Commissioners accept petition to vacate small section of old county road; appoint viewer, open 45‑day comment period

Fremont County commissioners voted to accept a petition to vacate a small portion of an historic county road that was left after multiple highway realignments and which now lies under a building owned by a Catholic college.

County staff explained that during title research after a property purchase it was discovered a segment of the old Lander‑Hudson Highway had never been formally vacated. The Catholic college petitioned to vacate that section; staff confirmed the petition met procedural requirements, including signatures from affected property owners and voters.

The board appointed Steve Ballman as the required viewer and directed staff to begin the 45‑day comment period; commissioners discussed public notice procedures and scheduled a public hearing date to follow the comment period. A county official cited statutory guidance in the discussion and read related statutory section references during the motion (transcript includes references in the form “23‑3‑102” and other closely related citations as the legal basis for the procedure).

Why it matters: Vacating the small strip of county right‑of‑way will remove a county encumbrance from a privately owned campus building and begin a formal public process that includes a viewer’s report and a public hearing.

Board action: A motion to accept the petition, appoint a viewer and begin the 45‑day comment period was moved, seconded and approved. Commissioners set the comment period to start once the viewer takes the oath and the county publishes notice; the transcript shows an anticipated comment‑period end in late June depending on publication timing. The board instructed staff to prepare required notices and to schedule the formal hearing after the comment period closes.