Resident argues for permanent access to lot in Mount Carmel as county considers vacating Henry Street

At the public-comment portion of the meeting, resident Alin Koren described longstanding use of a county access running along the west side of the county building in Mount Carmel that he said has served as the only practical access to his lot (lot six) since the 1970s. Koren asked the board to preserve his access if the county vacates Henry Street or to provide a price if the county would consider selling the parcel used for access.

The board and staff reviewed maps in the room and discussed potential solutions including vacating Henry Street and granting an easement along the west side of the county property to provide access without splitting the county lot. County staff said they do not plan to make immediate decisions at this meeting and that the county attorney is investigating the title/plat history and the feasibility of vacating Henry Street and establishing a legal easement. Board members noted that some work on the property appears to have been done decades ago without permits and that cleaning up property records is a priority.

What happens next: County staff and the county attorney will continue investigating the plat and right-of-way history; the board indicated any formal easement or property change would require further legal documentation and board action.