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It seems the SoH has decided to deed 3.68 miles of CoC road over to the county. So our county which constantly says it cannot take responsibility for substandard roads is taking on responsibility for a substandard road. We all understand the reasons of course and they are legitimate. But in this and a number of other areas precedents keep coming up.
They have, of course, done this before. Where there is a will there is a way.
There are county owned substandard roads that the CoH refuses to bring up to standard (Post Office Rd. in Pahoa for example). And there are privately owned substandard roads which CoH has made improvements on: Rd. 8 and Ainaloa.
So the county continues to do as it pleases when it pleases and continues with the myth that CoH has no responsibility for 750 miles of substandard roads it created back in the late 1950s.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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This behavior is actually consistent with the other Rule of County: always cede to the next-larger government entity.
Private subdivision road? Sorry, no can do.
State grant? Yessir, right away sir.
"Improvements" on Road 8 are laughable, however County did fill a sinkhole on Ainaloa earlier this year -- not right away, but within months, which is more attention that most roads get around here.
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What will it cost to bring the roads "up to standard" and who's going to pay for that?
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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County code states that the grantor must bring the road "up to spec" before it will be accepted; this way no additional burden is imposed on County taxpayers.
Favorite part: "spec" says 60' easement, which is impossible in most "private" subdivisions that were created with 40' roadways.
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What will it cost to bring the roads "up to standard" and who's going to pay for that?
The only fair way is to have the property owners of those private roads, pay for the upgrades because they bought the property cheap due to it having sub-standard roads. Long-term special assessments on property taxes is the norm.
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only fair way is to have the property owners of those private roads, pay for the upgrades
This is exactly what "the Rules" require!
Therefore, County should refuse to accept the segment of CofC until State upgrades it.
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
County code states that the grantor must bring the road "up to spec" before it will be accepted; this way no additional burden is imposed on County taxpayers.
Favorite part: "spec" says 60' easement, which is impossible in most "private" subdivisions that were created with 40' roadways.
Yet it was the CoH that accepted those subdivision roads in violation of its own codes.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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Yet it was the CoH that accepted those subdivision roads in violation of its own codes.
Code says "final subdivision plat approval not granted until infrastructure", so technically it's more of a "granted permission in violation of rules". Not that it matters.
I suspect, but haven't found proof, that County changed the minimum requirements AFTER the subdivisions were granted.
have the property owners of those private roads, pay for the upgrades
This assumes that all private road owners actually want the upgrades. (I don't, but some occasional pothole fixes and tree-trimming would be great -- in theory these are performed by the "private road corps" guys, but in practice this only happens near property owned by their board...)
As suggested elsewhere, the County "minimum" requirements are overkill for an ag subdivision, such that an "unpaved farm lot road standard" might be a useful compromise. This amounts to asking for money which County "does not have" (for your district), so of course it goes nowhere.
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The basic CoH road standards for all county roads were adopted in 1953.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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Therein lies the loophole: "private" subdivision roads aren't "County", despite the rule existing at the time they were created.
Ironically (or not), County asserts jurisdiction on any matter as it sees fit, since everything is "in the County". Except for Uncle Robert's, of course.
