TOPSHAM

After 30 years of inaction, Topsham may finally look at several “paper streets” in town — roads that were designed as part of subdivisions but never constructed.

There has been confusion over land ownership over the past 20-30 years.

“We all look at it and we say, ‘We’re not sure what the status is,’ and so it just kind of sits there,” Town Manager Rich Roedner said.

According to Roedner, a 1987 state law was enacted with the hopes of clearing titles on paper streets.

Under that law, towns could accept and approve the streets, maintain “pedestrian interest” or “towns could let them all go,” Roedner told selectmen last week.

Since the law was enacted, Topsham, like most other towns, has held onto its 36 paper streets.

The town has to take action in September. If the town does nothing, it could be giving up its interest in the properties.

Roedner said he would ask selectmen to “hang onto” the current paper streets, with the addendum that the streets’ status would be addressed annually.

The town will have to do research on just what its rights are and how to unload the paper streets it doesn’t want — a process that will likely involve some legal fees.

“If we give up our interest, is there anybody else who has interest?” he said. “Is it the decedents of the subdivider from 1932 that created this paper street? Do we do our best to figure out who that is and send them the tax bill?”

In that case, if the tax bill doesn’t get paid, the town would foreclose on the paper street, which is one way to clear title. The road abandonment process may be another option.

Selectmen want to see cost estimates for the work by late August or September, when they will consider voting to start working on resolving the list of paper streets.

Selectman Chairman David Douglass was not in favor of putting it off for another 20 years.

“I’m not for kicking the can down the street for the sake of kicking the can down the street, because our job is hard,” Douglass said.

dmoore@timesrecord.com

State law

• ACCORDING TO Topsham Town Manager Rich Roedner, a 1987 state law was enacted with the hopes of clearing titles on “paper streets.”

Under that law, towns could accept and approve the streets, maintain “pedestrian interest” or “towns could let them all go,” Roedner said.