Story County holds public hearing on proposed Maple Avenue/Bridal Road vacation in Fernald

Story County supervisors opened a public hearing Feb. 4 to receive comment on a proposed vacation of a short stretch of Maple Avenue (also referred to as Bridal Road) in the unincorporated town of Fernald.

County staff member Darren Moon said the county had authority under a code section to establish, alter or vacate roads and reviewed steps taken so far, including installation of drainage tile and required notice to abutting owners, the Iowa Department of Transportation and utilities. “Any abutting landowner can file a claim for damages up to the date of the hearing,” Moon said, describing the administrative timeline and noting that the board may adopt a resolution to vacate the road at a later meeting.

The roads work that prompted the vacation followed recurring drainage problems. Resident John Hunter said water had pooled in the ditch for years and recalled outreach and work done in 2019: “I live to the South of Maple, and I’ve lived there quite a few years … Nothing was done until 02/2019.” Hunter said the county installed a solid pipe to move surface water into an existing county tile but that related work another property owner expected was not completed.

Other residents asked about tree removal and stump cleanup. Resident Charlene Jarbo asked whether closing the road would include removing remaining stumps and filling ditches. Moon said the county had contracted to remove some trees and worked with a utility to trim trees under power lines but that stumps remained. “If the board wants us to go back and remove stumps, as part of this vacation, we could do that,” Moon said.

Dale Jarbo asked that remaining stumps and tree remnants be removed and that heavy-equipment ruts be repaired; he told the board the condition had interfered with deliveries. Supervisor Linda Merkin, who visited the site with county staff, thanked staff for prior work on the ditch and said she supported addressing remaining stumps if Alliant Energy did not identify the trees as a utility hazard.

Moon told the board he would accept written objections or claims for damages through the end of the day and would return a resolution for the board to consider at the next meeting. He described the typical claims as those filed when a property would be landlocked and a new driveway or bridge would be required, but said such claims are rare.

No formal action was taken at the hearing.

The board will consider a resolution to vacate the roadway at a future meeting; residents seeking to file claims were told to submit them by the stated deadline.

Ending: County staff will return to the board with the formal resolution and any submitted claims; residents asked staff to revisit stump removal and to coordinate with utilities on tree hazards.