Opinion ID: 901064
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in finding the access easement personal only to Hamm and Taylor.

Text: [¶ 20.] An easement may be created by written grants, pursuant to plats or by force of law. Kokesh, 2002 SD 126, ¶ 12, 652 N.W.2d at 793 (citing Knight v. Madison, 2001 SD 120, ¶ 6, 634 N.W.2d 540, 542; Cleveland v. Tinaglia, 1998 SD 91, ¶ 18, 582 N.W.2d 720, 724; Tan Corp. v. Johnson, 1996 SD 128, ¶ 13, 555 N.W.2d 613, 616). The servitude of an easement is controlled by the terms of the grant and nature of use. Knight, 2001 SD 120, ¶ 6, 634 N.W.2d at 542. [N]either the physical size nor the purpose or use to which an easement may be put can be expanded or enlarged beyond the terms of the grant of the easement. Id.; See Townsend v. Yankton Super 8 Motel, 371 N.W.2d 162, 165-66 (S.D.1985). An easement created by an express grant is controlled by the words of the grant, its physical size and the nature of use. Knight, 2001 SD 120, ¶ 6, 634 N.W.2d at 542. The land to which an easement is attached is called the dominant tenement; the land upon which a burden or servitude is laid is called the servient tenement. SDCL 43-13-3. An easement appurtenant runs with the land and serves the dominant estate. 25 AmJur2d Easements and Licenses § 10 (updated 2003). [¶ 21.] In order to determine the nature and extent of the easement, we look to the terms of the grant, the plat, and the nature of its use. When Ted Hamm, the original owner, transferred the property, the terms of the grant as expressed in the addendum to the 1977 purchase agreement, indicated that the seller wished to reserve and improve the easement. The buyers agree the seller may reserve on the above described property, a 66' easement starting at the SW corner of Una Del Drive, running southwesterly along the existing trail 150' to the south line of said Section 21. As further consideration, Buyers agree to allow Seller the use of Buyer's bulldozer to improve the above easement for a period not exceeding four (4) hours in duration at a time convenient to Buyers. Seller agrees to direct the operations of said work. Although the addendum permitted the seller to reserve the easement, the warranty deed from Ted Hamm to Finn's predecessors made no reference to the easement nor did it specifically define a reservation to the seller. The 1978 plat showed the easement and labeled it a 66' access easement. None of the written instruments identify a dominant tenement to which the easement is appurtenant. [¶ 22.] Hamm asserts that the easement is appurtenant to all land west of Wildwood Subdivision. Taylor and Red Rock assert that the dominant tenement is west and south of the access easement. The party claiming the easement has the burden of proof. Cf. Thompson v. E.I.G. Palace Mall, LLC, 2003 SD 12, ¶ 14, 657 N.W.2d 300, 305 (to establish an easement by implication from prior use the burden of proof is on the claimant). Neither the addendum to the purchase agreement nor the original plat identifies a dominant tenement. Hamm, Taylor and Red Rock failed to identify the dominant estate beyond unsupported vague generalities. Additionally, the access easement was marked by a private drive sign and had a chain blocking its entrance indicating it was for personal use only. The trial court found that the use of the easement was limited to Leo Hamm and his immediate family and Harley Taylor and his immediate family only to access the properties they own in section 28 and section 21. Based on the evidence, we cannot say the trial court erred in finding that the sixty-six foot access easement was a private easement for personal use. We affirm the trial court on issue three. [¶ 23.] GILBERTSON, Chief Justice, and SABERS and ZINTER, Justices, and SRSTKA, Circuit Court Judge, concur. [¶ 24.] SRSTKA, Circuit Court Judge, sitting for KONENKAMP, Justice, disqualified.