How is an Appurtenant Right characterized?

An appurtenant right is characterized as an easement that benefits a specific parcel of land. This means that the easement is tied to the land itself rather than to an individual. When a property has an appurtenant easement, it grants the owner of the dominant tenement (the property benefiting from the easement) specific rights over the servient tenement (the property burdened by the easement). These rights are typically related to access or use of the servient property in a manner that enhances the use and value of the dominant property.

For example, if a property has an easement that allows it to use a pathway across a neighboring property to reach a public road, that pathway easement is appurtenant to the property; it benefits the property owner and transfers with the ownership of that property. Thus, appurtenant rights are essential for ensuring that specific land development or usage is maintained irrespective of changes in ownership.

This understanding underscores the functional relationship between the parcels of land involved, which distinguishes appurtenant rights from other forms of easements or property rights.