Are preservation easements the same as façade easements?
Updated 2/21/2008The term “façade easement” is sometimes used to describe a type of preservation easement that only protects the exterior façades (the “face”) of a historic structure. Typically, the term refers to easements for properties in urban environments – by comparison, exterior easements in a rural setting often cover not only exterior “façades,” but also the general setting and landscape around a historic structure. Many preservation organizations do not use the phrase “façade easement” because it implies that changes to the historic setting or to other aspects of the property are not covered by the easement even if they may affect its historic character.
