Posted by michaela-CA on June 01, 2007 at 23:41:37:
don’t know, if this is the same, but in Atlanta we have/had many alleyways, running behind the houses in 100 year old neighborhoods. The city didn’t want to be responsible for them, so they deeded them to the owners on all the adjoining properties. Noone owns a particular piece, but everyone shares into the ownership and each one has to take care of the part abutting their property.
Michaela
Orphaned land? (long) - Posted by Lee
Posted by Lee on June 01, 2007 at 22:03:20:
The recent thread on “title busting” got me to thinking about some properties that may have unusual quirks that may be of value. I am familiar with an older subdivision in my area that has some odd situations. The subdivision was originally platted in 1930. A piece typewritten paper that was photocopied was placed with the original plat in the county register’s office. The paper stated that all of the platted roads and alleys were dedicated to the current and future property owners. No property owners association was formed or any other agreement was formed to provide for maintenance of the roads.(keep in mind this was TN in 1930) At some time in the future most of the roads were taken over by the county and maintained and became county roads. a few of these roads were never opened. One is completely grown up and the others are being mowed by abutting residents.
The plat of land in the assesssor of property office shows these abandoned roads but they do not have a parcel number so the are basically untaxed and “appear” to have no owner. I have checked the chain of title on all of the adjoining properties and none of them have a registered claim to it.
To further complicate matters the original developer went broke some time during the 1930’s (surprise)the protperty then went into a trust and was finally sold to a man in 1943 who finally sold off all of the remaining lots over a 20 year period. So, did the original developer give away the land with his “dedication”? Even if it was given to the property owners, no doubt none of them are alive today.
I have asked several veteran clerks at the courthouse and they can’t seem to find an answer either. These strips of land are not tremendously valuable but one is 50 foot wide and could be buildable. Who knows? The corner of a house may sit on one.
I would appreciate any info someone might share!