As used in this Subtitle, the following terms shall have the
following definitions:
COUNTY ROAD
Any road which is listed in the classification of "county
road" within the Inventory of Public Roads of Worcester County, as
from time to time may be adopted by the County Commissioners by resolution,
and which is also inventoried with the Maryland State Highway Administration
as a "county road."
OTHER PUBLIC ROAD
Any road which is listed within the Inventory of Public Roads
of Worcester County, as from time to time may be adopted by the County
Commissioners by resolution, not being a county road, as herein defined,
and being in the classification of "other public roads."
PUBLIC EASEMENT ROAD
Any road, including the bridge or bridges that it crosses
over, which is listed within the classification of “public easement
road” in the Inventory of Public Roads of Worcester County,
as from time to time may be adopted by the County Commissioners by
resolution. A “public easement road” shall be included
as a County road in the inventory submitted to the State Highway Administration.
[Added 10-11-1988 by Bill No. 88-17; amended 11-17-2009 by Bill No. 09-8]
ROAD
Any public or private way set aside as a permanent right-of-way
for vehicular travel by the general public and affording the principal
means of access to abutting properties.
WORCESTER COUNTY ROADS SPECIFICATIONS
Those specifications as may be from time to time adopted
by the Worcester County Commissioners by resolution for the construction,
reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads within Worcester County,
Maryland.
[Amended 10-11-1988 by Bill No. 88-17]
The County Commissioners shall, by resolution, adopt an Inventory
of Public Roads of Worcester County. Such inventory shall include
the following classifications: county roads, other public roads and
public easement roads. Such resolution shall identify all roads by
name or number, approximate length and other pertinent information
desirable for identification of the road. The resolution shall be
accompanied by a map or maps identifying the road by classification.
The Inventory of Public Roads of Worcester County adopted by
the County Commissioners pursuant hereto by resolution, as the same
may be amended from time to time by the County Commissioners pursuant
to the terms hereof, by resolution, shall be deemed to be complete;
and any road, path, trail, street, right-of-way or route not listed
in such Inventory shall be deemed to be abandoned and no longer a
public road of Worcester County. The abandonment of any road pursuant
hereto shall in no way adversely affect property rights of adjacent
property owners with regard to private roadways or private rights-of-way
over said road which has been so abandoned.
[Amended 4-20-1999 by Bill No. 99-2]
Roads shown on plats which had received final approval from
the Worcester County Planning and Zoning Commission as subdivision
plats on or before April 8, 1975, roads shown on subdivision plats
approved by the Worcester County Planning and Zoning Commission as
subdivision plats which were exempted from the provisions of a resolution
by the County Commissioners dated April 8, 1975, by appropriate act
of the County Commissioners prior to the enactment hereof, roads shown
on any subdivision plat which subdivides properties into building
lots and which was recorded among the land records of Worcester County,
Maryland, prior to April 8, 1975, and roads for which individual,
specific, affirmative, written commitments of acceptance into the
county roads system have been made by the County Commissioners prior
to the adoption hereof may be included in the Inventory of Public
Roads of Worcester County as county roads by resolution in the same
manner, under the same conditions and subject to the same requirements
as another public road may be transferred to the county roads classification;
provided, however, that in the case of roads so platted after July
25, 1967, all conditions and requirements are met and necessary actions,
including appropriate resolution of the County Commissioners, are
taken and completed prior to January 1, 1980; provided, however, that
for those roads on which all construction has been completed and approved
by the Public Works Director, or his designee, prior to January 22,
1980, the hearing and resolution required by § PW 1-204(c)
hereof may be held after January 1, 1980.
[Added 4-6-1993 by Bill No. 93-4; amended 11-14-1995 by Bill No. 95-15; 5-16-2000 by Bill No.
00-4; 5-15-2001 by Bill No. 01-6]
Subject to applicable construction standards as established
by resolution of the County Commissioners, utility lines may be located
underground within the right-of-way, provided that only water lines,
sewer lines, stormwater management drainage lines, and crossovers
for other utilities may be located within the paved section of the
right-of-way, that electrical and gas utilities may not be located
less than ten feet beyond the paved section, and that in the case
of utility lines in the paved section, all required laterals must
be provided upon initial installation of the utility line. This shall
not prohibit later installation of laterals upon replatting or changes
in service. No utility structures or other obstructions may be located
within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant.