Short Plat requires neighbors help

[Curtis Bidwell]

I have 2 acres in the city (Puyallup, Wa) with an 1800sf SFR on one end of the property rented to the same family for 8 years. The city will allow me to divide into 3 additional lots.

I have an easement from the neighbor's property to the backside of my property but that does not qualify as access for development purposes.  The neighbor does not want me to develop behind him and so has stalled, declined help, etc...  I am looking for ideas to get him to do a lot line adjustment and trade him equal land so the easement becomes a legal access parcel (his side-yard for an extended back yard).   

Any ideas are greatly appreciated! 

[Richard C.]

It sounds like you know the answer. An "equal trade" in this situation is not equal at all. You want the neighbor to trade some thing he values for something he does not. There is no way to do it without considerably sweetening the pot. I tell you frankly, if it were me, I wouldn't be "stalling." I would have told you to take a hike until such time as you were willing and able to make me an offer I cannot refuse.

Which in my case, and very possibly his, would be an abive-market offer on my house. It sounds like he doesn't want to live with three houses behind him (and three houses worth of traffic buzzing past the window where his side yard used to be!). I would try to buy him out, not just buy access.