[Massplanners] Land separated by RR

[Jeff Lacy]

RR lot is either a separate parcel without frontage or part of the parcel with house already. In first case it’s landlocked. In second case there is already a principal use on the parcel. Either way = nada.

Jeff Lacy
Rural Planning Associates 
(413) 253-0705

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 5, 2022, at 12:07 PM, Daniel Fortier via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> The ownership in fee would seem to be the real hurdle. To me that ownership in fee would be treated just like a road dividing the property into two separate lots.  The ROW might allow for the creation of an access road to the back land by subdivision. Not sure it could work as a panhandle.
>  
> Now, as Byron notes, the nature of the right to cross can be a big issue.  Years ago, when in NH, I had to deal with this with the Boston and Maine. They absolutely refused to allow at-grade crossings due to safety (track was then slow ordered to 15 mph max).
>  
> So, a lot of questions that would challenge the idea of viable access for a building permit without the input from legal counsel. I would start by having the property owner provide a legal justification for the idea that he has legal access and a buildable lot, then pass that on to Town Counsel for review and confirmation.
>  
> Dan Fortier
> Dennis Town Planner (Interim)
> Retired
>  
> Sent from Mail for Windows
>  
> From: Doug Albertson via MassPlanners
> Sent: Tuesday, July 5, 2022 11:34 AM
> To: massplanners at masscptc.org
> Subject: [Massplanners] Land separated by RR
>  
> Hi experts and observers,
>  
> I know the answer but want to see if any of you has an alternative truth.  The property owner’s house has adequate frontage and area.  Behind it is the railroad owned in fee by the RR.  Then the owner’s next property of 35 acres with no frontage.  There is an existing RoW crossing over the RR between the two.  The owner wants to know, of course, if he can create a building lot for his daughter on the rear parcel.  The first one of you who responds with “You’ve been doing this for 30 years and you have to ask?!?” is removed from my will. 
>  
> Are there any particular insights regarding railroad properties that would add radical variables to what should be an outright “no”? 
>  
> Doug
>  
> Douglas Albertson
> Town Planner
> Town of Belchertown
> P.O. Box 670
> Belchertown, Mass.  01007
>  
> (413) 323-0407  ext. 320
>  
>  
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