Lee County adopts new dirt-road paving policy requiring landowner petitions, donated right-of-way

The Lee County Commission voted March 10 to adopt a new dirt-road paving policy that sets petition and right-of-way requirements before unpaved county roads are scheduled for paving.

Under the policy approved by commissioners, a petition showing two-thirds support from landowners along a requested roadway must be submitted before a road is eligible for consideration. For most roads the policy recommends donation of a 60-foot right-of-way from adjacent landowners for the entire length of the project; if a road includes a bridge listed on the National Bridge Inventory, a 40-foot right-of-way is required for the bridge and its approaches.

County highway staff told the commission the policy also specifies a minimum pavement width of 18 feet with 2-foot shoulders and recommends that legal costs to process donated right-of-way be paid by the petitioning property owners. Highway staff said the policy is intended to protect drainage, utilities and long-term maintenance and that it will not reallocate the county's existing resurfacing dollars used for paved-road maintenance.

The highway department presentation said the commission retains final authority to select which roads will be paved even when petition and donation thresholds are met. Staff also said if a petition falls short of the required percentage, the highway office will notify the district commissioner and continue outreach rather than bring the item forward for formal consideration.

Discussion during the meeting focused on the mechanics and equity of the requirement: commissioners asked how the petition would be collected and verified, whether renters could sign, and who would pay for legal costs and right-of-way acquisition. Highway staff and the assistant county engineer clarified that only landowners (not renters or lessees) may provide the legal right-of-way and that staff will assist with the donation paperwork and verification before bringing a candidate road to the commission.

The commission approved the policy by voice vote after the highway department's presentation.

Why it matters: The policy creates a predictable, documented path for turning unpaved Lee County roads into paved roads while tying eligibility to landowner support and donated right-of-way. It also shifts some upfront legal and easement obligations to petitioning property owners and leaves ultimate project selection to the commission, which may affect how quickly individual roads move from petition to construction.