Commission approves petition to vacate DeWitt Cave Road after property owner testimony

Christian County commissioners voted to accept a petition to vacate a roughly quarter‑mile section of DeWitt Cave Road after hearing public comment from the petitioner and staff input.

Petitioner Trent Gimlin told the commission he and a single neighboring property owner own the parcels along the stretch at issue and have experienced repeated thefts on the access. "We've had a lot of problems with people coming in and stealing things," Gimlin said, and asked the county to close and relinquish the old right-of-way; he said he and the neighbor would maintain the road after vacation.

County staff confirmed that the U.S. Forest Service holds land beyond the quarter mile but reported the agency does not currently use the access; staff told the commission the Forest Service would agree to a maintenance easement if needed after the commission approves the petition. The chair noted the petition had been read at the Jan. 8, 2026 session and that notice had been posted under RSMo 228.110 on March 4, 2026.

A commissioner moved to accept the petition; the commission voted in favor and directed staff to draft the order necessary to effect the vacation and provide it to the petitioner at a future date.

The order will be drafted and provided to the petitioner; no implementation date was specified during the meeting.