CHESTERVILLE — The Chesterville Select Board held a public hearing Thursday, June 5, to consider discontinuing a section of Cahoon Road following a request from a lawyer representing a resident who owns a lot on the road.
The discussion focused on approximately 150 feet of the old Vienna Road, which forms the lower part of Cahoon Road. The resident’s 41-acre lot, located a quarter mile from the disputed section along Gurdy Stream, has faced issues due to the uncertain status of the road.
“This is the fourth time I’ve been here on this question, and I love coming with these,” said attorney Paul Mills. “I’m happy to come again.”
Mills, speaking on behalf of a resident’s property explained that the ambiguity over the road’s status had made the property “immobilized or unmarketable.” Although deeds described it as a town road, extensive research over the past eight or nine months had uncovered no discontinuance order or proceeding clarifying the town’s responsibility, said Mills.
“We need to get it declared that it is no longer town maintained,” Mills said. “If you can establish that there has been no expenditure on the road for at least 30 years, that establishes the basis for you being able to declare that it’s effectively abandoned.”
The process, he explained, would not eliminate public access but would relieve the town of maintenance obligations. Maine law allows for statutory abandonment if a town has not maintained a road for 30 consecutive years. Discontinuance through town action can also establish a public easement.
Select Board member Eric Hilton said abutters would be notified and invited to a public hearing to express their concerns or questions. “At that point we can make that decision,” he said, estimating a six-week to two-month timeline.
Selectman Guy Iverson moved to discontinue the town way. The board voted in favor, with one abstention from Hilton.
In other business, Pike Industries and the town road crew were scheduled to pave Locke Pond Road on June 6. If time permitted, they would also pave Archer Road that day.
