Taylor council tables request to buy portion of Maverick Lane right-of-way

Homeowner Jared Hatch asked the Taylor Town Council on Dec. 4 for permission to purchase a 400-foot by 50-foot portion of Maverick Lane right-of-way between 100 East and 200 East to build a casita for his mother and later a recreational barn. Hatch said adjacent neighbors were also interested in purchasing adjoining portions and that the only utility on the parcel was a sewer line he connected to in 2018.

Council members and staff noted the town owns several 100-foot rights-of-way from the original town plat, some undeveloped, and that those corridors are sometimes used for utilities such as a potential sewer collector line on the west side of town. Town Manager Gus Lundberg said the town attorney advised that abandoning a right-of-way does not require a public bid and that, if abandoned, land would be distributed to adjoining property owners for a price.

Councilmembers expressed concern about setting a precedent by selling right-of-way land, referencing a November 2013 discussion that favored keeping those properties and allowing adjacent owners informal access without permanent structures. Jason Brubaker moved to table the request and return the item to a future agenda in February; Lynn DeWitt seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Council directed staff to schedule a January work session to develop a formal process for handling easement-abandonment requests.