§ 17-1. Acceptance of dirt roads for maintenance by county.

(a)

The county may, at the sole discretion of the board of county commissioners, accept dirt roads for maintenance, if all of the following criteria are met:

(1)

Proof has been submitted, satisfactory to the board of county commissioners, that the dirt road was in existence and in use prior to April 26, 1986.

(2)

Proof has been submitted, satisfactory to the board of county commissioners, that at least one single-family home actually existed on the road prior to April 26, 1986.

(3)

The property frontage along the road is owned by two or more persons owning separate parcels.

(4)

Prior to acceptance, the road must be conveyed to the county free of liens or encumbrances.

(5)

Prior to acceptance, the road must be brought up to the standards specified in subsection (c) of this section. The county shall not pay or contribute to any expense in bringing a road up to such standards.

(b)

The expense of paving any dirt road accepted pursuant to this section shall be borne by the property owners fronting the road.

(c)

The standards specified in subsection (a)(5) of this section are as follows:

(1)

Requirements for construction of dirt roads.

a.

Before the board of county commissioners shall accept dirt streets for maintenance, all roadways shown thereon must be cleared, grubbed, graded and stabilized for their full length.

b.

Roadway rights-of-way will be cleared, grubbed and graded. All stumps, roots and other debris shall be removed to a depth of at least one foot below the ground surface. Roadways shall be stabilized a minimum width of 22 feet and be compacted to a depth of six inches below the surface. The materials to be used for this stabilizing shall be a high bearing value soil, sand-clay, ground limestone, crushed limerock, oyster shell, coquina shell, rock screenings, or any other material which, in the opinion of the county's engineer, is suitable for this stabilization. Muck shall not be used as stabilizing material. Grassing is required for the shoulders and ditches of all road rights-of-way. Sodding may be required for stabilization of some area of the right-of-way as deemed necessary by the county engineer or public works director to prevent erosion or drainage problems.

c.

All necessary culverts crossing under streets must be furnished and installed by the owner at no cost to the county. The size of the culverts to be installed shall be determined by the county engineer. Concrete culverts may be required by the public works director or the county engineer in areas of possible high corrosion. Sodding may be required for stabilization of the areas around culverts and drainage ditches, as deemed necessary by the county engineer or public works director to prevent erosion or drainage problems.

(2)

Drainage easements, percolation ponds.

a.

All necessary drainage easements and rights-of-way shall be furnished at no expense to the county. The easements and/or rights-of-way shall have a surface width of not less than the surface width required of the drainage ditch plus a five-foot berm on each side, and, in the case of a storm sewer, a minimum of 20 feet in width.

b.

Sodding will be required for stabilization of the non-paved areas of the drainage easement right-of-way, as deemed necessary by the county engineer or public works director to prevent erosion or drainage problems.

c.

No percolation ponds shall be constructed without soil samples being first taken and submitted to the county engineer for approval. All percolation ponds shall be fenced with a chain-link fence six feet in height and a standard industrial gauge.

d.

All roads that are to be considered under these requirements should have at least two houses on them. Where possible, there should be a 60-foot right-of-way. Each project should be evaluated separately and on a one on one basis before being accepted by the board of county commissioners.

e.

Paved roads shall have a six-inch clay base, as approved by the county engineer, and a 1½ inch type II asphalt surface.

(Ord. No. 92-07, §§ 1, 2, Exh. A, 6-11-92)