Dave Rickert, Lake Irving Group Homes and Property, was back before the Texas Township supervisors Monday night looking to regain road access to a property on Bear Swamp Road he’d like to sell. He was granted a 40-foot residential driveway permit.
Rickert said he’d been waiting for an acceptable solution since November and that a potential buyer he’d lined up had since fallen through. He said a veterinarian was interested in the property to open a veterinary clinic as well as having a place for, “4-H kids to raise animals,” he said.
Rickert said earlier road construction work completed by the township, straightening Route 472 for safety reasons, took away access to the 11.855 acre property, leaving guide rails behind. With maps to illustrate what he was talking about, Rickert discussed the situation with the supervisors during public comment. He said he’d attended several meetings over the issue, including an executive session. “You took me in the back room ...apparently Lee Krause, the solicitor thought that there might be some legal issues at hand down the road and didn’t want the public to know about it. Well I don’t want to be scurried into a backroom anymore.” Rickert said that’s when he was told the right of way would have to be at the lower end of the property, which he found unacceptable. Supervisors Don Doney and Allan Wickle were then appointed to, “go up and try and resolve the issue,” Rickert said. “It’s just unbelievable, the time that I’ve spent on this project.”
Rickert researched the property at the courthouse and found out that prior to the road straightening work, four property owners, including supervisor Jack McDonald had to convey a portion of their property to allow the road to be moved. “Proper documentation, prepared by the township of conveyance of properties to one another apparently was never filed,” Rickert said, from what he could find. Following the meeting, Rickert said he’d attended Monday night’s meeting to receive a driveway permit as well as to find out, “where the original conveyance agreements were or were not filed.” Zoning officer Lee S. Krause said he would search upstairs for copies of the agreements and maps. “If I do find them, we will have them recorded, and if I can’t find them, we’ll make new ones up for you,” Krause said.
Following the meeting, Supervisor Vice Chairman Don Doney said time was spent reviewing the situation with township engineer Steve Knash to ensure that Rickert was granted a driveway access with safe sight distance. “I think he’s getting the driveway where he wants it,” Doney said.
