Information Maintained by the Office of Code Revision Indiana Legislative Services Agency
IC 8-1-15
     Chapter 15. Water Utilities.Vacation or Relocation of Roads

IC 8-1-15-1
Petition for vacation
     Sec. 1. Any corporation organized under the laws of the state of Indiana and authorized by its articles of incorporation to furnish water to any town or city or the inhabitants thereof, through or adjoining whose land any highway has heretofore been located and established, which desires to vacate or to relocate such highway or a portion thereof, may file with the circuit or a superior court in the county in which such lands or the major part thereof are located, its petition setting forth the following:
    (a) The name of the petitioner.
    (b) A distinct description of the highway or part thereof which petitioner seeks to be vacated or relocated and in case of relocation, a distinct description of the proposed new route, which may be over existing highways or right-of-way.
    (c) A statement that petitioner has determined that such vacation or relocation is reasonably necessary or desirable in connection with petitioner's construction or maintenance of an impounding water reservoir.
    (d) A statement that said vacation or relocation of said highway or portion thereof will not increase by more than four (4) miles the distance necessary for anyone to travel over highways which are or will be substantially similar to that proposed to be vacated or relocated.
    (e) In case of vacation, the names and addresses of owners of the abutting land affected by the vacation proceedings.
(Formerly: Acts 1959, c.196, s.1.)

IC 8-1-15-2
Hearing on petition
     Sec. 2. Upon the filing of the petition described in section 1 of this chapter, the court shall set a time for hearing not less than fourteen (14) days nor more than twenty-one (21) days thereafter and notice shall be given of the filing of said petition and the time set for hearing thereof by publication for two (2) full weeks in some newspaper, daily or daily except Sunday, of general circulation in each county wherein any portion of said highway is located. The notice shall be directed to the inhabitants of said county or counties and shall set forth a description of the highway or portion thereof which petitioner seeks to be vacated or relocated and in case of relocation, a distinct description of the proposed new route shall be given. A copy of the notice shall be personally served on the board of commissioners of each county in which said highway or any portion thereof is located in the same manner as a summons is served in civil cases. In case of vacation, the clerk of the court shall also send a copy of the published notice by registered mail to each of the owners of the abutting land affected by the vacation proceedings as

set out in the petition, provided that the attorney of record who files said vacation proceedings shall deliver to said clerk sufficient postage and copies of the published notice to cover the mailing to such abutting owners.
(Formerly: Acts 1959, c.196, s.2.) As amended by P.L.59-1984, SEC.72.

IC 8-1-15-3
Aggrieved persons; filing written remonstrance
     Sec. 3. Any person feeling himself aggrieved by the proposed vacation or relocation may file a written remonstrance with the court at any time prior to the time set forth for hearing upon any one or more of the following grounds and no other to wit:
    (a) That the highway or portion thereof proposed to be vacated or relocated is necessary to the growth of the county or counties in which it is located.
    (b) That the proposed vacation or relocation will leave the real estate of the remonstrant without means of ingress or egress by a public highway.
    (c) That such vacation or relocation will deny the public access to some public building, church or school or public grounds.
    (d) That the material allegations of the petition or any of them are not true.
(Formerly: Acts 1959, c.196, s.3.)

IC 8-1-15-4
Order granting or denying petition
     Sec. 4. If no such remonstrance shall be filed in writing with the court before the time set for hearing, the court shall grant the prayer of the petition. If remonstrance thereto be made, the court shall set the time for hearing and trial by the court and if the facts alleged in said petition are found true and the facts in said remonstrance are found not true the court shall overrule the remonstrance and grant the prayer of the petition. In either case, all costs of the proceedings shall be paid by the petitioner.
(Formerly: Acts 1959, c.196, s.4.)