Weddington proposing that new neighborhoods maintain streets

WEDDINGTON – Either residential developers or homeowners associations could soon be footing the bill for the maintenance of new subdivision streets if an amendment to the town’s development ordinance is passed.

After realizing last year that it was funding the maintenance of subdivision streets within Union County’s municipalities, the N.C. Department of Transportation sent letters to the municipalities notifying them that the department would no longer pay for the maintenance of new subdivision streets, but would continue to fund maintenance of existing roads.

Weddington and the other Union County municipalities now have two options: Either start paying to maintain those roads or require developers or homeowners associations to pay, which is what Weddington is proposing. If the towns decide to start accepting roads, they will have to find a source of money, such as taxes, to fund the maintenance.

A public hearing on Weddington’s proposal will be held at 7 p.m. on April 14 at Weddington Town Hall, 1924 Weddington Road. The Town Council will vote on the amendment at a meeting on a later date.

The proposed text in the Weddington ordinance says: “No subdivision street shall be accepted or maintained by the town despite any offer of dedication. The final (subdivision) plat shall include a written maintenance agreement recognizing that the streets will not be accepted or maintained by the town and containing provisions for perpetual maintenance of the streets by the developer and/or the homeowners association.”

DOT staff discovered the oversight last year and sent letters to all municipalities in Union County informing them that the state would immediately stop paying for the maintenance of any new subdivision roads, but that it would continue funding the maintenance of existing ones. Municipalities in the state’s other 99 counties have been responsible for subdivision streets for years.