Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 13 of chapter 80 of the General Laws, the board of assessors of the town of Dennis may, and at the request of the owner of the land assessed shall, apportion assessments for the laying out of private ways as town ways and the improvement thereof, or unpaid balances thereof, made under said chapter 80, into such number of equal portions so that if the assessment is for an amount between $500 and $1,500, the period of time shall not exceed three years, for an amount between $1,501 and $2,000, the period of time shall not exceed five years, and for an amount of $2,001 or greater, the period of time shall not exceed ten years; provided, however, that if the assessment is for an amount less than $500, there shall be no apportionment.

SECTION 2. The town of Dennis is hereby authorized to establish a fund which shall be known as the Private Ways Laid Out as Town Ways Betterment Fund into which fund shall be deposited all payments received from property owners assessed betterment assessments for the costs of laying out of private ways as town ways and the construction, reconstruction and repair of such ways upon acceptance as public ways, and into which may be deposited such other funds as may be appropriated by the town for such purposes. Such funds shall continue from year to year without the necessity of town meeting authorization annually. The town may appropriate from such fund, by majority vote at any special or annual town meeting, funds to be expended by the board of selectmen for the laying out, construction, reconstruction and repair of such ways.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.