Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Road Vacation 133rd topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears property-owner plea to close 133rd Avenue but tables decision over bridge disposition and survey questions
Summary
Jackson County supervisors held a public hearing on vacating part of 133rd Avenue in Makoka after neighbors reported repeated illegal dumping; the board discussed selling the county-owned bridge to adjacent owners or removing it, and voted to close the hearing and table further action pending property-owner survey work and clarifying the bridge transfer process.
The Jackson County Board of Supervisors on June 23 heard from property owners seeking to vacate a stretch of 133rd Avenue in Makoka after repeated illegal dumping and vandalism. Jaden Shekele of the county engineer’s office told the board the request concerns a Level B portion of the road that includes a county-owned bridge; under guidance dating to an attorney-general opinion, the county must take a positive step to dispose of the bridge, either by selling it to adjacent landowners with an indemnity agreement or by removing the bridge entirely.
Neighbor and landowner Craig Cruz said his family owns most of the land on both sides of the road and that closing the segment would stop tires, trash and other dumping: “we would like to get it closed so that we can keep the illegal dumping out of there,” he said, adding the open segment creates liability and maintenance headaches for his farm. Jaden Shekele and board members discussed that utilities would retain easements even if the county vacates the right-of-way and noted that vacating would put the formerly public land back on the tax rolls.
Board members raised practical questions about how to establish which acreage would revert to adjacent owners and who should pay for a professional plat of easement or a new legal description. The board also discussed whether the bridge’s disposition requires a separate public hearing; staff noted the county attorney has drafted a draft purchase-and-assumption agreement that would transfer the bridge to adjoining owners but said they need to confirm contact information for the west-side owner and work out tax-assessor implications.
After questions and discussion, the board voted to close the public hearing and to table any decision on the vacation and the bridge pending further information, including a survey and contact with the other adjacent property owner. Chair Don Smiker said staff and the property owners should meet to clarify ownership, possible split-ownership of the bridge and the mechanics of a transfer before the board takes further action.
The board’s action was procedural: it closed the hearing, then voted to table further action on the vacation and the bridge. No sale, removal or other final disposition of the bridge was approved at the meeting.
