Winneshiek County approves two right‑of‑way vacations after public hearings

The Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved resolutions to vacate two short strips of county right‑of‑way following public hearings.

Steven Mack, the property owner affected by the 361st Street proposal, told the board he is “the person whose property is, solely, involved with the, proposed vacation,” and described longstanding uses of the strip, including outdoor sculptures and small storage structures. County staff said the garage occupying part of the right‑of‑way dates to the 1970s and noted aerial photos showing continuous use dating back decades. Staff recommended maintaining a 50‑foot final right‑of‑way consistent with DOT standards while vacating the small end‑of‑road strip to allow the owner continued use.

After closing the hearing, the board moved to approve the vacation on 361st Street. The motion was seconded and the board recorded unanimous ayes, adopting the resolution.

Supervisors then opened a separate hearing on a right‑of‑way on North Locust/Locust Grove. County staff explained the parcel resulted from historic road realignment and survey lines that left excess land; staff said vacating the higher‑ground strip would return developable acreage to private owners and would not remove access to developable county land. An adjacent landowner raised questions about keeping versus releasing old right‑of‑way near a bridge approach; staff noted the county does not plan future development that would require retaining the strip.

The board closed that hearing, moved and seconded approval of the Locust/Locust Grove vacation resolution, and passed the item unanimously.

Both actions were framed by staff as limited, localized adjustments rather than changes that would affect through traffic or county access to active roads. The board did not identify conditions beyond maintaining the recommended 50‑foot standard and recording the resolutions.