Lexington County reinstates 1978 roads, stormwater maintenance agreement after lengthy debate

LEXINGTON COUNTY ' The Lexington County Committee of the Whole voted to reinstate the county's 1978 roads and stormwater maintenance agreement with municipalities after an extended debate about local zoning, development density and the county's role in maintaining municipal roads.

Chairman McCollum opened the discussion by describing the request from municipal leaders and reading a letter from the mayor of Lexington asking the county to consider reinstating the agreement. "The request is to reinstate the agreement as it was written so they can move forward to have those very conversations," one council member said during debate.

The agreement reinstated maintenance responsibilities the county held under the 1978 compact: roads and associated drainage features that were designed and built to county standards and subsequently accepted for county maintenance. Planning staff described the county's current practice: if a subdivision road and storm drainage features are designed and built to county standards and accepted on a final plat, the county maintains pavement, signage, curb work, drainage features and related infrastructure.

Debate focused on whether reinstating the agreement would limit council's ability to influence municipal zoning and density. Several council members argued the agreement is strictly a maintenance arrangement and does not change municipal zoning authority; others said reinstatement should be coupled with a plan to ensure municipalities and county staff reconcile differences in lot sizes, setbacks and other land-use standards.

Mayor Hazel Livingston and several council members said municipal leaders had requested the reinstatement as an olive branch to restart staff-to-staff negotiations. "If we give it back, they want to go ahead and set up a meeting, meet with us, and have that dialogue," one speaker said.

Planning staff and public-works staff explained the county has continued to maintain all roads it accepted under the 1978 agreement and confirmed the county will not accept for maintenance new roads that are not built to county standards. Staff added that maintenance includes pothole repair, drainage and culvert cleaning, pavement markings and signage.

After discussion, a motion to reinstate the original 1978 roads and stormwater maintenance agreement was made and seconded. The committee voted in favor and the motion passed. Several council members said they expected to follow reinstatement with negotiated updates to the agreement to address issues that did not exist in 1978, such as mixed-use developments and modern stormwater concerns.

Committee members said next steps will include staff meetings with municipal counterparts to identify specific differences and pursue a more detailed, modernized intergovernmental agreement if needed. No timetable for revisiting or amending the agreement was set at the meeting.

Ending: The committee concluded the item by approving reinstatement. Members asked staff to arrange follow-up meetings with municipal staff to pursue technical alignment on standards and to report back to council.