Ross v. Hall County Board of Commissioners (1975)

The county authorities’ acceptance of the road “may be express or implied as long as a clear intent is manifested.” Ross, 235 Ga. at 310.

All the Justices concur. 1 Waldrep v. Hall County, 227 Ga. 554, 555 ( 181 SE2d 833 ) (1971). 2 Cobb County v. Crew, 267 Ga. 525, 527 ( 481 SE2d 806 ) (1997). 3 Ross v. Hall County, 235 Ga. 309, 310 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975). 4 Adams v. Richmond County, 193 Ga. 42, 48 ( 17 SE2d 184 ) (1941). 5 See Maddox v. Willis, 205 Ga. 596, 597 ( 54 SE2d 632 ) (1949); Savannah Beach v. Drane, 205 Ga. 14, 15 ( 52 SE2d 439 ) (1949); see also Ross, 235 Ga. at 313 (implied acceptance found when…

Both dedication and acceptance may be express or implied as long as a clear intent is manifested.” (Citations omitted.) Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Commrs., 235 Ga. 309, 310 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975).

However, when a plat is ambiguous, parol evidence, the surrounding circumstances, and the subsequent conduct of the public[ ] can be used to show the boundaries and extent of a dedication.”6 3 Cobb County v. Crew, 267 Ga. 525, 528 (1) ( 481 SE2d 806 ) (1997). 4 MDC Blackshear, LLC v. Littell, 273 Ga. 169, 170 (1) ( 537 SE2d 356 ) (2000). 5 See Hobbs v. Ware County, 247 Ga. 385, 385 (1) ( 276 SE2d 575 ) (1981); Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Comm’rs, 235 Ga. 309, 311 ( 219 SE2d 3…

Doyle, P. J., and Padgett, J., concur 21 See Kaplan, 286 Ga. at 561 (3); Teague, 267 Ga. at 681 (3); Lowry, 213 Ga. at 63-64 (2). 22 See Ross v. Hall County Board of Commissioners, 235 Ga. 309, 312-313 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975) (reversing trial court’s denial of mandamus relief where the evidence established both dedication of the roads and implied acceptance by county commissioners). 16

Because the developer subdivided the land and recorded plats in 1981 showing the subdivision and the streets at issue, we must presume that the developer intended to dedicate the roads within the subdivision and Statham Lakefront Road to Lamar Road to the public, as shown on the plats.17 Moreover, acceptance by the public need not be immediate, “but may be made when public necessity or convenience arises.”18 Of course, even when there has been an offer to dedicate roads, “[t…

Ross v. Hall County, 235 Ga. 309, 310 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975).

Cf. Dunaway v. Windsor, 197 Ga. 705 ( 30 SE2d 627 ) (1944), with Ross v. Hall County, 235 Ga. 309, 311 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975).

“As a general rule, before a highway can be established by prescription, it must appear that the general public, under a claim of right, and not by mere permission of the owner, used some defined way, without interruption or without substantial change, for [the requisite period].” (Emphasis supplied.) Dunaway v. Windsor, 197 Ga. 705, 706 (11) ( 30 SE2d 627 ) (1944); Lines v. State of Ga., 245 Ga. 390, 396 ( 264 SE2d 891 ) (1980); Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Commrs., 235 Ga. 3…

See Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Commrs., 235 Ga. 309, 311 ( 219 SE2d 380 ).

See Ross v. Hall County Commrs., 235 Ga. 309 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975); Lowry v. Rosenfeld, 213 Ga. 60 ( 96 SE2d 581 ) (1959); Hames v. City of Marietta, 212 Ga. 331 ( 92 SE2d 534 ) (1956).s In the case before us the State offered evidence to show that Glynn County has sporadically stationed lifeguards on the disputed stretch of beach since the 1950’s, although no lifeguard has been stationed there at county expense since 1974; that the County has placed between four and eight…

See also Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Commrs., 235 Ga. 309 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975).

See Ross v. Hall County Commrs., 235 Ga. 309 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975); Carroll v. DeKalb County, 216 Ga. 663 ( 119 SE2d 258 ) (1961); Savannah Beach, Tybee Island v. Drane, 205 Ga. 14 ( 52 SE2d 439 ) (1949).

See Ross v. Hall County Bd. of Commissioners, 235 Ga. 309 ( 219 SE2d 380 ) (1975); Interstate Life &c.