Council passed the following policy on the assumption of non-subdivision roads at its September 5 2017 meeting.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 That Council adopt the criteria outlined in Report to Council dated September 5, 2017 for Assumption of Non-Subdivision Roads.

BACKGROUND

 The issue arises from time to time as to the process whereby the Township assumes the responsibility for the maintenance of Township owned ROW’s that are traversed by private lanes.

To date, the response to these inquires has been that if the various Lane Associations or individuals are prepared to build up the relevant sections within the Township owned ROW to Township approved standards, Council would then consider assumption.

The Public Services Committee has initiated a formalized process for assumption of lanes on both Township owned and non-owned ROW’s. The following criteria are proposed for assumption. If all criteria are met then the Township WILL assume the applicable sections of road. It should be noted that this process does not apply to Plans of Condominiums. It is less expensive to develop under this approach than Plans of Subdivision that require Public Roads Standards, including sidewalks.

CRITERIA 

• ROW to be built to Public Roads Standards. (attached)
• Section to be assumed must be connected to a public road and continuous.
• The section of private lane must be assumable and continuous from a Public Road including a turnaround at the end of the section to be assumed.
• For sections of private lanes that fall within non-Township owned ROW’s, the property owners must be prepared to transfer ownership, at no cost, to the
• More than 50% of property owners, who will utilize the ROW, must be in favour of assumption by the
• In addition to approved public road standards, asphalt surface is required in plans of subdivisions and
• Sidewalk requirements in hamlets on cul-de-sacs generally greater than 150 m in
• Turn around required at end of

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Based on the approved 2017 Operating Budget, road maintenance is estimated to cost, on average, approximately $5,000 per centerline kilometer. It must be recognized that all public roads within South Frontenac are Township owned so the figure of 800 centerline kilometer includes everything from arterial roads, which cost significantly more to maintain, to dead end gravel roads