A N A C T
RELATIING TO HIGHWAYS -- HIGHWAYS BY GRANT OR USE
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 24-2 of the General Laws entitled "Highways by Grant or Use" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
24-2-8.5. Acceptance and upgrading of access into highway system in town of West Warwick. -- (a) The town of West Warwick shall be permitted to utilize the below listed procedure to provide for the acceptance and upgrading of highways not yet accepted into the town's highway system:
(1) Owners of land fronting on an existing means of ingress and egress to their property which has not been accepted into the town highway system may make application to the town council for acceptance by the town of the access into the town's highway system.
(2) The application must be signed by sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the owners of land with frontage on the access presented for acceptance.
(3) The access presented for acceptance must be connectable to an accepted town highway or a highway maintained by the state.
(4)(i) Upon receipt of application, the town will obtain an estimate of cost to create from the access a highway to be accepted by the town into the town highway system.
(ii) The town shall provide the applicants with a copy of the estimate.
(5) To have the access improved or a road constructed by the town the applicants shall agree by written contract to the following:
(i) To repay the town for the cost of construction or improvement as outlined in the estimate provided them. Repayment to the town shall not exceed fifteen (15) years and shall be repaid with interest not to exceed the "prime rate" at the date of contract.
(ii) The percentage of repayment of the total estimate for each landowner shall be based on the frontage owned by the landowner divided by the total frontage on both sides of the access.
(iii) The repayment agreement shall be binding on the landowner's heirs and assigns, shall be recorded on the land records of the town, shall create a tax lien against the land until fully repaid and shall be collectable on nonpayment under the provisions of chapter 9 of title 44.
(iv) The landowner shall deed to the town the land necessary for construction or improvement as the town shall designate.
(v) Upon completion of the obligations of the applicants and the recording of the repayment contract the town shall contract for the construction or improvements outlined in the estimate and shall accept the improved highway into the town highway system and shall be liable for the mending and repairing of the highway.
(vi) The town shall be entitled during construction or improvement of the access into an acceptable town highway to use those portions of the applying landowner's property as needed to construct or improve the highway without payment of compensation to the landowner.
(b) This section shall not be construed to limit the town from exercising any of its rights under law and is intended only to provide a mechanism to provide landowners with a means of upgrading access to their property and repaying the town over an agreed period of time at an agreed interest rate.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.