Tanglewood residents press Linn County after judge rules roads public

Dozens of residents of the Tanglewood Lake community told the Linn County Board of Commissioners on March 17 that they have been left uncertain about who is responsible for policing, road maintenance and dam upkeep after what residents said was a recent criminal-court ruling describing their neighborhood roads as public.

Speakers urged the commission to explain the ruling and say whether the county will assume maintenance and law-enforcement responsibilities. “We have paid taxes as property owners for Tanglewood’s been into existence for 55 years,” Tanglewood board president Chuck Stevens said during public comment. “If it’s public, we want a plan of action — when we could start seeing police presence and what you’re going to do about the roads.”

The comment period included multiple Tanglewood residents who said they learned about the court action only informally…