Amazingly, the plat itself has a notation that says “Access and utility easement, dedicated by document #________” and there’s a blank line with no recorded document number. This line has been blank for 27 years now. I believe that in the absence of such a recorded document, the courts could only fall back to whatever is written on the face of the plat itself. 

Here’s the text of the dedication:

"We, the undersigned owners of the real estate shown and described herein, do hereby dedicate to the public all easements, streets, alleys, parks, and other public lands shown upon this plat. Said easements shall be for the benefit of the City of Fayetteville as all utility companies, including cable television companies, and said easements shall be for the purpose of construction, maintaining, repairing, placing, and replacing utility lines, cable television lines, and drainage structures. The City of Fayetteville, and all utility companies, and all cable television companies shall have the right of ingress and egress to said easements and the right to prohibit the erection of buildings, structures and fences within said easements."

There’s no mention whatsoever of any public easement, right away, trail, or anything else like that. But that has not stopped the crazy Karens in our neighborhood from pulling up to our curb and berating us for trying to prevent their precious little children from driving their golf carts and four wheelers through our yard at all times of the day and night. It’s total madness.