Pickens County discusses special tax-district ordinance to repair private roads; 75% signature threshold and homeowner impacts debated

County commissioners used a work session to discuss a draft ordinance to let residents petition for special tax districts to repair or complete private roads so they can be dedicated as county roads.

An outside presenter described the Dawson County model the draft follows: an applicant submits a preliminary petition, the county provides a cost estimate, property owners gather signatures, and if 75% of affected property owners sign a final petition the board may create a special tax district and levy a millage to generate revenue over a target horizon. "The county, by law, can't maintain a private road, but it also can't accept the dedication of a private road that's not up to county standards," the presenter said, explaining why the ordinance aims to coordinate owners and the county through a staged process.

Commissioners pressed on practical matters. One asked whether a 75% threshold could allow up to 25% of residents to be taxed against their wishes; the presenter said the figure is a balance between preventing needless use of county resources and allowing projects to move forward when absentee or rental owners fail to sign. Commissioners also raised cost and timing risks: "In the last 5 years, asphalt's gone up 80%," one commissioner said, asking whether projects could tolerate multi-year collection. The presenter acknowledged the inflation risk and said annual millage decisions would be revisited each year and adjusted if necessary.

Board members sought clarity on who pays early engineering and survey work; the presenter said applicants generally bear preliminary study costs, though the ordinance could allow a district to be created for investigative work and later converted to a project district. Commissioners also agreed the typical two-year warranty/inspection period for new subdivisions should remain to ensure construction defects are corrected before county acceptance.

Attendees questioned equity concerns for homeowners with mortgages, retirees and gated communities; the presenter confirmed that when roads are accepted as public, access controls such as gates would need to be removed to meet county standards. On excess collections, the presenter said the board could issue refunds or allocate overages to other projects in the same district.

No formal motion or vote occurred; the session functioned as a public work session to gather questions and refine the draft ordinance before returning to staff for revisions and further outreach to affected neighborhoods.