Committee reports bill to record longstanding easement practice for shared access

Delegate Runyon described House Bill 759 as a straightforward bill to recognize a longstanding legal easement for shared access across state and private parcels where preexisting roadways predate state ownership. He said the private purchaser worked with the Department of Wildlife Resources to document the access and that the parties agreed to a reciprocal access trade.

Ryan Brown (DWR) described the situation as common where preexisting roads cross wildlife-management lands and said the agency was approached by the property owner seeking a recorded easement to preserve access. The bill was moved, seconded and reported by the subcommittee; the recorded vote was 8-0 in favor of reporting the bill.