Board introduces resolution to begin discontinuance of unimproved public walk in Royal Oaks subdivision

The Mount Pleasant Village Board introduced Resolution 11-2025 on Sept. 22 to begin the statutory process to discontinue an unimproved public walk within the Royal Oaks subdivision.

Staff explained the item was started by a petition from four homeowners seeking removal of a public-walk easement that was platted with the subdivision but never constructed. "We received a petition by 4 homeowners to discontinue a public walk that was platted at the time the subdivision went in, but never improved," staff said. Staff described the area as "this, you know, 5 to 10 foot stretch of pathway" that had not been built and that neighbors had been maintaining as if it were part of their yards.

Under the statutory process described by staff, the board must introduce the resolution and then wait the required notice periods before formally considering discontinuance. Staff said public hearing notices (described in the meeting as class 3 notices) and other statutory requirements will be fulfilled and the item is likely to return at the board's first meeting in November for consideration. "So this just starts that process, which is a lengthy 1 by the statutes," staff said.

No motion or vote was required at introduction. The transcript does not record any formal decision to discontinue the walk, any change to property titles, or any agreement from adjacent property owners beyond the initial petition. The board did not take final action on Sept. 22; further public notice and a subsequent meeting will be required before a final decision.

Staff indicated the matter arose during plat approval for adjacent property, when a connection requirement highlighted the existence of the platted but unimproved walk. The transcript does not provide an exact legal description or map reference for the walk; the location is identified only as within the Royal Oaks subdivision. The petitioning homeowners' names and any compensation or property-boundary adjustments were not specified in the meeting record.