Builder taking advantage of landscaping easement? (La Puente: assessor, lawyer, homes)

[rowrowuni]

I am on the board for a homeowner's association in an unincorporated area of L.A. County. The community was built about 10 years ago and is along a freeway. The original builder keeps a very large sign on the landscape easement zone between the homes and the freeway.

The builder is no longer part of the board, of course. But we have the same management company put in place by the builder (and presumably gets all their new communities/business). Whenever we ask about this large billboard we are told that the builder has an easement for it. When we look up the maps, there is nothing about the easement specific to the builder, and the builder/management company can't produce any documents laying the burden of proof on us. Being in an "unincorporated" area of the county, we are definitely at a loss for quick resources and representation. Is there anybody out there that knows how we can find out if they have a legal right to post this massive eyesore on this "landscaping" easement that we are responsible for maintaining? What type of document would have been recorded to grant them this right? They are telling us to cut the trees blocking their sign... and well i have no intention of doing this if they don't have a right to post the sign and aren't willing to participate in the costs of maintaining the community.

Sources, links and personal experience appreciated.

Thanks!

[CapnHawk]

Since you are in unincorporated L.A. County, go to your nearest field office of the Supervisor that represents your district. A field deputy should be able to assist you. A copy of the County parcel map should have the easement identified, if it was filed with the County Registrar/Recorder.

[rowrowuni]

if there is no easement on the map, would there be another place it would have been recorded? Or is it as simple as no easement (on the map), no rights?

thx again

[CapnHawk]

The only place where an easement would be recorded is at the County Registrar/Recorders Office.

[rowrowuni]

In case anyone ever runs into the same issue, here's what I did.

First I went down to L.A. County Building and Safety Office
16005 E. Central Ave., La Puente 91744
Building & Safety Offices (http://dpw.lacounty.gov/general/facilities/app_building.cfm - broken link)
- note: They only review "Regional Plans" on Tuesday mornings in the office, or you can go downtown for additional days.

At Building and Safety they pulled the assessor maps and verified that the area in question was private property, and no special easements were recorded. Our board has requested that our lawyer issue a cease and desist letter to the builder, so I will follow-up on where this goes next.

[DontH8Me]

I am fairly positive that the easement, if it existed, would be recorded on the deed to your property as well, and would outline specifically who would benefit from it, and what purpose it served.