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<br />Director Davis estimated that about half of the roads in the study are within <br />dedicated rights-of-way; the other half are either in drainage district rights-of-way, not dedicated to <br />the general public, but to a specific taxing district. There are many miles of paper rights-of-way that <br />the County owns, but we physically do not maintain them. All of those roads are in the agricultural <br />area. <br />In response to Chairman Ginn’s inquiry, Director Davis explained Graves Brothers <br />put up the gate to restrict general public access when the citrus canker concern came up. Keys were <br />given to property owners to manage access; if property owners are comfortable in leaving it there, <br />staff would be agreeable as long as we have some license agreement concerning the gate. <br />County Attorney Collins recounted that Brian Davis had an application of exemption <br />application in for almost two years. They spent a lot of time working on a reciprocal <br />maintenance/ingress/egress easement agreement when they thought it was a private grove road. <br />The public deed surfaced when Graves Brothers wanted the agreement stopped. <br />st <br />Brian Davis <br />, 9255 141 Avenue, distributed several photographs of the gates and <br />road under discussion. He suggested there could be liability issues because of the disrepair of the <br />road. He understood the citrus canker concern and because of the industry’s hard times he has put <br />cows on his property. He was concerned about emergency vehicle access and asked the Board to <br />remove the gates and make the road safe until the study comes out. <br />Jeff Bass <br />, Graves Brothers Company, 1240 Indian Mound Trail, thought there were <br />2 issues: the road ownership and the citrus canker. He specified that the gates were put in at the <br />dictate of the State. He stressed the seriousness of the citrus canker and what it could do to the <br />citrus industry in this area and the high cost of wash stations. Graves has stopped maintaining the <br />road and that is why it is deteriorating. <br />Commissioner Adams reiterated her recommendation that we need to maintain the <br />road if the County owns it. <br />Chairman Ginn thought there is obviously a question of ownership. <br /> <br />March 16, 2004 16 <br /> <br />