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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Good morning colleagues:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">A question came up this weekend for a family member:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Can an encroachment onto a power line easement be ‘grandfathered’ in or be recognized by adverse possession type rights?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">The basic facts:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">BPA has an easement for their power lines across family members’ land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">A structure on the land encroaches no more than 10 ft at its deepest level of encroachment, and, much less along a portion of the boundary line of the easement. (In effect, the structure’s corner encroaches as
a triangle, with diminishing depth from the 10 ft apex.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">The structure has been there for a minimum of
<b>56</b> years! (It may have been there when the easement was granted.) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">BPA recently hired a consultant to survey easements across the county. The survey consultant sent a notice requiring removal to family members, which would entail a significant amount of work.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Thus, my question. Family members are not able to get into a significant amount of litigation over this issue, so I am hopeful there is an easy solution.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Thank you for your input.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79">Claudia<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ParkAvenue;color:#1F4E79">Claudia A. Gowan<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">Claudia A. Gowan, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1900<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">Seattle, WA 98121<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">(206) 443-2733 (T)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F497D">(206) 448-</span></b><b><span style="color:#1F4E79">1843</span></b><b><span style="color:#1F497D"> (F)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F4E79"><a href="mailto:claudia@cagowanlaw.com"><span style="color:#1F4E79">claudia@cagowanlaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#1F4E79"><a href="http://www.seattletrustsandestates.com/"><span style="color:#1F4E79">www.seattletrustsandestates.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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