Opinion ID: 2829230
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Rolling Easements Are Creatures of Texas Common Law

Text: The answer to the second certified question is that the common law rather than the OBA is the source of public beachfront access easements. The OBA, however, is consistent with the common law of rolling easements and faithfully articulates the longstanding policy of the state. The OBA is not a rights-creating document but a mechanism for enforcing property rights that the state has previously and independently obtained. See Arrington v. Mattox , 767 S.W.2d at 958 . Such easements are established by prescription, dedication, or customary and continuous use. Guided by the common law, “[t]he OBA safeguards the public’s common law easement[ ,]” protecting the public’s access to public beaches. Mikeska v. City of Galveston , 451 F.3d 376, 378 (5th Cir. 2006) (citing Tex. Nat. Res. Code § 61.001(8)).