Legal Definitions - non-contiguous

Non-contiguous describes two or more pieces of land or property that are not physically connected to each other. Even if owned by the same individual or organization, these properties do not share a common boundary line and are separated by other land, roads, or distance.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of non-contiguous properties:

• Residential Ownership: Imagine a person who owns their primary home in a suburban neighborhood. This same individual also owns a separate, undeveloped plot of land located five miles away in a different part of the county, which they intend to build on later. These two properties—the existing home and the vacant plot—are non-contiguous because they are physically separated by other homes, streets, and open spaces. They do not touch each other at any point.

• Agricultural Holdings: Consider a farmer who operates a large agricultural business. The farmer owns a main parcel of land where their farmhouse and barns are located, along with several fields for crops. However, one of their most productive crop fields is situated three miles away, across a public highway and past land owned by a different family. This distant field is non-contiguous with the farmer's main property because it is physically separate and does not share a border with the land where the farmhouse stands.

• Commercial Real Estate Portfolio: A real estate investment company might own a portfolio of commercial properties. For instance, they could own an office building in the downtown business district and, separately, a retail shopping center located on the outskirts of the city. These two commercial properties are non-contiguous. Despite being under the same ownership, they are distinct parcels of land that are not physically connected and are separated by significant distance and other developments.