The boundary of a property is changed by
Correct Answer
A) accretion.
Accretion is the gradual, imperceptible deposit of soil along a watercourse, and under Civil Code Section 1014 the added land belongs to the owner of the bank, so the boundary moves outward with the new soil. Erosion and reliction shift a boundary in the same gradual way. Avulsion is the opposite case: when a stream suddenly tears away or shifts a considerable and distinguishable piece of land, the boundary stays where it was, and Civil Code Section 1015 lets the owner reclaim the severed parcel within one year. An encroachment or a misplaced fence is a physical intrusion or marker that never moves the legal line.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
Related Topics:
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
A variance is an authorized deviation from the existing zoning ordinance granted to a property owner who demonstrates unique hardship. It allows a use or structure that would otherwise violate the current zoning rules.
Wetlands protection refers to federal and state regulations that restrict development on wetlands — areas where water covers the soil or is near the surface for part of the year. The primary federal authority is the Clean Water Act enforced by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Zoning is the government's division of land into districts with specific permitted uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural. It is the most common exercise of police power over private property.
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