Legal Definitions - edge lease

An edge lease is a specific type of lease agreement that grants rights to use a small, often peripheral or boundary portion of a larger property. It typically involves a strip of land, a corner, or a minor section that is distinct from the main use or development of the property. These leases are often used for purposes like utility access, minor encroachments, or small-scale installations that require only a limited area along the perimeter of a larger parcel.

• Example 1: Commercial Development

  A large retail park developer owns a vast plot of land. To maximize parking and store space, they enter into an edge lease with a local telecommunications company. This lease grants the telecom company the right to install a small cell tower and associated equipment on a narrow strip of land along the very back boundary of the retail park, adjacent to a public utility easement. This specific strip is considered the "edge" of the main commercial property, and the lease is distinct from any leases for the retail units themselves.

  How it illustrates: This example shows an edge lease for a small, peripheral section of a larger commercial property, used for a specific, limited purpose (telecom infrastructure) that doesn't interfere with the primary use of the retail park.

• Example 2: Residential Property Boundary

  Ms. Chen owns a large suburban lot with a spacious backyard. Her neighbor, Mr. Davies, needs to replace an aging water pipe that serves his house. The most efficient and cost-effective route for the new pipe requires it to run underground for a short distance along a seldom-used, narrow strip of Ms. Chen's property, right next to their shared fence line. Ms. Chen agrees to an edge lease, granting Mr. Davies the right to install and maintain the water pipe within that specific boundary strip of her land for a set period.

  How it illustrates: Here, the edge lease allows for a necessary utility installation on a marginal part of a residential property, defining the rights and responsibilities for that specific boundary area without affecting the rest of Ms. Chen's yard.

• Example 3: Agricultural Land for Infrastructure

  A farmer leases hundreds of acres for cultivating crops. A new high-speed internet provider needs to lay fiber optic cables across the region. Instead of purchasing a full right-of-way, the internet provider negotiates an edge lease with the farmer for a very narrow, linear strip of land running along the outermost boundary of the farm, parallel to a county road. This allows them to install the cables without disrupting the main agricultural operations on the vast majority of the leased land.

  How it illustrates: This scenario demonstrates an edge lease being used for infrastructure development on a small, peripheral section of a much larger agricultural property, minimizing impact on the primary land use.