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Select Board agrees to seek attorney guidance on reclassifying several roads from class 3 to class 4
Summary
The board reviewed a list of roads proposed for reclassification (removing routine maintenance obligations such as grading and snow plowing) and voted to ask the town attorney to advise on the statutory steps required, including site inspections and public hearings.
The Select Board reviewed a list of candidate roads it is considering reclassifying from class 3 (regular maintenance) to class 4 (limited maintenance). Board members raised safety and access concerns for particular roads and discussed the procedural steps required under state statute: site inspections, 30‑day notice to landowners, hearings and then a board decision based on public good and convenience.
"A class 4 road has to be inspected annually... washouts that are 12 inches or deeper have to be maintained," explained one board member, describing how class‑4 rules differ from class‑3 standards. Members discussed roads that function more like private driveways, questioned the reimbursement value of state aid for short distances, and agreed this is a multi‑step process that should proceed only after legal review.
The board voted to ask the town attorney to review the list and advise on steps and statutory requirements; staff and the board will then schedule site inspections and hearings as appropriate.
