Right of Way Still Disputed in North Webster
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Richard Monroe appeared before the North Webster Town Council asking about a right of way in the Albert Eckert addition of town.
He owns property on North Center Street and the undeveloped 10-foot tract of ground leads to what he said was a boathouse lot. Shrubs currently rest on part of the piece of land.
Worth Packer is an adjacent property owner and rents the property out to Richard Truitt.
Town attorney Jack Birch explained that despite the fact that it’s a public right of way, Packer owns the land underneath and can do what he wants with it.
Birch also explained that only adjacent property owners can put in or remove things like shrubs, and that the public, even those who use the right of way to get to their boathouse lots, can’t.
Monroe said the right of way is necessary as property owners are planning on developing the boathouse lots and need the access to bring in things like cement trucks.
Monroe told the council that he has gone to the county’s area plan department and expects to appear on next month’s Area Plan Commission agenda.
He said he is represented by attorney Steve Snyder.
When council president Jon Sroufe asked Birch what action the town should take, Birch said none.
“This is about use of a right of way,” said Birch. “There is no issue here for you to address.”
Birch said the only people with rights to maintain or develop the right of way are the town, adjacent property owners or if a court order comes into play.
“And the town has no reason to maintain that or those bushes,” said Birch.
Clayton Rieder was hired as a new town police officer.
Town Marshal Greg Church presented a letter of resignationby officer Justin Lentz.
The council accepted it and Lentz’s last day will be July 25.
Mike Noe, utilities manager from Severn Trent, said signs are in for alleys in town but that the ground is too hard to put them in. Noe said he got a quote for a driver to use but that was $2,000.
The council advised Noe just to wait until the ground softened up.
Noe also told the council that he and representatives from Knapp Lake have been unable to have substantive talks about Knapp Lake’s desire to hook on to North Webster’s sewer.
“The engineer has no real plans,” said Noe. “At this point you can’t ask an intelligent question.”
The council said it would give its blessing to the Dixie Boat as its managers seek to add two 10-feet section of pier at its launch on Webster Lake.
The council took no action and Birch said the final decision would most likely come from the Department of Natural Resources.
Birch drafted an anti-nepotism bill that all cities and towns are required to adopt by the state.
The council passed it despite noting that it hadn’t had a chance to read it yet.
Birch said it had to be passed by July 1.
He also said current town employees or those contracted through the town who are in violation of the nepotism law would be grandfathered in.
The town council’s next meeting is July 17 at 6 p.m.
The council meets at the North Webster Community Center.
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, Ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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Richard Monroe appeared before the North Webster Town Council asking about a right of way in the Albert Eckert addition of town.
He owns property on North Center Street and the undeveloped 10-foot tract of ground leads to what he said was a boathouse lot. Shrubs currently rest on part of the piece of land.
Worth Packer is an adjacent property owner and rents the property out to Richard Truitt.
Town attorney Jack Birch explained that despite the fact that it’s a public right of way, Packer owns the land underneath and can do what he wants with it.
Birch also explained that only adjacent property owners can put in or remove things like shrubs, and that the public, even those who use the right of way to get to their boathouse lots, can’t.
Monroe said the right of way is necessary as property owners are planning on developing the boathouse lots and need the access to bring in things like cement trucks.
Monroe told the council that he has gone to the county’s area plan department and expects to appear on next month’s Area Plan Commission agenda.
He said he is represented by attorney Steve Snyder.
When council president Jon Sroufe asked Birch what action the town should take, Birch said none.
“This is about use of a right of way,” said Birch. “There is no issue here for you to address.”
Birch said the only people with rights to maintain or develop the right of way are the town, adjacent property owners or if a court order comes into play.
“And the town has no reason to maintain that or those bushes,” said Birch.
Clayton Rieder was hired as a new town police officer.
Town Marshal Greg Church presented a letter of resignationby officer Justin Lentz.
The council accepted it and Lentz’s last day will be July 25.
Mike Noe, utilities manager from Severn Trent, said signs are in for alleys in town but that the ground is too hard to put them in. Noe said he got a quote for a driver to use but that was $2,000.
The council advised Noe just to wait until the ground softened up.
Noe also told the council that he and representatives from Knapp Lake have been unable to have substantive talks about Knapp Lake’s desire to hook on to North Webster’s sewer.
“The engineer has no real plans,” said Noe. “At this point you can’t ask an intelligent question.”
The council said it would give its blessing to the Dixie Boat as its managers seek to add two 10-feet section of pier at its launch on Webster Lake.
The council took no action and Birch said the final decision would most likely come from the Department of Natural Resources.
Birch drafted an anti-nepotism bill that all cities and towns are required to adopt by the state.
The council passed it despite noting that it hadn’t had a chance to read it yet.
Birch said it had to be passed by July 1.
He also said current town employees or those contracted through the town who are in violation of the nepotism law would be grandfathered in.
The town council’s next meeting is July 17 at 6 p.m.
The council meets at the North Webster Community Center.
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, Ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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