Mayor Carlo DeMaria Jr. introduced legislation this week to provide residents and taxpayers who live on private ways with some needed relief. The ordinance sets a procedure to allow the city to make temporary repairs on private ways if it is a public necessity.
“Residents who live on private ways have long suffered because of the city’s inability to supply them with basic services, like pothole repair,” DeMaria explained. “This new process will allow us to fairly help these residents without liability for the city.”
The process requires at least 50 percent of the homeowners on the private way to petition the Director of City Services for specified repairs. The Director must determine the repairs are required by public necessity. The ordinance dictates that type of work that may be done, and holds the City harmless for any damages.
In order for work to be done on a private way it is required to be opened to public use for six or more years. The ordinance also allows the Director of City Services to make further repairs if it is in the need of public interest or public safety.
Private ways are common in the City; approximately one hundred private ways are currently listed.