Resident urges fixes on Malden Avenue; county planner proposes LDR change to speed future paving

Robert Gerhardt, a resident of Southwest Malden Avenue, told commissioners the recent work on Malden Avenue and Eglin Road has increased flooding on his property and asked staff to meet him on site to assess elevation and drainage. “I’ve had to dig them out so I can level ground,” he said, describing repeated washouts and water pooling that he wants the county to inspect and correct.

County staff acknowledged the complaint and said they would follow up; commissioners asked that staff coordinate with the presenter and the supervisor of maintenance to review survey elevations and culvert needs in the field.

Seth Lane, the county planner, proposed a change to the land development regulations that would allow property owners on county‑maintained dirt roads to subdivide into smaller parcels (for example, two 5‑acre parcels from a 10‑acre tract) if they donate the required right‑of‑way to the county. Lane said the approach could create a long‑term pipeline of donated ROW that would make more roads eligible for grant funding or county projects without immediate county acquisition costs.

The planner’s suggestion drew brief discussion about unintended consequences — for example, existing private roads or deeds that already include road land — and multiple commissioners said they supported the concept for future consideration as part of LDR updates.

Why it matters: localized drainage problems can be exacerbated by roadway work and affect property access and flood risk; an LDR path to encourage ROW donation would change development incentives and potentially accelerate paving eligibility where owners are willing to donate land.

Next steps: staff will pass the resident’s complaint to maintenance staff for field review; planning staff will include the LDR donation concept in ongoing code update conversations.