A PRIMER ON LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COUNTY ROADS BO B BA SS, A LLISO N, BA SS & M A G EE, LLP 1 9/18/2019
AUTHORITY OF COMMISSIONERS COURT • Ma ke a nd e nfo rc e a ll re a so na b le a nd ne c e ssa ry rule s a nd o rde rs fo r the c o nstruc tio n a nd ma inte na nc e o f pub lic ro a ds e xc e pt a s pro hib ite d b y la w.— 251.003, T ra nspo rta tio n Co de . • L a y o ut a nd o pe n, disc o ntinue , c lo se , a b a ndo n o r a lte r pub lic ro a ds a nd hig hwa ys a nd to e xe rc ise g e ne ra l c o ntro l o ve r a ll ro a ds, hig hwa ys, fe rrie s a nd b ridg e s in the ir c o untie s. -251.051, T ra nspo rta tio n Co de . 9/18/2019 2
SYSTEMS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE I . Co mmissio ne r-E le c te d Co mmissio ne r Re spo nsib le fo r Ro a d Ma inte na nc e - De fault syste m . § 251.004 T ra nspo rta tio n Co de . I I . E x Offic io Syste m-Do e s no t a ppe a r to diffe r fro m De fa ult syste m, b ut, sho uld b e a do pte d a nd re fle c te d in the minute s. § 252.001 T ra nspo rta tio n Co de I I I . Co mmissio ne r Syste m-Appo inte d “c o mmissio ne r” fo r a ro a d “distric t.” Mo re tha n o ne “c o mmissio ne r” c a n b e a ppo inte d. § 252.101 Transportation Code. Ra re ly se e n o ptio n. Vo lunta ry Unit Syste m- § 252.201T I V. ra nspo rta tio n Co de -Ro a d Supe rinte nde nt, 2 ye a r te rm, unle ss re mo ve d fo r c a use . Re fe re ndum Unit- § 252.301T V. ra nspo rta tio n Co de - E ng ine e r/ Administra to r fo r inde finite te rm unle ss re mo ve d fo r c a use . 9/18/2019 3
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS REGARDING COMMISSIONERS COURT AUTHORITY • I ndividua l Co mmissio ne r ha s no a utho rity to e sta b lish a c o unty ro a d-b ut o fte n do e s. • Ro a ds sho uld b e c la ssifie d a s 1 st , 2 nd o r 3 rd Cla ss Ro a d. (Se c . 251.007 T ra nspo rta tio n Co de )- b ut rare ly are , o r a t o dds with fa c ts o n g ro und.. • Co urt ma y c ha ng e sta tus o f c o unty ro a d-within sta tuto ry limita tio ns (o nly hig he r c la ss). • Pla tting dutie s do no t re q uire a c c e pta nc e o f de dic a te d ro a ds in sub divisio n- c o mmo n e rro r . 9/18/2019 4
LIMITATIONS UPON AUTHORITY • Co unty c a nno t ma inta in a priva te ro a d. • Go dle y v. Duva l Co unty, 361 S.W.2d 629 (T e x.App .—Sa n Anto nio , 1962). • Co unty la b o r, ma te ria ls a nd e q uipme nt c a nno t b e use d o n priva te pro pe rty. • Op. Atty. Ge n. JM-200. • Vita l to ha ve c le a r a utho rity fo r ma inte na nc e o n a ll ro a ds in Co unty inve nto ry. (I ndic tme nts o fte n o c c ur.) • Co unty ma y ma inta in c ity stre e ts, b ut o nly with c o nse nt o f c ity a nd I nte rlo c a l Ag re e me nt, pro viding fa ir va lue to Co unty fo r se rvic e re nde re d. Cha pte r 791, Go ve rnme nt Co de . 9/18/2019 5
PUBLIC ROADS BELONG TO STATE • E ve n if full fe e simple title is c o nve ye d to Co unty, the ro a d a c tua lly is he ld in trust fo r the Sta te . Sta te v. Ma lo ne , 168 S.W.2d 292 (1943). Att. Ge n. WW-870 (mine ra l inte re sts a re le a se d b y the L a nd Co mmissio ne r, a ddre sse d b y § 32.2015 T x. Na t. Re s. Co de ) • “Pub lic ” ro a d do e s no t ne c e ssa rily e q ua l “c o unty” ro a d. • Pub lic c a n a c q uire a n inte re st in ro a d, b ut c o unty must a ssume re spo nsib ility fo r ma inte na nc e to b e a c o unty ro a d. Ma inte na nc e b y c o unty e q ua ls “c o unty ro a d”. • Co unty is no t re q uire d to ma inta in a ny ro a d, a nd c a n re fra in fro m the a ssumptio n o f ma inte na nc e . • Me re de dic a tio n do e s no t re q uire ma inte na nc e , b ut is me re ly a n o ffe r until fo rme rly a c c e pte d b y the c o unty b y minute o rde r, o r my a c tua l a ssumptio n o f ma inte na nc e . 9/18/2019 6
A PUBLIC ROAD REMAINS A PUBLIC ROAD UNLESS FORMALLY ABANDONED OR VACATED • Even if a previously maintained road is no longer maintained by county, the landowner may not “fence” the road. • The landowner has no duty to maintain the “public road” however. • Traffic hazards due to poor maintenance may threaten safety, but County has no obligation to repair road. • Mere use by school bus is not enough. 9/18/2019 7
ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION JC-0503 MAY 15, 2002 • Absent clear basis for determination of public status, a county commissioners court may not maintain a road that has not been officially established as a public road. • Large counties (over 50,000) the Comm. Ct. may make a self-determination of public status, but smaller counties may not make such a determination. • The County may bring a suit for declaratory judgment. 9/18/2019 8
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES OF 1981 (CHAPTER 281, TRANS. CODE) • Afte r 1981, Co untie s o f 50,000 po pula tio n o r le ss ma y a c q uire inte re st in ro a ds only • By pur c hase (c o ntr ac t o f sale and de e d) • By c o nde mnatio n (e mine nt do main) • By de dic atio n o f fe e o wne r in wr iting • By final judgme nt o f adve r se po sse ssio n unde r pr io r law, base d o n c o mmo n-law do c tr ine s in e ffe c t pr io r to 1981. • Ne gate s pr io r c o mmo n law do c tr ine s o f pr e sc r iptio n and implie d de dic atio n to ac quir e r ight o f way. 9/18/2019 9
PRESCRIPTIVE RIGHTS TO ROAD • T o e sta b lish e a se me nt b y pre sc riptio n c la ima nt must sho w tha t use o f a lle g e d se rvie nt e sta te wa s o pe n, no to rio us, ho stile , a dve rse , uninte rrupte d, e xc lusive a nd c o ntinuo us fo r pe rio d o f mo re tha n te n ye a rs, pre da ting 1981. Da vis v. Ca rrike r, 536 S.W. 246. Se e a lso Se c . 251.059, T e xa s T ra nspo rta tio n Co de . • Ma inte na nc e b y Co unty is so me e vide nc e o f pub lic use , b ut must b e e sta b lishe d b y c le a r e vide nc e o f uninte rrupte d use prio r to 1981. • Pre sc riptive rig ht a pplie s to “b e a te n pa th” o f ro a d a s we ll a s suffic ie nt la nd to ma inta in the ro a d, i.e . ma inte na nc e e a se me nt. Alle n v. K e e ling , 613 S.W.2d (T e x. 1981) 9/18/2019 10
IMPLIED DEDICATION • Simila r to Pre sc riptio n, b ut le ss de ma nding sta nda rd. • Re q uire d e vide nc e o f a ffirma tive a c ts o f la ndo wne r (lo ng sta nding use b y pub lic , ma inte na nc e b y c o unty, fe nc e -line s re c o g nizing ro a d) tha t wo uld le a d to implie d de dic a tio n. T he re sho uld b e so me thing mo re tha n me re a c q uie sc e nc e , i.e . re q ue st fo r ma inte na nc e , fe nc ing , sig na g e , e tc . 9/18/2019 11
WHY WAS CHAPTER 258 NECESSARY? • Co untie s unde r 50,000 c a nno t a c q uire rig hts b y pre sc riptio n a fte r 1981 • Pro o f ne c e ssa ry fo r e sta b lishing pre sc riptive rig hts prio r to 1981 “dying ” o ut with time . • Co st o f litig a tio n pro hib itive . • Me c ha nism o f e sta b lishing pre sumptive rig ht o f pre sc riptio n ne c e ssa ry. 9/18/2019 12
WHAT THE BILL DID-NOW EXPIRED • Pro vide d a me tho d fo r Co unty to e sta b lish a le g a l c la im to lo ng ma inta ine d ro a ds. • Re q uire d Co unty to Pre pa re a Ma p o f Co unty Ro a ds. • Pro vide No tic e to L a nd Owne rs a ffe c te d b y pro c e e ding . • Pro vide Oppo rtunity to Pro te st Ro a d Sta tus • I mpo se s a Pe rio d o f Re po se (2 yrs.) 9/18/2019 13
LIMITATION/LITIGATION • Afte r the Ro a d Ma p is a do pte d, the pub lic rig ht to use a ro a d, a nd the rig ht to spe nd pub lic mo ne y o n ro a d is c o nc lusive ly e sta b lishe d. Adve rse c la ims b a rre d. • Pa rty wishing to c o nte st inc lusio n o f ro a d o n ma p must file suit in a Distric t Co urt no t la te r tha n the se c o nd a nnive rsa ry o f da te ro a d ma p is a do pte d. • I n a dditio n, §§ 16.003, 16.024 a nd 16.026 o f Civil Pra c tic e a nd Re me die s Co de e sta b lish 2, 3 a nd 10 ye a r pe rio ds o f limita tio n tha t ma y a pply to ro a d dispute s. Se e 311.034 Go ve rnme nt Co de a nd De Mag o lo ni v. Be xar Ho spital Dist ., 2013 WL 4829133. 9/18/2019 14
TAX ABATEMENT • Priva te rig ht, title o r inte re st, o the r tha n mine ra ls, he ld b y a pe rso n o wning la nd b urde ne d b y ro a d e sta b lishe d b y this pro c e dure is e xe mpt fro m a d va lo re m ta xa tio n b y a ny ta xing e ntity. (Must a pply fo r e xe mptio n). • I f Co unty c e a se s to ma inta in a ro a d in future , e xe mptio n c e a se s a nd a d va lo re m ta xe s ma y b e a sse sse d a fte r re ve rsio n o f ro a d ma inte na nc e . Co unty must pro vide a n Orde r fro m Co unty sta ting tha t ma inte na nc e ha s c e a se d. 9/18/2019 15
EXPRESS DEDICATION • Pe rso n ma king de dic a tio n must ha ve le g a l a b ility to do so ; fe e simple title . • De dic a tio n must b e in writing a nd o f re c o rd, b e tte r fo r spe c ific dista nc e a nd width. • De dic a tio n must se rve a pub lic purpo se . • Co unty must a c c e pt the o ffe r, usua lly b y Orde r o f the Co mmissio ne rs Co urt, b ut a t le a st b y a c tua lly ta king up ma inte na nc e . Be tte r pra c tic e is a se pa ra te Orde r a c c e pting De dic a tio n a nd e xpre ssly a ssuming ma inte na nc e fo r spe c ific dista nc e a nd widths. 9/18/2019 16
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