Covington County approves multiple rural road vacations; Sassy Lane left open after resident concerns

Covington County Commissioners approved vacating several rural road segments on Feb. 24 after public hearings but stopped short of closing a county-maintained portion of Sassy Lane following residents’ objections.

The commission approved closure motions for sections of Lloyd Mill Road, Tobacco Road and several unnamed county roads after staff said those segments had not been maintained and landowners requested vacating them. For Lloyd Mill, staff noted a bridge was washed out years earlier and that the county would remain responsible for the bridge while landowners could arrange gates or other access controls. For Tobacco Road, landowner Susan Grimes Baker told the commission the section under consideration sits between two parcels she owns and has not been maintained since a 1995 storm; she asked that it be vacated.

During the Sassy Lane hearing, resident Jeremy Norton said the county-maintained portion is his only access and cautioned that closing it would leave his property cut off. "That road would not be what it is today without the county's work," Norton said, noting the county has spent “a lot of money” maintaining culverts and shoulders. Commissioners questioned whether closing the maintained portion would create an ingress/egress problem for residents, affect school-bus routing or impede emergency response.

Commissioner Lynn voiced caution about proceeding without documented access rights. "I don't see how we can close the road when there's someone that lives at the end that has to have access out," Lynn said, urging the commission to confirm any easements that guarantee ingress and egress before taking action. County staff said some residents have utility easements but that full access easements and legal documentation would need review.

After discussion, the commission deferred action on closing the county-maintained portion of Sassy Lane pending confirmation of legal ingress and egress and related easement language; motions to vacate other, unmaintained segments proceeded by voice vote. Commissioners instructed the county water department and affected landowners to work out easements where water lines or hydrants were present.

The commission recessed briefly to allow members of the public to depart following the road hearings and then resumed other business on the agenda.