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Residents urge Shenandoah County to abandon proposed reopening of Canup Road
Summary
Multiple landowners told the Board of Supervisors the proposed reopening of Canup Road would cross four properties and roughly 100 acres, risk wet-spring damage, require state permitting, and could devalue neighboring land; speakers urged the county to halt facilitation and consider abandonment.
Residents opposed to reopening Canup Road pressed the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 14, saying a privately driven effort to reopen a route that has been unused for decades would harm neighboring properties, require state permits and create county liability.
"This ongoing issue is a matter of public concern," resident Angela Craig told the board, saying the route has not been used for 77 years and that the county should treat that as evidence of abandonment. "Who’s going to compensate us for the devaluation of all of our properties if this road gets opened? What's the county’s consequence if they're the ones facilitating this?" she asked.
Other neighbors described local impacts. Jeff (Mathias) said the south end of his property is his main access and that a deeded right-of-way was used after the old county road ceased to be public; he said he had offered land trades to resolve the access need. Bonnie Caplinger said springs and well water on her Mill Creek Road property would be devastated if the route were opened close to those features.
At length, Brian Craig cited state permitting requirements and potential land-disturbance violations. He told the board that neither county planning staff nor the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality had been satisfied that necessary stormwater and erosion-control permits were in place for work already completed, and he warned of bonding, recorded maintenance agreements and other required steps. "None of this has been done," he said.
The board did not take formal action during the public-comment period. Chair acknowledged the concerns and said the matter would be discussed again and that staff would be available to meet with commenters. No decision to abandon or to approve an opening was recorded at the meeting.
What’s next: The board signaled it will continue to discuss the issue with staff and affected landowners; any formal disposition, abandonment or permitting decision would require a separate agenda item or public hearing.
