Setbacks are guidelines established by each municipality that determines the distance a particular structure must be from the property lines. This pertains to your home, swimming pool, shed, tiki hut, roofed terrace, concrete slabs and in some cases your pump and filter for your pool. The setbacks for each municipality and each type of property within that municipality are different . Easements are designated areas for use by the various utility companies such as FPL, Comcast, AT&T, City Gas and Miami Dade Water & Sewer to name a few. Easements are established when the property is platted, long before construction begins and usually run along the perimeter of some properties. They are designed to allow the utility companies to run their respective lines throughout neighborhoods and maintain them when needed. Easements can be in the front, rear or sides or more than one at the same time. Nothing permanent can be constructed in these designated areas. It is important that you deal with a contractor like Creative Backyards, Inc. that is abreast of all the zoning laws in each municipality in order to have your plans approved by the building department without delays.