Oconee County committee hears request to take over private portion of McAllister Road

Residents from Peninsula Point asked the Oconee County Transportation Committee in February 2025 to accept a privately owned portion of McAllister Road in West Union, arguing the Homeowners’ Association cannot shoulder ongoing maintenance and some engineering deficiencies present safety concerns.

The request matters because the private segment serves multiple subdivisions and dozens of lots while the POA that currently carries full maintenance responsibility represents fewer than 60% of the lots that use the road, residents said. Acceptance by the county would shift long-term maintenance responsibility to county crews and funding.

Sean Nicole, introducing the presentation, said the full roadway is about 10,000 feet and that the county already maintains roughly 6,500 feet. "We have our POA has responsibility for 2,700 feet of the road, and then there's another 650 feet of roadway at the very end that's owned, by, I think 8 or 9 property owners," Nicole said. He and other residents provided a topographic survey, utility mapping and engineering plans to the county and said their engineering consultant identified multiple deficiencies, including shoulders under the county’s 6-foot standard, five vertical curves that do not meet minimum k-values for sight distance, and at least one horizontal curve and a cul-de-sac radius that fall short of current standards.

Residents and presenters emphasized that the roadway is lightly traveled and largely serves neighborhood traffic. "We're seeking the county's assistance in taking over this road, and, helping out our community," Nicole said. Presenters urged the committee to consider less-costly mitigations — such as guardrails on specific segments — instead of wholesale reconstruction that would require removing material or building retaining walls.

Committee members asked staff whether a phased acceptance could be possible, taking control of portions of the road that meet county standards while leaving the more deficient segments for later improvement. Mr. Reed asked whether "the first... three" flagged deficiencies "can be fixed and maybe pick up, from there up to the present, county maintenance?" County staff present said they would inspect the corridor with POA representatives and explore whether a more limited takeover boundary or a phased approach would be feasible.

After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to direct staff to continue working with the property owners and POAs to evaluate the private portion of McAllister Road and report back with options. The committee approved the motion by voice vote, recorded in the minutes as "All in favor, aye." The motion directed staff to investigate repair options, confirm right-of-way status and develop potential division points where county maintenance could begin if portions meet standards.

The residents provided tax-contribution estimates and lot counts as background for their request: presenters said the parcels that use the private segment contribute roughly $300,000 annually in combined taxes to county obligations (estimate provided by residents) and listed subdivisions served directly by the private portion as Peninsula Point (about 72 lots), Peninsula Point North (18 lots), Barefoot Cove (14 lots) and The Point of Barefoot Cove (9 lots). Presenters also said about six homes were under construction and that up to 22 lots currently rely on the private section. The engineering materials submitted to the county identified specific locations where shoulders, turn radii or vertical-curve sight distances would need work to meet current county design standards.

The committee did not adopt a formal schedule or commit county funds. Instead, members voted to have staff inspect the road, confirm property and right-of-way ownership or easements, and work with the POAs to identify a feasible boundary or a phased acceptance plan that would minimize immediate county costs while addressing the most critical safety defects. Staff clarified that dedication of right-of-way or signed easements from private owners would be needed for county acceptance, and presenters said they could circulate standardized forms from the county to begin collecting property-owner signatures.

The issue will return to the committee after staff and POA representatives complete the field review and prepare options for how much of the private segment could be accepted immediately and what upgrades would be required for full county maintenance.