Alterations to Easement Okay—They Did Not Interfere With the Easement-Holder’s Right of Passage

The Third Department determined the alterations made to an ingress and egress easement along a private road, including the installation of a gate, were not actionable because they did not interfere with the easement holder’s right of passage:

It is well settled that “[t]he extent and nature of an easement must be determined by the language contained in the grant, aided where necessary by any circumstances tending to manifest the intent of the parties” … . Here, the easement specifically granted plaintiff and defendants the right of “ingress and egress and for electric, gas, water, sewer and similar services over, under and along [the] farm road” on the McLean property. Importantly then, “[a] right of way along a private road belonging to another person does not give the [easement holder] a right that the road shall be in no respect altered or the width decreased, for his [or her] right . . . is merely a right to pass with the convenience to which he [or she] has been accustomed” … . In the absence of a demonstrated intent to provide otherwise, an easement of ingress and egress may be narrowed, covered, gated or fenced off, “‘so long as the easement holder’s right of passage is not impaired'”… . Boice v Hirschbihl, 2015 NY Slip Op 04191, 3rd Dept 5-14-15