Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Right Of Way topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council weighs options after residents and staff dispute ownership of gravel end of Hutchison Ferry Road
Summary
Staff reported conflicting information about the gravel terminus of Hutchison Ferry Road: GIS shows it as a city-maintained public road, but private signage and residents have been told it is private. Council discussed absence of any MOU or deed proving private ownership, potential abandonment, and whether to seek an agreement or pursue court to resolve ownership.
Staff brought a long-running concern about the gravel section at the end of Hutchison Ferry Road: GIS and city records show the segment as a city road and the city has maintained it, but residents and private signage indicate property owners are treating the stretch as private and telling people not to use it. Staff said they have no Memorandum of Understanding or recorded documentation showing the road is private.
"I've had a few people contact me, said they've been run off the road, told they're not allowed to be on the road," staff said, describing constituent complaints. Council discussed potential remedies: (1) have staff seek a negotiated written agreement to confirm the road's public status; (2) formally abandon the road through the city's abandonment process; or (3) pursue legal action to clarify ownership in court. Several members recommended attempting a conversation with the property owner to confirm whether they will accept a written acknowledgment that the road is public before initiating a legal path.
Councilmember (speaker 7) said a definitive resolution requires a judicial determination if agreement cannot be reached: "If you want a definitive answer, the only way to decide it is go to court," he said. Council directed staff to begin by attempting a conversation and documentation with the owner and to return with recommendations if that effort fails.
