Hello,
I have a question regarding "Squatter's Rights" in Michigan. My family owns several lots in a subdivision that abuts state owned land, Behind the property we own there is roughly a 120 foot or so wide strip of land that is between the property and the state land. On the subdivision plat maps it is not marked as common property, park useage or wildlife area. Since about 1972 our family has been removing dead and diseased trees, planting grass, ect, Improving the property and maintaining it to the extent of even errecting two small sheds.
Sometime in the late 90's the new property owners association noticed the strip of land and thought that they could develop it for aditional building lots, not realizing that following a survey, that the property was not of sufficient width the permit a road to be built to access the land and allow sufficient size lots for building homes.
Once the land was surveyed and they were informed that the land was basically unable to be developed do to it now being landlocked, the POA got upset and sent out letters ordering that any structures on the property were to be removed at once and any and all maintenance on the land was to stop at once, the POA even went as far as to make a threat that they personally would hire demo teams for any structures and assess the property owner for the cost of said demolition.
At one point the term Squatters Rights was thrown at the POA and suddenly everything was dropped. To this day the property owners continue to maintain the land.
And Sorry for the long tale but I wanted to put in as much info as I could, SO seeing that we have been maintaining the land for close to 30 years now, can we claim Squatters rights and claim title to the land? And how would one go about doing that?
Thank you VERY much for any input!!
I have a question regarding "Squatter's Rights" in Michigan. My family owns several lots in a subdivision that abuts state owned land, Behind the property we own there is roughly a 120 foot or so wide strip of land that is between the property and the state land. On the subdivision plat maps it is not marked as common property, park useage or wildlife area. Since about 1972 our family has been removing dead and diseased trees, planting grass, ect, Improving the property and maintaining it to the extent of even errecting two small sheds.
Sometime in the late 90's the new property owners association noticed the strip of land and thought that they could develop it for aditional building lots, not realizing that following a survey, that the property was not of sufficient width the permit a road to be built to access the land and allow sufficient size lots for building homes.
Once the land was surveyed and they were informed that the land was basically unable to be developed do to it now being landlocked, the POA got upset and sent out letters ordering that any structures on the property were to be removed at once and any and all maintenance on the land was to stop at once, the POA even went as far as to make a threat that they personally would hire demo teams for any structures and assess the property owner for the cost of said demolition.
At one point the term Squatters Rights was thrown at the POA and suddenly everything was dropped. To this day the property owners continue to maintain the land.
And Sorry for the long tale but I wanted to put in as much info as I could, SO seeing that we have been maintaining the land for close to 30 years now, can we claim Squatters rights and claim title to the land? And how would one go about doing that?
Thank you VERY much for any input!!