Real estate panel recommends planning endorsement for paper street plan between Vestal and Hawthorne

The Town Real Estate Assessment Committee voted April 7 to recommend that a draft plan addressing the paper street between Vestal and Hawthorne be forwarded to the planning board, while reserving any formal town taking until property owners consult Land Court and the parties clarify deregistration steps.

Committee staffer Tracy (last name not provided) told members the matter traces to a 2021 warrant article and involves multiple adjoining lots and a draft plan that labels parcels A through I. She said at least two owners of land-court-registered parcels (referred to in the discussion by parcel addresses starting with 70 and 73) plan to deregister in advance so the town can later proceed with a taking if appropriate.

The plan presented shows a paper street that some property owners currently use in part for driveway access and appears to narrow and widen along its length; staff noted a driveway at one property that “kind of encroaches into the paper road.” Committee members raised concerns about the order of operations for deregistration and town taking, and about the accuracy of GIS labeling on the plan. Tracy said the recommendation being sought was to forward the plan to planning for endorsement and to pause any order of taking until the deregistration process is clarified.

Chair John Brecher moved the recommendation, saying the motion should recognize an existing walking path on the plan and urge the owners and surveyors to consult Land Court prior to any taking. Brecher said, "I would move that this plan be moved forward with the recognition that there is an existing walkway on the plan." The committee voted unanimously to approve the recommendation; the roll call recorded Lee Saperstein, Thomas Barada, Nat Lowell and Chair Brecher voting "aye."

The committee also noted Jesse Bell was recused from deliberations concerning parcel 70 because Bell is representing one of the owners in the deregistration. Members asked staff to meet with owners and Stonier (survey/title) representatives as needed and to return with further detail before the committee considers any formal taking or disposition.

The committee’s immediate next step is to forward the endorsed plan to the planning board with the committee’s caveats; any subsequent taking or conveyance would be a separate action after owners conclude Land Court deregistration and the town completes title and dispositional reviews.