Commission approves text amendment to require final asphalt lift after liability period

Dorchester County commissioners approved a zoning text amendment (ZTA 25-04) to change roadway surface requirements so that the final lift of asphalt is installed after the one-year maintenance liability period and after any repairs have been made.

Sunshine Trachis, Dorchester County Public Works Director, explained the current acceptance process requires all pavement lifts, including the final surface lift, to be in place at the start of the one-year maintenance liability period. The amendment changes that sequence to reduce repeated cutting and patching of a finished surface after the maintenance period; Trachis said the final lift will be placed after the maintenance period and any required repairs so the finished surface lasts longer and has fewer joints.

Commissioners asked how the change interacts with curb-and-gutter drainage, temporary underdrains or pipe outlets used during construction, and the risk of ponding during the interim period. Trachis and other speakers said temporary measures (including underdrains or short-term outlets) can be used and contractors remain responsible for repairing deficiencies during the liability period. Staff emphasized proper crown and compaction remain essential and acknowledged temporary drainage and localized ponding may occur before the final lift; one commissioner said the change should reduce long-term repaving frequency.

A motion to approve passed with one recorded opposition. The amendment excludes Article 23 (financial improvement guarantees) for separate consideration at a later date; only Section 21.4 (roadway base and resurfacing) was addressed at this hearing.

The amendment shifts the County’s technical standard to require that the final wearing course be placed after the one-year maintenance period and corrective work, and tasks staff with creating the implementing specifications for temporary drainage and contractor repair obligations.