What is the difference between a setback and an easement?
The setback is the minimum distance prescribed in the zoning and building codes that a building shall be located from the property line. Setbacks are required in order to limit fire spread, insure proper room for drainage and to maintain a neighborhood appearance. An easement is a legal term which indicates that the property owner has given to someone else (usually the City or Public Utility Company) the right to use a portion of their property for a specific purpose, such as utility lines or drainage. Because the easement has a specific use and also has something physically present in it (for example: a sewer line), the City of Salina does not permit any structures, including roof overhangs, to be located in easements. Staff members can tell you if there are platted easements on a particular property.
