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Houston County commissioners pause Marable Hollow Road closure after owner consent dispute
Summary
Commissioners heard that property owners and estate representatives disagree about a petition to partially close Marable Hollow Road; a signature on the petition was reported as invalid and staff warned of title-insurance and land-locking risks. No formal vote was recorded.
Unidentified Speaker 1 opened discussion of a Highway Department request to partially close Marable Hollow Road after a petition requesting closure was submitted.
Unidentified Speaker 3, who said they had spoken with Mark Richardson (executor for the Sands estate) and Lisa Averett (a co-owner), told the commission those parties do not consent to the closure and that the petition includes a signature from "Becky Aberrant," who Speaker 3 said is not a property owner. "She's not a workaholic owner. So that signature's void," Speaker 3 said, urging caution.
Speakers raised several legal and practical concerns. Unidentified Speaker 5 warned of title-insurance problems and the potential for lawsuits if the county removes a road from maintenance without clear owner consent. Unidentified Speaker 1 said closing the road could landlock parcels and complicate estate settlement. "If it's closed, it will become landlocked," Speaker 1 said, noting heirs are in the process of settling an estate.
Commissioners and staff discussed statutory constraints: Speaker 5 noted the state makes it difficult to remove roads once they are on the county's maintained list and that multiple parties holding interest in a road can create long-term title issues. Several participants recommended removing the item from action until all affected owners sign or until a clearer legal path is identified; Unidentified Speaker 3 explicitly said they were "not recommending it."
No formal motion or vote on the closure appears in the transcript. The commission indicated the item would be left on the agenda for future consideration but that staff should secure clear property-owner consent and consult legal/title staff before proceeding.
