Supers edgy about road bonds

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors continue to hold developers responsible for the first one inch-layer of asphalt on new subdivision roads.

Cayce Point subdivision is an example where supervisors want guarantees that any damage to the first layer of asphalt put down by the developer is repaired before the county takes over the road and adds the second life.

Bonds are required by developers to assure that the subdivision road is not damaged then turned over to the county to keep it up.

County engineer Larry Britt recommended a road bond and erosion bond on Cayce Point be set at $250,100 with 15 percent added for inflation.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor asked how the first layer of asphalt is holding up.

Britt said any problems with the surface will show up when the developer starts going over the subdivision road with heavy trucks to build more houses.

Zoning administrator Ken Jones said the developer laid soil cement and soft spots in the road will begin to show up and must be repaired.

A Present Serviceability Index (PSI) is applied to test the durability of the surface.

Britt said the surface had been proof rolled and tested.

“You can have the soft spots dug out,” he said.

“That’s going to be a soft spot from now on,” said District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett.

Taylor said there are a lot of soft spots on the Amour Place development across from Dogwood Road.

Britt said soft spots are dug out and the area proof rolled prior to bonding the road.

A proof roll is an assessment of the sub-grade layer prior to installing overlying asphalt layers. The sub-grade proof roll is a visual assessment. The sub-grade proof roll is a visual assessment. The sub-grade proof roll is a visual assessment to determine if it will enable the construction of the subsequent asphalt layers.

Roy Ray, representing the South Slayden Farms developer, asked the board to reduce the bond (letter of credit) on the road from $200,000 to $71,000.

District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett said $71,000 wouldn’t be enough to pave from the board room to across the street at the courthouse.

Ray agreed but said houses are still being built in other phases.

“What is the condition now?” asked District 4 supervisor George Zinn III.

Zoning administrator Ken Jones said bonds are held until a subdivision is built out to 85 percent or for two years, whichever comes first.

South Slayden Farms (Phases 1-4) are about 80 percent built, he said.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said he believes the agreement the developer has with the county should hold, unless the county choses to reduce the bond.

County attorney Amanda Whaley Smith suggested the county let Britt decide the bond.

“I agree,” said Zinn. “The whole purpose of the letter of credit is to have enough to bring the road back to standard.”

“It’s a one-mile road (in Phase 5) with 25 lots,” Ray said. “Fourteen lots are sold out of 25 and three houses are being built. Unless the economy picks up, they won’t sell many lots for a while.”

“Britt needs to know what part of the road is to be bonded,” Zinn said.

“Now the bond is on the whole road,” Ray said, meaning the entire road through South Slayden Farms.

You have an engineer who can tell what it would cost to repair,” Britt said.

“You are correct,” said Smith. “Get your engineer to draft something and our engineer (Britt) will review it.”