silveflash
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- North Carolina
I live at the end of a private gravel road. The road is about 1/4 of a mile long total. There is only myself, at the very end, and 1 other person, at the very front, that uses this road. Land in between is owned by various other parties and is vacant land. I have an easement to drive the whole road and to also repair it as needed within the 20 foot right of way.
I chose to repair it early this year, spending about $9,000 on grading, ditching, gravel. I graveled the whole road from my house down to about the half way point, or about 1/8th of a mile down from my home. I also topped off some areas further down, including in front of my neighbors home and he didn't contribute whatsoever. I didn't really ask him directly but did bring it up, and what I did down there was about $1000 worth of gravel. There is NO road maint agreement in place besides the one i have for the owner of my house that was required by the bank for a loan. Nobody else besides the previous owner of the house I own now, is on that agreement. In the end I had a nice graveled road, no mud puddles etc that I was proud of as of mid jan 2023.
Fast forward to memorial day weekend of this year. Another land owner who owns land accessed via an old dirt road that branches off of the main road that i fixed, moved an RV onto his land. In so doing, he made a huge mess on that road he used and he also tracked mud onto the area there where i had graveled earlier this year. After rains, muddy water is flowing now into the area that I graveled and is causing a mess. I've asked him 3 times to fix the road and he has come up with excuse after excuse. I've given him almost 2 months now and he's ghosting me. I most recently texted him stating this last text will be my last informal communication to him unless he responds.
If i fix it myself, i would also need to fix the road he damaged that he has an easement to use, but i do not. I have to fix that road because until it is fixed, or it all grows back, it will keep getting any gravel i lay down, muddy. Also, i expect since he placed an RV there, he will be using it at times so he will tear up the ungraveled road every time and i will be back to square one. I do not know what my legal options are as far as me fixing the road he tore up that is now draining onto the graveled road below that i had paid to gravel earlier this year or what my options in going after him for damages. He lives 2 hours way in another county. His property use is for the occasional hunting/boating etc.
What are my options?
thanks.
I chose to repair it early this year, spending about $9,000 on grading, ditching, gravel. I graveled the whole road from my house down to about the half way point, or about 1/8th of a mile down from my home. I also topped off some areas further down, including in front of my neighbors home and he didn't contribute whatsoever. I didn't really ask him directly but did bring it up, and what I did down there was about $1000 worth of gravel. There is NO road maint agreement in place besides the one i have for the owner of my house that was required by the bank for a loan. Nobody else besides the previous owner of the house I own now, is on that agreement. In the end I had a nice graveled road, no mud puddles etc that I was proud of as of mid jan 2023.
Fast forward to memorial day weekend of this year. Another land owner who owns land accessed via an old dirt road that branches off of the main road that i fixed, moved an RV onto his land. In so doing, he made a huge mess on that road he used and he also tracked mud onto the area there where i had graveled earlier this year. After rains, muddy water is flowing now into the area that I graveled and is causing a mess. I've asked him 3 times to fix the road and he has come up with excuse after excuse. I've given him almost 2 months now and he's ghosting me. I most recently texted him stating this last text will be my last informal communication to him unless he responds.
If i fix it myself, i would also need to fix the road he damaged that he has an easement to use, but i do not. I have to fix that road because until it is fixed, or it all grows back, it will keep getting any gravel i lay down, muddy. Also, i expect since he placed an RV there, he will be using it at times so he will tear up the ungraveled road every time and i will be back to square one. I do not know what my legal options are as far as me fixing the road he tore up that is now draining onto the graveled road below that i had paid to gravel earlier this year or what my options in going after him for damages. He lives 2 hours way in another county. His property use is for the occasional hunting/boating etc.
What are my options?
thanks.
