Dorchester: Here Is How To Get Paved Streets -- If You Want Them

In recent years, support for paving more Dorchester streets has grown. Supporters say that to grow Dorchester and encourage more people to build here and improve their homes, paved streets are a key.

As reported earlier by this blog, the power to pave is in the hands of Dorchester residents -- or at least those who own property in village limits.  Nebraska law, Section 17-510, says a petition can be started by those who have property next to an unimproved street (meaning gravel or dirt).  

Now a loyal Dorchester Times reader has e-mailed us a document that will allow Dorchester residents accomplish their paving mission, if they so desire.

The power to get more paved streets is in your hands, and here is how you do it:

1.)  Use this petition sheet (click here) and determine what area you want paved.  You will note that the petition sheet has blanks for street names.  It is up to the petitioner(s) to determine their "paving district." It might be just one block of a single street, or it might be several blocks.  The smaller the paving district, the better chances of paving occurring, most likely.

2.)  Get the signatures of enough landowners -- representing at least 61% of the front footage of the property directly abutting the street proposed to be paved.  This means you will have to ask property owners (not renters) to sign your petition sheet.

3.)  Present the signed petition to the village board at their monthly meeting.  Call the clerk's office ahead of time to get on the agenda.  Unless the board can find a technical reason to deny the petition, they will need to proceed and levy special assessments on the land abutting or adjacent to the paved street to finance the work.  Special assessments for such projects can be paid over a 15-year period, according to state law, we are told.

The Times staff is not comprised of attorneys or development specialists.  However, we have received this information from residents of town who say they've worked with experts who have experience in establishing street paving districts.

After years of hearing complaints about a lack of paved streets in Dorchester, the Times is happy to help provide this assistance to residents and empower them to pursue paved streets, if this is what they want.