Select Board Public Hearing - Dingley Road

The Select Board will hold a Public Hearing on January 16, 2025 at 6:00pm to discuss whether to declare a portion of Dingley Road abandoned pursuant to the provisions of 23 M.R.S. § 3028-A.  A map depicting the portion of Dingley Road at issue is attached below. The Public Hearing will be held in the Kendall Meeting Room at the John C. Coombs Municipal Building at 13 School Street in Bowdoinham.  

If the Town decides to declare the subject portion of Dingley Road to have been abandoned, then ownership of the abandoned portion of the road will revert to the abutting landowners to the center line of the road running along their respective properties.  If declared abandoned, the Town will have no further maintenance obligations for that portion of Dingley Road and those obligations will revert to the abutting landowners.  The owners of the portions of the abandoned road will then have the right to enter into agreements regarding maintenance of and access to the abandoned road, including the right to create private easements and form private road associations.  

If the Select Board votes to declare the subject portion of Dingley Road abandoned, the Select Board will then vote on whether the Town will retain a public easement over the abandoned portion of Dingley Road. If the Select Board votes to retain a public easement, the public will be granted a limited right to access the abandoned portion of the road either by foot or by motor vehicle as defined by 29-A M.R.S. § 101.  Please note the term “motor vehicle” does not include (1) snowmobiles; (2) all-terrain vehicles; or (3) motorized wheelchairs, electric personal assistive mobility devices, or electric bicycles.  If the Select Board does not vote to retain a public easement, then the public will not have any right of access to the abandoned portion of the road.  If the Select Board votes to maintain a public easement, it has the right but not the obligation to conduct limited maintenance.