cost to the property owner of the servient estate who may have restrictions placed on how they can use their land.

The other options include utility easements, which allow utility companies to install and maintain infrastructure like power lines or water pipes but do not categorize specifically as easements that benefit one property at the expense of another in the traditional sense of dominant and servient tenements. An easement in gross is not tied to a specific piece of land and benefits a person or legal entity rather than a particular property. The main road permissive easement refers to a general permission to use a road but does not necessarily define the relationship of burden and benefit between two distinct properties in the same way that an easement appurtenant does.