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Selectboard Minutes - November 18, 2009
In attendance: Vernal Stone (Chair), Marc McKee, Gene Craft, Debra Kingsbury
Guests: Gary Goodrich, Libby Bricker, Barbara Griffin, Dottie Konitshek
Vernal Stone called the meeting to order at 7:05pm
Gary Goodrich had requested this special meeting to inform the
Selectboardwith his research and information about Vermont
Legislature’s Act 178 that
was enacted July 1st, 2006 concerning ancient roads and the impact on the
town’s highway mapping and funding. Gary has spent in excess of 250 hours
researching Vershire land records.
Trails and Class IV roads both need to be shown on town maps. The Road
Commissioner has to certify the town highway mileage each year. The town can
add the located trails provided they have supporting documentation. The
verification and mapping to reflect any additional trails and roads must be
completed 7/1/2015. After 2015 all previous trails, Class IV roads not
specifically identified and mapped out will cease to be recognized.
A more difficult category is roads that have been “thrown up”. This category
could still be addressed as unimproved roads and the town would have to hold
a hearing to substantial “why” they would want to reclaim them as roadways.
These thrown up roads can remain as foot trails if the land owner
designates.
Another category is “unidentified corridors”. These are areas laid out as
highways but are not on the town maps. The town must give 14 days notice to
previous property owner to hear if anyone wishes to use as a public way. If
it has been used 10 years prior to 2006, the town is not liable if the
public uses. The corridor area is not to be used for subdividing parcels. If
no one claims with supporting documents, the area will by divided equally
and reverts back to the owners of record after 2015.
The Selectboard are required under Act 178 to hold a public meeting to
review the ancient roads that have been located through this exhaustive
research. The Selectboard can then go in to executive session and vote to
keep or discontinue the roads not previously mapped out. Unimproved Class IV
roads can be approved and then upgraded if the Selectboard chooses.
Right-Of-Ways on old town roads can still be considered accessible by the
Selectboard if designated as a trail.
“Pent” roads, are roads that led from one person’s property to another
privately owned property, can be gated with approval from the Selectboard,
but can not be locked and should only be used short term.
“Bridal“ roads were originally trails for horses, now can be used as
walking/hiking trails, but no motorized vehicles or horse carts.
Earliest survey found dated back to 1794. Barbara Griffin stated that
numerous old surveys were destroyed /burnt in the 1800’s. Gary stated that
some written documents support ownership, but there are numerous parcels
with access roads that will never be able to be documented even though he
has reviewed numerous historic maps.
Gary stated that numerous roads should be put back on the highway maps and
documented for town highway mileage others should be noted as trails. He was
able to locate and have “lay over” maps from 1928, 1974, 1983 and the
present town maps updated in 2008.
Gary stated that Barstow, Mero, and Taylor Valley roads should be shown as
roadways while Stowell , Tenney, and Mountain Ash, as well as the
Sullivan/Drew land that connected North Road to Corinth should be noted as
trails. South America Rd should be discontinued as recorded documents
indicated it discontinuance from 1928.
Libby Bricker stated that it would be nice to have a 50 year recreational
plan in place for trails.
The Corinth Ancient Roads group would like to meet with Vershire to review
several trails that they have in common.
Gary rolled out the numerous maps that he had printed for all to review.
The Selectboard will hold a public meeting in December or January and then
make a determination on the ancient roads.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:43.
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