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Landowners seek closure of 1,800‑foot segment of County Road 1980; commissioners approve request
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Summary
An attorney for the applicant and adjacent landowners told the court that a one‑third‑mile stretch of County Road 1980 dead‑ends and attracts criminal activity; the commissioners voted to abandon the requested segment and directed staff to confirm historical records and next steps.
Carter Sharman, an attorney representing the applicant, asked the Dimmit County Commissioners Court to abandon roughly 1,800 feet of County Road 1980, saying the segment dead‑ends between KC Ranch and Rancho Bendecito and serves only nearby ranch accesses and people engaged in ‘‘illegal activity’’ who use the road to avoid public view. "The road dead ends between these two properties; it doesn't go anywhere," Sharman told the court.
Donald Urban, who told the court his father had earlier closed part of the road in the 1980s, said his family recently bought land adjacent to the closed section and wants the closure extended so they can incorporate the parcel into their ranch. "We'd be willing to adopt that portion of the road and maintain it," Urban said.
Commissioners asked staff to search prior minutes and records to confirm how earlier closures had been processed and whether any formal relinquishment or abandonment proceedings were recorded. The court discussed public‑interest considerations, including maintenance costs and the potential tax revenue from selling right‑of‑way to an adjacent owner.
Commissioner Tyler Lopez moved to approve the abandonment of the requested portion (approximately 1,800 feet); after a second the motion passed on a voice vote. The record shows the court approved the request and directed county staff to follow the statutory steps for vacating and conveying the right‑of‑way, including notifying affected landowners and updating county records.
Why it matters: The action transfers maintenance obligations and access responsibilities for that stretch of road and may reduce county maintenance costs; it also requires legal process to ensure the public right‑of‑way is properly extinguished and the interests of non‑adjacent property owners are protected.
Next steps: Staff will report back with documentation of prior minutes and with the formal procedure for abandonment and conveyance; any final conveyance will follow statutory notice and hearing requirements.
