Lawmakers flag tiny, delinquent parcels that hinder sales and use

A committee member opened the meeting by describing a recurring problem: many very small parcels are delinquent on taxes and effectively unsellable, creating ownership and use problems. "Many parcels that don't have a time...the overdue taxes will never meet. So they can't be sold, and they can't be used," the member said, asking staff to "contact Warren and figure out what's going on" and to explore options.

Department staff and committee members discussed limits on foreclosing for minimal unpaid taxes after changes last year intended to avoid evictions for very small arrears. Staff identified colleagues (including a person referenced as Chris Roof) who might have expertise, and committee members asked staff to follow up offline with Warren and a local town planner named Jim to gather more information from town clerks about how frequently land is 'posted' or enrolled in current use programs.

No formal policy action was taken during this session; members requested staff follow-up to assess the scope of posted or delinquent parcels and potential remedies.