There is a road on our township that is a dead end. Due to the absence of residents/development, the township closed the final half of the road and ceased to maintain it. Fifty years later, some residents inherited property at the dead end and decided they want to build a house. Opening the road and bringing it up to standard would create a significant tax increase. Has anyone had issues regarding the status of a road?
disputed road classification - open or closed?
Was the road ever a "dedicated" road? And if so, when it was closed was it vacated? If it was vacated, can't the owners of that property buy that portion from the township (even for $1) and take over that portion for entrance to their property? Is their property the only property that is accessilble by this road? You could also enter into an agreement with the property owners to help pay for the improvements.
You could propose that the road be brought up to a desired standard and fund the project with an improvement tax that would only be applied to adjacent land owners.
We thought of an improvement tax but it wouldn't have made sense. The people on the south side of the road already have maintained access from an alternate road. The property on the north side is crown land. Eventually council told the owners that proof of portable water was needed before discussion could go any further. (since potable water is a requirement for a building permit. Historical, no water has been found in that area. No water, no house; no house, no need for a road.)
Never heard back from the owners.....