[nehalemguy]

So here is my question. The dirt road shown in the image below takes off from a state highway, crosses through a short section of private land, and then enters on to BLM lands.

The image below is taken from the onXmaps app. It looks to me that the road has a dedicated R.O.W, which would make it open to the public....IMO.

Thoughts??

 

[nehalemguy]

BLM generally have names or numbers. I go to the county gis and look at their maps.

Genius!!!!

GIS shows it's a County road.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Although you have your answer, it looks to me that the private property would need to be that of a single land owner. Another clue is if the red lines signify a fence which is used to show a property boundary.

The red lines are property boundaries. The private parcels on each side are both owned by a single landowner but the county still has a dedicated R.O.W. for the road. I called since I last posted to double check that it has not been vacated. It has not.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Is the dedicated R.O.W. for public access (for hunting, etc.) or is the R.O.W. for administrative purposes (fire fighting, first responders, etc.).

ClearCreek

Don't know but it's clearly a county road. Going in!!!

When it exits off the highway, it first crosses BLM, then a short section of private, then back to BLM for a long way before terminating at another section of private. The two sections of private shown in my photo are actually two separate tax lots, even though they have the same ownership. I feel safe on this one.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Talked again today with the County. Bona fide county owned road. It even has its own name.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Locally we have a County road in a subdivision that has a county road name and number but is gated to only landowners behind the gate. The landowners have a trust fund they pay into that pays for road maintenance. No public tax money is being spent on the road only private money which in this day with trash dumping and theft is a benefit to those living behind the gate.

And?

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Meaning the County here will simply tell you its a county road, but unless you live behind the gate you have no access rights. Just pointing out that strip of roadway and who can use it is simply not cut and dried.

The example you cite above really sounds like a private road to me. The fact that there is a HOA fund and maintenance agreement in place....and a gate....screams private. Many private roads have officially recognized names for them. I'd be curious to know the name of this road you speak of.

The road I am questioning in my original post is a public road, open to the public, with a 60 ft. wide County owned ROW. I've confirmed this verbally with the County, and the County GIS backs up County ownership.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

That is why you have to pack the vacation hearing with opponents to the vacation. We had a similar action in Columbia County, the room was full of opponents, the board made the right decision.

I remember that one. I haven't used that road since, but the point is I still can if I want to.

I remember when the C.o.o.n Creek road was vacated under the radar. That one really frosted me because I think they skipped the public comment steps that are required. It was easy access to a lot of ground that you could then mountain bike with relative ease.

Lol.......**** Creek is not allowed.

-E-

 

[nehalemguy]

Are you sure it is vacated, I'm on the CZ trail committee and my last conversation with a county commissioner was that the county still has ROW through that front piece of property that they intend to bring the trail down to the pavement in the future. I have always wondered how that gate got placed.

Maybe I have the incorrect name. The road just before the Ghalan Mainline gate. You used to be able to drive all the way to the McKee Mainline. Now its gated at Pebble Creek Rd.

-E-