What do air rights allow a landowner to do?

Air rights refer to the legal authority a landowner has to use and control the space above their property. This concept allows landowners to extend their ownership vertically into the air above their land, which can be important for various purposes, such as developing buildings that ascend beyond the ground level.

In urban areas, for instance, the ability to sell or lease air rights can be valuable for developers looking to construct high-rise buildings. This ownership does not typically include the right to alter the surface of the land or infringe upon airspace belonging to aircraft, but it does enable the landowner to utilize the space above their property, enhancing their overall property value and development potential.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of air rights. Modifying the land's surface without restrictions pertains to land rights rather than air rights. Transferring ownership of underground resources would relate more to mineral rights or subsurface rights, and altering property boundaries with neighboring land involves land boundary laws rather than the vertical ownership implied by air rights.