Legal definition of landlocked?

[dsenior]

What is the name of your state? NY

On paper, my dead end street continues at its full width for about 20 feet beyond the pavement end, and then for about another 50 feet beyond that at half width. The slope drops off steeply at the pavement end

A neighboring undeveloped property adjoins the paper end of the street at spot where it drops to half-width, essentially jutting out into the paper street to reduce its width.
______________
. . . . . . . . . ]. . .| Neighbor
Pavement . .] . .|_____
. . . . . . . . . ] . . . . . . . |
___________________|
. . . . . .| . . . . . . Me. . . . . . . . |
. . . . . .|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |

The neighbor wants a steep slope variance to build on his land, and is also proposing that he be allowed to build retaining walls on the narrow part of the paper roadway to accommodate this.

I am below road grade, so the retaining walls will have a significant visual impact on my property, but the neighbor argues that the town can’t landlock him.

I’ve been unable to find a legal definition of the term in New York State, but if his property has paper road frontage, whether or not the slope is viable, is he landlocked?

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: I’ve been unable to find a legal definition of the term in New York State, but if his property has paper road frontage, whether or not the slope is viable, is he landlocked?

A: No, not legally. Maybe practically, but not legally.

 

[dsenior]

Would you know of a reference?

Thanks for your response. Would you know of a generally accepted source that I can reference for the legal definition in NYS?

 

[ErinGoBragh]

I believe all you have to do is go to your town zoning dept. and request to purchase a copy of the local code (it's usually $5 or $6). The definition of paper road should be in there- or you could just ask borrow a copy and flip through it.