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Tower Ridge homeowners ask Leeds to take over private road after repeated snow problems
Summary
Homeowners from Tower Ridge told the Leeds commission the cul-de-sac is privately owned and difficult to plow; commissioners said staff will research deeds and easements before deciding whether to accept the street or provide winter plowing.
Homeowners from the Tower Ridge subdivision told the City of Leeds commission that Tower Ridge Drive remains a private road and that the homeowners association has been paying for snow removal and maintenance since the neighborhood was developed. Residents said existing private contractors cannot reliably clear heavy, wet snow and asked the city to take over plowing this winter.
"As I said, the road's been maintained... we have trouble finding somebody private that has the equipment to remove the heavy snow," said Dirk Sullivan, speaking for the Tower Ridge homeowners association. Residents also told the commission they had been unable to find recorded deeds showing the street was ever dedicated to the city.
Commissioners emphasized they need to confirm ownership before committing to maintenance. The chair said staff and the city counsel will research original plats, deeds and any easements (for example, water lines and hydrants) that might affect the city's authority to accept the road. Staff noted the developer or an original landowner — identified in the record as a private owner — may still hold title to portions of the road and that replatting or a formal dedication would likely be required to convert the private section to a public right-of-way.
Commissioners also discussed the HOA's existing dues and whether plowing is already included in those dues. One commissioner noted several private roads within city limits are plowed under easement agreements and cautioned that insurance and liability must be clarified before city crews operate on private property. The commission did not commit to taking the street at the meeting and directed staff to return with a recommendation after researching deeds and legal options.
The outcome was procedural: staff were directed to investigate ownership and legal mechanisms for accepting the road; commissioners said they would revisit the request after counsel and staff report back.
