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<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">The Town of Arlington frequently addresses concerns about private ways, as we have a significant number of private ways throughout town (21 miles or about 15% of our total roadway mileage). A few years ago, in relation to a question/issue with a particular street, our Town Counsel provided a memo to our Select Board (formerly Board of Selectmen) that went over the history and legal standing of private ways -- see attached.</div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">In general, the private ways most of us deal with are "statutory" private ways where the public has legal access to use them, but they are privately maintained. There are specific allowances in state law for specific kinds of maintenance done with public money, snow plowing in particular, and there is a "betterment" process to allow a municipality to pave a road and charge the local abutters/private way owners over a period of time. The attached document provides more backstory and references the legal standard better than I can. I am not an attorney, so for your own purposes you should consult your Town Counsel. Note that this memo is in reference a town meeting form of government and may not entirely apply to cities.</div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">See also, Arlington's Town Bylaws - "Repairs to Private Ways" <a href="https://www.arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/laws-and-regulations/town-bylaws/title-iii-public-and-private-ways#A3">https://www.arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/laws-and-regulations/town-bylaws/title-iii-public-and-private-ways#A3</a></div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background: none 0% 0% / auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">This process is managed through our Select Board office, so please contact them should you have any questions.</div>
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Senior Transportation Planner<br />
Department of Planning & Community Development<br />
Town of Arlington<br />
730 Massachusetts Avenue<br />
Arlington, MA 02476<br />
(781) 316-3093<br />
<a href="mailto:damstutz@town.arlington.ma.us">damstutz@town.arlington.ma.us</a><br />
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<blockquote class="as91pFk8AX8sDPOUp66RUy8IoCRjefxNG8oLk8fg" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">From: "Duperault, Joy \(DCR\) via MassPlanners" <massplanners@masscptc.org><br />
To: "massplanners@masscptc.org" <massplanners@masscptc.org><br />
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2021 19:23:35 +0000<br />
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Private roads???<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">But if the town is plowing the private road, isn’t that spending public money? On a slightly different twist, there’s a town in FL where the private “road” (dirt pavement) was taken over by the County, who later decided not to maintain the road any more (far too expensive) and was subsequently was sued by the residents. Here’s the case: <a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.floridasupremecourt.org%2fcontent%2fdownload%2f345803%2ffile%2f11-1294_JurisIni.pdf&c=E,1,i1rVIqoiq_HeVvL6UROthPorm3UFDLnkypHbRf4h1HJ3vVdKjjIwBpa9tlmvVqR9yhFqpiRWyj0UPonU9Ydmhw1q4y6q1kACHtq7zE5gSfcObUQ,&typo=1">https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/content/download/345803/file/11-1294_JurisIni.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Take care,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0070C0">Joy Duperault, CFM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#0070C0">617-626-1406 or joy.duperault@mass.gov<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces@masscptc.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Thomas Bott via MassPlanners<br />
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 8, 2021 12:35 PM<br />
<b>To:</b> massplanners@masscptc.org; RICHARD CLARK <rpclark508@aol.com><br />
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Massplanners] Private roads???<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Dear Richard:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If the Town hasn’t accepted it it’s private. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Many many towns deal with this. The Road Commissioners aka the Select Peeps will sometimes make policies to allow plowing private roads, with a public safety rationale, based on the condition of the road surface. Most won’t “fix” private (see succinct definition above) ways because you can’t spend public money on private property.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">TBott <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Thomas Bott Town Planner, in absentia, MASS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">please pardon the intrusion its been a slow day on both Elba and Saint Helena<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><i id="yiv5835015979ydpe24bbde2yiv5561650705ydp7b50befcyiv6753380931yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1519652102965_53159"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#4C76A2">You too could follow me on Twitter @TBottPlimoth but it clearly isn’t necessary</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, 12:06:25 PM EST, RICHARD CLARK via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">Hello, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">Does anyone have a good (easily understood) definition of a private road?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">We have an unaccepted subdivision roadway that is used by residents not living in the subdivision. Those living in the subdivision feel that the town should provide therefore provide services (plowing and pothole repair). Anyone dealt with this issue?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">Be Well,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">Richard Clark, Town of Dudley Planning Board<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A">MassPlanners mailing list<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A"><a href="mailto:MassPlanners@masscptc.org" target="_blank">MassPlanners@masscptc.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#26282A"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org__;!!CUhgQOZqV7M!zSLx6qnxmrtKlDhH9bgM6Uc9ihnUPdOmeYFJsBXWR2EfiO6WXPZxgLCAwbt7ybhZva7W6g$" target="_blank">http://masscptc.org/mailman/listinfo/massplanners_masscptc.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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