County abandons Perry Streets

Falls County has decided to officially abandon their claim on land in the Perry community. 

The town, peaking at a population of 400 in the 1920s, never developed the way it was originally planned. The land being considered is on the other side of the railroad tracks from where the current community can be seen.

According to Falls County Judge Jay Elliott, there was a map of the area created in the 1940s or 50s that detailed a projection of what was to come. 

“They, at one time, planned out 10-20 streets,” he told commissioners.

This map, accepted by the county at the time, shows streets, alleyways, and plots of land that were never developed or divided the way the map suggests.

As of now, one person owns 1.03 acres smack dab in the middle of where the map claims Perry to be. In order for this person to be able to sell the land, the county has to give up the map and their claim to the land that falls on that 1.03 acres. There is a house built in the middle of where the map says a street should be, as a March 19 land survey shows.

The land being “abandoned” consists of an underdeveloped ‘alley’ on the map. There is no actual alleyway on the land, but the accepted map of Perry claims there should be, therefore the county technically has the rights to any easements or throughways.

With abandoning the land for this individual, Falls County has decided to abandon the accepted map and their claims on any land owned by residents in Perry, that way this problem does not come up again. 

It was a bit of a confusing situation, but after extensive discussion, it was explained that the County was not abandoning their duty to the residents there, but indeed giving them back the full rights to their land. 

Commissioner F.A. Green made the motion to accept the resolution of abandonment, seconded by Jason Willberg. The motion carried unanimously.