Commissioners deny petition to vacate Oxon Lane, cite public-utility status and safety concerns

Coffey County commissioners denied a petition to vacate a segment of Oxon Lane following a public hearing on July 13, rejecting the request by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

The hearing included comments from adjacent landowners who said they rely on the road for farm access and to turn heavy vehicles such as semitrucks; others associated with the petition said the property owner intended to replace a structure but requested the right to gate the road while preserving access for neighbors. The commission heard from the appointed road viewers and the county surveyor; the assembled road viewers and commissioners reported they do not favor vacating the road and recommended denial.

The board’s motion denied the petition and recorded that the road segment is to be deemed a public utility, which prevents vacation under the petition’s terms. After the vote, County Surveyor Rosenberg urged the board to consider a county-initiated road-change petition to relocate the traveled way to a safer alignment, citing erosion and the proximity of the river bank that could allow a motorist to leave the traveled way. Rosenberg also advised interim safety measures (signage or temporary barriers) while a permanent engineering solution and potential appraisal/land-acquisition steps are pursued.

The commission instructed staff to place a certificate of road viewers in the record and to prepare motion language and documentation reflecting the denial and the county’s interest in pursuing safety improvements under the road act.