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Maine Alliance for Road Associations

Multiple associations on same road

  • 18 Oct 2023 9:19 AM
    Message # 13268734
    Anonymous

    The subject has come up on a recent road meeting that can multiple associations exist on the same road. I see it as problematic, it can become "team" conflict rather then individual disagreements.   

       Any experience with multiple associations on same road?

  • 19 Oct 2023 6:53 AM
    Reply # 13269149 on 13268734
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Problematic. I agree with you! I have no experience with multiple associations along the same road. This seems to be at odds with the Private Ways Statute. What's in the deeds?

    It seems possible to form a statutory road association for all owners benefited by the road by sending notice to all according to ยง3101, and having a meeting to vote to form one association for all owners sent the notice.    

    Last modified: 19 Oct 2023 6:56 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • 19 Oct 2023 9:15 AM
    Reply # 13269234 on 13268734

    I have had such an experience.  One road was the primary access and two others were separate offshoots with differing maintenance issues.  Those two road associations contributed to the primary association.  The relationship lasted decades, was very informal and reasonably harmonious until dissolving in acrimony over major road improvement costs to the access road.  Ultimately, the municipality, citing health and safety issues, stepped in, condemned the roads, improved them to municipal standards and assessed all owners for the expense.  This was in NJ which did not have a private road statute.  I suspect  municipal takeover is not likely in most areas in Maine but given human nature, dissolving into acrimony is reasonably foreseeable.  

    Our private roadway here in Maine has the exact same setup but is handled differently - there is one gravel access road that everyone uses and on which there are no residential parcels (runs through land trust), one gravel road offshoot and a separate paved road offshoot. Everyone contributes equally for normal maintenance including winter maintenance over the entire roadway system. Each of the offshoots pay for extraordinary maintenance related their sections.  Everything is administered as one informal association.  This system has functioned successfully for over 40 years.    

     Understanding how owner attitudes can change, our group is considering a statutory association format because it provides a formal structure with recognized benefits yet permits a great deal of self-determination in drafting bylaws.  The group intends to remain one association for operational, assessment and collection efficiency.

    Perhaps in your situation a similar approach is warranted: decide what is logical, including what is a reasonable and fair assessment scenario, and unite under one association for efficiency.      

    Last modified: 19 Oct 2023 9:19 AM | Anonymous member
  • 31 Dec 2023 10:15 AM
    Reply # 13295513 on 13268734

    We have 2 organizations that share the first .7 of a mile of road. to complicate matters the other organization is a homeowner's association that has a higher standard for the road than we do. We have 51 members, and they have 17 so they we obviously not in favor of a simple vote.

    What we came up with is a formula where our organization calculated a per mile rate for what we spent on the part of the road that was 100% our responsibility then split that cost equally per person.

    This allows the other organization to maintain the road at any level they wanted, and our organization only pays what we "would have spent" if the road was 100% ours. It took a few trys to get everyone to understand but all in all it has worked out well.

  • 01 Jan 2024 8:53 AM
    Reply # 13295667 on 13268734
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Kudos to the two respondents above this one.  You have relied on common sense and a spirit of cooperation to find creative solutions that work for your unique circumstances!  This is exactly why I have always advocated for keeping as much flexibility in the law as possible.  Not everyone has a round peg that fits neatly into a round hole.  I hope everyone in both of your associations continues to see the value in working together to reach the common goal of reliable access.

                            The Maine Alliance for Road Associations


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