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Screven County public hearing on abandoning Farm Road is tabled amid conflicting access claims
Summary
At a Sept. 14 public hearing, the Screven County commission heard competing claims over Farm Road (County Road 161). The board tabled action after testimony that the road serves as access to private property and questions about ownership and deed history.
A public hearing on Sept. 14 over the proposed abandonment of Farm Road (County Road 161) ended with the Board of Commissioners tabling the matter after competing testimony about ownership and access.
Teresa Thompson told the board she wants the county to stop maintaining the road because she said the property is hers. Resident Joshua Heinen said closing the road would cut off access to his property and require building a new entrance. Commissioner Allison Willis asked whether Ms. Thompson paid taxes on the road or had deeded it to the county; she said she had not.
County Attorney Hubert Reeves advised the board that, in his view, long-term county maintenance can result in county ownership and recommended abandoning the road and conveying it back to the previous owner for $1.00. Commissioner Edwin Lovett moved to table the discussion because property lines and the road’s boundaries were unclear; Commissioner Willis seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The board gave no further direction at the meeting and deferred a resolution for additional information. No formal conveyance or abandonment was approved; the matter will return to the board after staff clarifies property boundaries and legal ownership.
