Town Plows Private Road

[Formula]

I happen to notice that the town of Moultonboro plows private (association) roads. I am planning on speaking with the DPW to find out what the reason is.
Has anyone noticed this or can provide more details?

[Hermit Cover]

Just curious....Which private association roads have you seen being plowed by the town trucks?

[Lakesrider]

Well the town plows all roads that are used by school buses. I live in Susissevale which is an association. There are many school kids that live here year round. Thus the need for the town to plow any roads used by the buses.
They plow town roads first, school bus roads second, and private roads last. I know I pay town taxes, aqnd I don't have kids in school. I better get something for my money....

[Slickcraft]

A town is prohibited from spending public money for a private purpose. A private association would be a private purpose.

In some cased towns have agreed to plowing of certain private roads provided that the town is reimbursed for all costs hence no public money spent. The historical reasons for such agreements are varied and they are generally a series of bad decisions on the part of the town.

There is another type of situation where in a new development the developer defaults on construction of infrastructure and the town still holds security monies that were originally put up by the developer. Those monies could be used for completion and/or maintenance of the road while it is still private. Again no public money spent.

There have been cases where towns wrongfully plowed private roads without reimbursement, sometimes in ignorance and sometimes not, until they were called on it.

[breathe easy]

I don't live in an association, but I do live on a private road in Moultonboro and the town has a published policy about private roads and snow plowing.
They are not using public money for private purposes. The people that own the homes on the private roads pay taxes like everyone else.

http://www.moultonborough.org/Pages/...ivateroads.pdf
PRIVATE ROADS
New private subdivision roads with more than three (3) lots will be provided snow removal and sanding services as provided in the Town Budget. The road must meet minimum specifications as outlined in the Moultonborough Subdivision Regulations. The Board of Selectmen will accept an application for
this service provided at least one (1) habitable structure has been completed and is serviced by the road in
question. New roads within private subdivisions of three (3) or less lots will be treated as private driveways and snow removal and sanding services will not be provided. New roads within private subdivisions servicing more than three (3) lots, completed to Town specifications, will be considered for acceptance after all statutory requirements have been met provided at
least one (1) habitable structure has been completed and is serviced by the road in question. The Board of Selectmen may require a bond for road repairs should road damage occur as a result of construction within the subdivision after the Town has accepted the Road.

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Moultonborough DOES plow private roads and has been doing so for many years. There were a questions regarding liability/legality which were run by town counsel who told the town there was no problem. I don't recall hearing exactly what the specifics were but call the Moultonborough town hall if you have any questions.

There are conditions which must be met such as road condition, adequate trimming along edges, etc.

[Lakesrider]

Thanks breathe easy. I was wondering about that. On my road the pavement stops just a few yards past my house, and changes to dirt road. The plow turns around at the end of the pavement and does not plow any of the dirt roads The people living on the dirt part have to fend for themselves as far as snow on the road goes. I guess I made a smart buy eh?

[Seeker]

I thought if it was a town road, paved or not the town had to plow it unless it was like a class 6 that doesn't get winter maintenance. Also, I read somewhere that if a "private" road met certain requirements and WAS TURNED OVER TO THE TOWN then they would plow it assuming it met habitation criteria as mentioned above.

[jeffatsquam]

My understanding was the town plowed and sanded the private roads to make sure the fire and rescue vehicles had safe passage

[Redsoxlover]

Live on a private road that last winter due to all the snow and a terrible plow driver was barely wide enough for one car to pass. If there was a fire the trucks would not have been able to get in, went to the town and they came out and plowed the road wide enough for a fire truck to pass. Not sure what the RSA's states but I think if it's a safety issue they will do what they can.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by breathe easy

PRIVATE ROADS
New private subdivision roads with more than three (3) lots will be provided snow removal and sanding services as provided in the Town Budget. The road must meet minimum specifications as outlined in the Moultonborough Subdivision Regulations. The Board of Selectmen will accept an application for
this service provided at least one (1) habitable structure has been completed and is serviced by the road in
question. New roads within private subdivisions of three (3) or less lots will be treated as private driveways and snow removal and sanding services will not be provided. New roads within private subdivisions servicing more than three (3) lots, completed to Town specifications, will be considered for acceptance after all statutory requirements have been met provided at
least one (1) habitable structure has been completed and is serviced by the road in question. The Board of Selectmen may require a bond for road repairs should road damage occur as a result of construction within the subdivision after the Town has accepted the Road.

Holy smokes that's a liberal policy. Where I live in order to get the town to plow the road has to be built to town standard with certified contruction inspections all throughout the process. Then you have to get a final survery to make sure there are no right-of-way issues and that it was built to the plan. THEN, you have to request the selectmen to put it on the town warrant so your tax paying bretheren deem it worthy to make you part of the snow plowed crowd. I've never seen a road denied at town meeting, but many have failed to get the town blessing to get on the warrant because of issues (big and tiny) during contruction or meeting plan criteria.

The one difference is after they accept it as a town road, the maintenance and upkeep ownership is borne onto the town thereafter.

Wow, I should propose that to my selectmen at a meeting just to see them laugh at me.

[Gearhead]

When I was a kid we lived in Pittsburg, NH and the town PLOWED EVERYONE'S DRIVEWAY! Imagine the cost for that! Even as a kid I thought that was strange. I still remember seeing a town truck rumbling up our steep driveway and clearing it off. It must've been either because of all the snow they are notorious for getting or no one had a job and the town was providing a job for lots of people over the Winter.

[TomC]

one still can see many signs at the end of private driveways all over Moultonboro (and elsewhere) that say "PLOW".. which I always assumed were leftover from the days when the town did that too.

[Formula]

I was behind two town trucks last winter going down the Neck Road and each truck alternated turning right into private roads such as Harborside Road, Wildwood (which is dirt), to the end of the road which is Windemere.
I thought that it was strange especially since the association that i belong to pays for plowing our road. I also noticed that they have in the past plowed private driveways if a sign was placed out to plow.

[Lakegeezer]

The private road I live on in M'boro is plowed by the town. Years ago, a private contractor, paid by the town, did the road plowing. He offered each resident along the private road a yearly plowing contract for a reasonable fee. Sometimes road and driveways were done at the same time, other times not. These days, the town owned truck plows and sands the roads. Since over 70% of the taxable property value in town is shoreline, and much of the shoreline is accessed via private roads, it makes sense that the town provides this as a service. They do not maintain the private roads, but keep them accessible to emergency services, along with the residents. Its one of the nice features of the town. Now if it would only snow again so they could plow some more!!

[dpg]

Originally Posted by TomC

one still can see many signs at the end of private driveways all over Moultonboro (and elsewhere) that say "PLOW".. which I always assumed were leftover from the days when the town did that too.

I understand those signs to be for the person hired to clear that driveway. Keep in mind in an association like Suissevale one persone might be contracted to keep 50 or 60 driveways clear. Just a quick pass or two not real "fancy" cleaning. My family used to pay someone to do that. It was understood he would just make a couple passes to get a weekend car into the driveway. He'd get (I'll guess) like a hundred a winter if there wasn't much snow the "guy" would make out.

[dpg]

That begs another question about the police. It was well known by my kids and there friends at home in mass it used to be safe to have beer at a particular friends home because it was a private road and the police were "not allowed" to patrol it as I've been told. I personally know someone who was told that by an officer in town, that is that they do not enter the area unless there's a call for them. Can Suissevale residents turn away a cruiser if they want??

[TomC]

Originally Posted by dpg

I understand those signs to be for the person hired to clear that driveway. Keep in mind in an association like Suissevale one persone might be contracted to keep 50 or 60 driveways clear. Just a quick pass or two not real "fancy" cleaning. My family used to pay someone to do that. It was understood he would just make a couple passes to get a weekend car into the driveway. He'd get (I'll guess) like a hundred a winter if there wasn't much snow the "guy" would make out.

I thought this might be the case as well, but then wondered why you'd have to put a sign out for a guy that you had a contract with I see "plow" signs on driveways to places that aren't in an obvious association situation.

[DickR]

"one still can see many signs at the end of private driveways all over Moultonboro (and elsewhere) that say "PLOW".. which I always assumed were leftover from the days when the town did that too."

I used to see also some signs that said "Smith" or some other name. So I figured some Mr & Mrs Plow from back in the 1800s were prolific as bunnies and many of their decendents still lived locally.

[Winnipesaukee]

If the people who live on private roads cannot use their own roads, then they cannot go into town and contribute to the local economy.


There. Public purpose. You guys have some of the lowest property taxes in the state; I wouldn't complain too much...



-Winnipesaukee (R)

[Lakesrider]

Originally Posted by dpg

That begs another question about the police. It was well known by my kids and there friends at home in mass it used to be safe to have beer at a particular friends home because it was a private road and the police were "not allowed" to patrol it as I've been told. I personally know someone who was told that by an officer in town, that is that they do not enter the area unless there's a call for them. Can Suissevale residents turn away a cruiser if they want??

Not sure I would ever want to be the one to turn a way a cruiser at all. What happens when you really need one. I see the crusier in Suissevale every once in a while. Not that often. I had to call the police once for a dog I found wandering around. Great dog too. The officer was young and very friendly. No reason I would ever chance burning a bridge out from under me.

And who is complaining about the roads? Not me. I don't understand the whole concern. Private? Public? It behoves the town to have private roads anyway. No cost for paving them to the town, yet the residents still pay the same amount of taxes. The town wins. People build on land that are not on main roads. More money for the town. So they plow them. Big Whoop.
Some of your kids get to go to a school that I help pay for and I don't have any kids. There is a library that I don't use, and the fire/police have never had to stop me or rescue me. Should I complain now that I am not getting my moneys worth....? I'm confused about what the problem is with plowing any road? There was a big earthquake in Haiti. Maybe we should be worrying about more important things......

[newbie]

i live on a private road in Laconia and got notice two years ago that they are NOT plowing private roads. They indeed stopped and now the residents are responsible for the plowing.

[Formula]

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

Not sure I would ever want to be the one to turn a way a cruiser at all. What happens when you really need one. I see the crusier in Suissevale every once in a while. Not that often. I had to call the police once for a dog I found wandering around. Great dog too. The officer was young and very friendly. No reason I would ever chance burning a bridge out from under me.

And who is complaining about the roads? Not me. I don't understand the whole concern. Private? Public? It behoves the town to have private roads anyway. No cost for paving them to the town, yet the residents still pay the same amount of taxes. The town wins. People build on land that are not on main roads. More money for the town. So they plow them. Big Whoop.
Some of your kids get to go to a school that I help pay for and I don't have any kids. There is a library that I don't use, and the fire/police have never had to stop me or rescue me. Should I complain now that I am not getting my moneys worth....? I'm confused about what the problem is with plowing any road? There was a big earthquake in Haiti. Maybe we should be worrying about more important things......

the issue at had is not why the plow private roads. The issue is a fairness matter. I am all for plowing ALL private roads or NONE.
Lets just be consistent.

[phoenix]

I think it is a town by town. I know that a couple of years ago Center Harbor was looking at stopping all plowing of private roads. I believe Moultonboro is consistent that they do plow private road which due to the large amount of water front property are numerous