Fiscal Court discusses option to add privately built roads into county road system with tax-based cost share

County officials discussed a procedure for bringing privately constructed subdivision roads into the county road system and allowing affected property owners to pay an assessed share via an annual line item on the property tax bill.

At the Jan. 14 meeting the County Judge described an approach in which property owners who want their road taken into the county road inventory would construct the road to county specifications, submit the work to the road superintendent for review, and, if accepted, have a prorated share billed on annual tax statements. The judge said he would expect a letter of support from the residents in the affected area before the court adopts the mechanism.

Court members noted an ordinance is being drafted to lay out the process and the finance option. The financing method discussed would allow owners in the affected area to pay their contribution over a fixed period (one example given was five years), after which the charge would end. Court discussion clarified that new lots created on such a road would likely be required to pay their share when added to the tax roll, rather than the existing property owners permanently absorbing added costs.

County Attorney Nick confirmed the court’s staff is working on an ordinance to spell out technical requirements and the payment mechanism. Court members said the option is voluntary for residents; only roads where residents petition and agree to the financing approach would be advanced. The court did not adopt a final ordinance during this meeting and indicated it will pursue stakeholder outreach and ordinance drafting.