Determining Property Lines

• Determining exact property lines for set-back laws is imperative before building a house, driveway, fence and even planting a tree. To realize the lines, you need to locate the corners. Corners would have been marked with iron pins/pipes originally, but over time can become lost or removed completely. A professional land surveyor should be hired for relocating corners.
  
  

Frontage (Line) and Road Right-of Way Line

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "frontage" as "the land between the front of a building and a street." The frontage and road right-of way lines will typically run parallel to each other. This is usually the side your driveway and sewer enter your property from and normally the direction your home faces.
  
  

Rear Property Line

• The rear property line will generally be opposite from the frontage of your property. It may border a back alley.
  
  

Side Property Lines

• The side property lines connect the frontage/road right-of-way lines and rear property lines, typically forming a rectangular parcel of land. The side property lines mark the lines between neighbors. Find Law states that fences on a boundary line belong to both owners and must be maintained and left standing unless agreed otherwise. Local jurisdictions could differ on this subject.
  
  

Set-Backs

• The set-backs, or distance from your property lines and the center line of the street, will decipher where, and if, a particular structure, access or tree can be erected, built or planted. Legal set-back distances from property lines may vary depending on state laws.