What are surface rights associated with?

Surface rights refer to the rights that a property owner has to access and utilize the surface of their land. This encompasses various activities such as constructing buildings, farming, gardening, landscaping, and enjoying recreational activities on the property. These rights focus specifically on the surface area, which is critical in real estate because they determine what a landowner can do above the ground level.

In contrast, the other options address different types of rights associated with land ownership. For example, rights to sub-surface mineral extraction relate to ownership of the minerals or resources found underground, not the surface itself. Developing airspace above a property falls under air rights, which pertain to the space above the land rather than the surface activities. Finally, rights to adjacent land usage involve considerations about how neighboring properties may interact or affect one another, which is a different aspect of property rights altogether. Thus, the choice that accurately describes the essence of surface rights is indeed the rights to access and use the surface area of a property.