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Residents, board discuss paper street, abutter use and potential public-safety site on HR land
Summary
Residents raised concerns about narrow authority-owned strips used as private driveways and a paper (unbuilt) street; the board clarified title issues and said a town public-safety study has considered HR land as a potential site, but no decision was made.
At the June 29 meeting, residents and board members discussed several narrow parcels and a paper street near the marsh that the authority holds but that abutters have been using as driveways. A resident asked whether the parcels could sustain new public-safety buildings if the town relocated police and fire; board members said the public-safety study is assessing suitable sites and that the authority would be involved if a recommendation comes forward.
Board members explained that the parcels include a paper street—laid out on maps but not used as a public road—and that deeds and assessor records show ownership complications. The discussion noted the potential for private users to assert long-term use claims, but members said such adverse-possession claims depend on specific legal conditions and do not automatically apply to public or quasi-public entities.
No formal action was taken; members said they would follow up, measure encroachments where needed, and add related items to a future agenda for steps such as verifying deed records and clarifying access rights.
