Thanks for all your advice. The new info I got from the city has made me less paranoid about the easement. I don’t see it ever being used, and the engineering department said I could group together with the owners of the other affected lots and split the cost to investigate and locate/vacate the easement on all the lots at once. If worse comes to worst, I understand the legality of the easement is also in question due to it not having a specified location.
It has been tough being a pigg and still going through with this, but I think the numbers make sense. Now that it’s coming down to the wire, I’m interested in your points of view.
Numbers (obviously) changed to protect what anonymity I have left but the ratios should all be the same:

Purchase Price: $100,000
Next door rental w/ similar lot and floor plan was listed for $500/mo, and just rented out quickly.
Zilpy rental estimate: $640/mo
No mello-roos or hoa’s

By my calculations that puts the price to rent ratio somewhere between 156 and 200.
I think about 170 is about right and puts the price just above the price to rent bottoms of the mid 80’s and 90’s.
I’m not trying for the bottom, just a decent deal that makes sense.
At %26+ percent off from 2006 prices, I figure I’m doing all right.
Thanks again for all your advice and the insightful comments on this board.