{"id":5663,"date":"2013-09-13T09:30:03","date_gmt":"2013-09-13T13:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=5663"},"modified":"2013-09-13T06:44:19","modified_gmt":"2013-09-13T10:44:19","slug":"gaines-lane-into-county-road-system-little-chance-for-ordinary-citizens-lcc-2013-09-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/gaines-lane-into-county-road-system-little-chance-for-ordinary-citizens-lcc-2013-09-10.html","title":{"rendered":"Gaines Lane into county road system? Little chance for ordinary citizens @ LCC 2013-09-10"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nCitizen Anita L. Armstrong wants help with Gaines Lane,\r\nbut it’s a private road, and it would have to be paved to state\r\nhighway standards to get accepted into the county’s road system.\r\nShe spoke at\r\n\r\nthe Lowndes County Commission Regular Session 10 September 2013<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nI come before you again asking to see if we can get some help with our road.\r\nIt is so bad and we don’t have the money.\r\nIf we could get just a little help, maybe we could get it kind of\r\nstraightened out so we could get in and out.\r\nThe last bad weather that we had, we had to be pulled out of the road\r\nfor at least five times.\r\nAnd each time that we pulled out, we have to pay someone to do it….\r\nAnd we are asking your help.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nHer problem is that Gaines Lane is a private road, not county maintained.\r\nTo get it into the county road system, right of way would have to be\r\ndonated to the county, because some years ago the county made a policy\r\n(try to find it in writing) that it would no longer pay for rights of way.\r\nSome of the landowners on Gaines Road have not agreed to donate.\r\nAnd even if they do, the county also has a policy (try to find that one\r\nin writing, while you’re at it) that it only accepts roads that are\r\nup to county standards, which means already paved to state highway standards.\r\nSo basically unless you’re a developer, you’re not going to get a road\r\ninto the county road system.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nMs. Armstrong spoke in the previous session, 13 August 2013, about\r\n\r\ngarbage trucks damaging her road<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nA Bess Armstrong\r\n11 May 2010\r\n\r\naccording to the minutes<\/a>:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nBess Armstrong, Gaines Lane, thanked the Commission for their help in\r\nassisting with road improvements made on Gaines Lane. Mr. Armstrong\r\nadded that he needed some guidance on how to maintain the road in the\r\nfuture. Chairman Paulk stated that the credit should be given to Reames\r\nConstruction, since the county was unable to work on the private road.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThere was extensive discussion in the 23 February 2010 meeting,\r\n\r\naccording to the minutes<\/a>:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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\r\nJoseph Best, Gaines Lane, stated that Gaines Lane is unable to be\r\ntravelled by emergency services. Commissioner Evans stated she had\r\nspoken to County Engineer, Mike Fletcher, regarding this issue. Mr.\r\nFletcher stated the lots were subdivided off of private platted\r\neasements which the county has no rights to maintain. The county\r\nwill only accept roads that meet county standards.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nVice Chairman Lee asked what the distance of this road was and Mr.\r\nFletcher stated \u00bd mile is the distance with six or eight lots\r\nsubdivided.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nMr. Best stated a neighbor has placed a board with nails in the road\r\nand covered the board with dirt.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nVice Chairman Lee asked where Gaines Lane is located, Mr. Fletcher\r\nresponded off of Dasher Johnson Road.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n

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\r\nChairman Paulk stated this location is private property and no work\r\ncan be done until it meets county standards. Chairman Paulk stated\r\nhe would speak to the Reames Construction Company and personally\r\nhelp with Gaines Lane.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nBob Harlan, 7083 Hamm Estates Drive, wanted to ask a question\r\nregarding who made the law referring to private roads; Chairman\r\nPaulk stated Lowndes County can’t benefit a private citizen, the\r\ncounty will only accept roads that meet county standards. Mr. Harlan\r\nstated that two individuals didn’t sign since 1991 the property\r\nowners have been trying to give the easements to the county to be\r\nmaintained.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWillie Houseal, 764 Lake Laurie, owns property on 7131 Hamm Estates\r\nDrive and would like Hamm Estates Drive to be added to the paving\r\nlist and maintained by the county.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCarol Gillard, 3760 Tower Road, stated in 2006 residents signed a\r\npetition for the road to be paved. Ms. Gillard would like to know\r\nthe process\/procedures regarding right of way. County Engineer, Mike\r\nFletcher, stated Tower Road is three miles long and money has to be\r\nallocated for surveying. It costs approximately $70,000.00 a mile to\r\nhave surveyed. Mr. Fletcher stated there are 30 roads on the paving\r\nlist with 60 to 70 miles to be paved. Also, there is a supplemental\r\npaving list as well. Chairman Paulk stated that getting the petition\r\nsigned by land owners to donate right of way was the next step. Vice\r\nChairman Lee added there was no money right now to have any road\r\npaved at this time.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nRhonda Wright, 2471 Gaines Lane, stated she had a fire at her home\r\nlast week and fire trucks could barely get to her house. Ms. Wright\r\nasked what could be done to improve the road. Chairman Paulk stated\r\nthe road needs to meet county standards.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCommissioner Evans recognized Ms. Armstrong (in the audience)\r\nregarding the plowed easement and stated that county staff would be\r\nin contact with her.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nHere’s\r\n\r\nthe video:<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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