Sumter County Council approves road procedures, adds private-road acceptance steps and bridal-road emergency-access policy

Sumter County Council voted to approve ordinance 25-10-34, adopting a 25-page document titled "Procedures and Policies for Sumter County Roads" (dated September 2025). The document removes planning-related material so the policy focuses on road construction and execution, and it adds the county's bridal-road acceptance procedures for emergency access.

"This is something that the county council has been working on for some time," the council packet said when the ordinance was introduced. Councilman Washington, speaking during the public-works report, summarized next steps: subsequent to final readings staff will "hone in, putting the specifics in place, which would create the requirements for residents who live on a private road to be considered." He said the process will require consent from property owners on a private road before the county can take control of that portion for maintenance and emergency access. "It would require permission for every person on that road who owns property... All of those residents would have to agree that the road is in disrepair, and they would also have to agree to permit the county to take control of that portion," Washington said.

Council members said the change is intended to create a clear path for private roads to be evaluated and, where appropriate, accepted for county maintenance and emergency service access. The ordinance incorporates a previously separate set of bridal-road acceptance procedures and removes material related to planning so the document focuses on construction and emergency-access criteria.

During the public comment period several residents described difficult conditions on private roads and urged the county to move the policy forward. Frances Bennett, who said she lives on Glover's Lane in Rembrandt, described repeated trips in and out of her home for dialysis care and said, "All I'm asking for is help." Brenda Roberson said a single major landowner in her area has declined to sign a petition and that disagreement prevents repair: "The young lady that owns majority of the land... she won't sign the petition for the road," Roberson said. Param Cain described a pattern of gunfire on Camp Branch Road and asked the county and city to consider a community response: "I heard the gunshots... there were 2 rounds," Cain said.

Other residents recounted safety concerns tied to private roads, including poor surfaces that impede ambulances and frequent vehicle wrecks near homes. Council members acknowledged those comments and said staff will publish guidelines that set out how private-road acceptance will work and what residents must provide for the county to assume maintenance.

Council approved the ordinance by voice vote during the meeting; the transcript records affirmative voice votes and the chair's announcement that ordinance 25-10-34 passed. Councilman Washington and Public Works Committee members said the ordinance emerged from committee work and that staff will return with specifics on timelines and application steps for residents.

The council also noted that the existing private-road acceptance process has been in place for roughly 35 years and that the updated procedures are intended to streamline and clarify how emergency-access needs and resident consent are handled. Staff said residents will be able to submit formal questions in writing through a form maintained by the clerk and that responses will be provided in writing where requested.