Council approves Beverly Drive connection for 53‑unit Beazer townhome project; members press developer on road condition and repaving

Dorchester County Council on March 3 voted unanimously to approve a roadway connection to Beverly Drive for a proposed 53‑unit townhome development in the town of Somerville, with approval made pursuant to the county’s encroachment‑permit process.

County planning staff said the proposed development is a 53‑unit townhouse community at the intersection of Miles Jamieson Road and Beverly Drive; the subdivision plan shows a direct tie‑in to Beverly Drive, which is a county‑maintained road. Because Beverly Drive is county maintained, the proposed connection requires county approval. Staff said the developer submitted a traffic impact analysis that did not identify a need for turn‑lane improvements and concluded the project’s traffic would largely use Beverly Drive and the signalized Miles Jamieson intersection; an emergency access only is proposed to Miles Jamieson.

Tom Wallington, vice president of land development for Beazer Homes, told council the townhomes are rear‑loaded and that the plan retains existing trees along Miles Jamieson as a buffer; he said the emergency connection to Miles Jamieson will be limited to emergency vehicles and will not be used for general vehicular traffic.

Several council members and staff pressed the developer about the condition of Beverly Drive and neighboring Community Road—asking whether the developer would contribute to repaving or cost‑sharing for improvements and expressing concern about construction traffic. County staff said resurfacing, necessary improvements and other requirements related to the connection would be addressed through the county encroachment‑permit process and the town’s encroachment review. The developer said he would work with county staff to keep construction traffic farther inside the site, to use a construction entrance that minimizes impacts on Beverly Drive, and to coordinate pre‑ and post‑construction road condition assessments with the county.

Councilmember Anderson asked whether the segment of Beverly Drive that ties into the development would be repaved; staff said resurfacing would be considered during the encroachment‑permit review. Council members also discussed cost‑sharing possibilities, and staff said they would work with the town and developer to address damage and resurfacing if required.

A motion to approve the connection, conditioned on the encroachment permit process and related requirements, carried unanimously.

Why it matters: because Beverly Drive is county‑maintained, the connection delegates authority and responsibility to the county for conditions tied to the public road; county approval and the encroachment process establish the terms for access, construction impacts and any needed roadwork before final acceptance.

Implementation notes: county staff said they will evaluate pre‑ and post‑construction roadway conditions, the encroachment permit will specify any required repairs or resurfacing, and the developer agreed to coordinate construction‑entrance sequencing to limit damage to the county road.