Real Estate Services

If you are looking to make permanent improvements to CA property, that work requires an easement. Please review the following on the submission and review process.

Evaluation Criteria

Each easement request is evaluated through the lens of how it aligns with CA’s community-focused mission and strategic goals.

CA’s Community Development and Real Estate Services (CDRES) staff evaluate applications on several factors, including but not limited to:

• Effect on CA assets and operations
• Alignment with the CA Guiding Principles as well as adopted community or organizational plans
• Short and long-term impacts and/or costs associated with encumbering CA land
• Tangible net community benefit associated with the easement

Application Process

1. PRE-APPLICATION MEETING – Please email RealEstateServices@ColumbiaAssociation.org to set up a time to discuss your project.
2. APPLY – After the meeting with staff, those wishing to move forward will be asked to complete an application form and pay the associated application fee. At that time, signs shall be posted near the project site informing the public of the request.
3. PUBLIC MEETING, NOTIFICATION, & COMMENT PERIOD – Staff will contact the appropriate village manager and assist in arranging a public meetingwhere the applicant shall be invited to present to their request. Following this meeting, there shall be a public comment period of thirty (30) days. These questions, and their corresponding answers, shall be provided to CA’s Board of Directors and published in the appropriate Board Packet.
4. CA REVIEW – Staff will review the submission for before evaluating your request and developing a staff recommendation for final consideration.
5. CA BOARD PRESENTATION AND VOTE – Easement requests are subject to approval by CA’s Board of Directors. Following the public meeting and opening of the Public Comment Period, the request shall be presented to CA’s Board . The request shall be voted on by CA’s Board at a subsequent Board of Director’s Meeting.
6. FINAL COORDINATION – Pending approval by the Board of Directors, CDRES staff will coordinate with the applicant to finalize necessary legal documents, review technical details or exhibits associated with the easement and finalize fees.

Fees and Costs

• Application Fee: All applicants are charged a non-refundable application fee when submitting the application form. This fee helps offset costs associated with processing the requested easement. For those looking to pay the application fee with a credit card, please complete and include a copy of the credit card authorization form provided with your Easement Request Form submission.
• One Time Fees: Applied to easements which will result in minimal or occasional impact to CA holdings, and do not increase or incur annual CA maintenance costs. Examples include utility easements and private driveways.
  • Fee equal to 100% appraised value or alternative fee calculation of the easement area
  • Determined by a licensed real estate appraiser, hired by the applicant and approved by CA. Any cost incurred by CA shall be reimbursed by the Grantee.
  • Alternative fee calculation is based on the assessed land value of the Grantee’s benefiting parcel applied 1:1 per square foot to the requested easement area.
  • Restoration and maintenance obligations will be specified in the deed of easement.
• Recurring Annual Fees: Reserved for easements with regular and ongoing maintenance costs incurred by CA. Examples include shared parking lots and shared access drives. The fee structure will be specified within the deed of easement.
• Possible Fee Reductions: Determined by CDRES staff, up to 100% fee reduction possible. At its sole discretion, CA may choose to waive or offset the easement fee based on the merits of the specific project associated with the easement and evaluation of its net community benefit. Discount opportunities include, but are not limited to:
  • Annexation of Grantee Property under the CA Covenants and annual charge
  • Grantee Financial Hardship
  • Reduction of CA Maintenance Obligations
  • Beneficial Improvements to CA Property and/or Mission Alignment, such as:
  • Affordable Housing Developments
  • Environmental Improvements
  • Pathway Network Expansion
  • Improved CA Access or Operations

Net Community Benefit Evaluation

As part of the review process, CA staff will assess the physical and tangible positive and/or adverse impacts associated with the proposed easement. The value of the proposed improvement will be

determined by CA based on the merits of the project associated with the easement and the circumstances unique to each easement request.

In practice, this means a project that improves pedestrian and bicycle connectivity for Columbia residents may be evaluated to have a high net community benefit and result in a reduction of a percentage or all of the easement fee. A driveway or utility easement that services a single residential or commercial site may be considered to have a neutral community benefit and the full appraised value of the easement area will be required as payment by the Grantee.

An applicant may choose or may be required to include certain community benefits in their project scope to balance adverse impacts or reduce costs associated with encumbering CA land.

Anyone accessing CA-owned property under an established agreement must notify CA before that access occurs (click here). This includes access for an easement, license agreement, right of entry agreement, maintenance agreement, right of way or lease agreement.  

Anyone looking to receive one-time, temporary access to any CA property must complete a New Right of Entry Request. If work includes the installation of any permanent structures or requires prolonged access, please submit a request for an easement instead (see above).

To ensure accurate installation of exterior alterations within resident property boundaries, CA would like to assist residents with properly identifying their boundary lines. This program includes the in-field marking of CA shared property line(s) at a reduced cost. Should you wish to have all of your property boundaries identified in the field, CA will assist in the coordination of scheduling a survey with a CA contracted surveyor, using our contracted discount rates. While prices are subject to change based on available funding and contract rates, prior to scheduling work an estimate will be provided with the current pricing. Boundary exhibits are not a part of this program and will not be provided. Payment must be collected prior to the scheduling of survey services. Scheduling may take up to six weeks. Should you wish to take advantage of CA’s Discount Survey Program, please complete the application.