[HISTORY: Adopted by the Legislature of the County of Putnam 12-28-2009 by L.L. No. 22-2009. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Historic preservation of County property — See Ch. 31, Art. V.
A. 
The Putnam County Legislature finds and declares as matter of public policy that it is desirable and necessary to provide for the protection, enhancement, preservation and maintenance of certain historic roads, by reason of their historical significance to Putnam County, and their contribution to the character and physical appearance of the County. The continuing presence of these roads is an important and essential element of the identity of Putnam County.
B. 
It is the legislative intent of this chapter to:
(1) 
Designate, protect, preserve and maintain certain County roads which shall qualify, under the definition stated in this chapter, as historic roads.
(2) 
Set criteria for designation of County roads, which may be found to qualify.
(3) 
Prescribe guidelines for maintenance of these historic roads.
(4) 
Provide for the educational, cultural, recreational, environmental, aesthetic, economic and general welfare benefits, which are derived from such historic road preservation.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
A certificate issued by the Putnam County Legislature indicating that a proposed change, alteration, and/or relocation of an historic road is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
COUNTY ROAD
Any road or portion thereof located within the boundaries of Putnam County which has been officially incorporated into and made a part of the County road system of Putnam County.
DESIGNATION BOUNDARY
The designation boundary for any historic road shall include the entire length and width of each designated road or section thereof, including any rights-of-way held by the County of Putnam unless otherwise specified at the time of designation.
HISTORIC ROAD
Any road of historical value or aesthetic interest by reason of its antiquity as a cultural or heritage resource may be classified as an historical road. An historic road may be any County road which is found to contain historic qualities, as determined by one or more of the following categories:
A. 
AESTHETIC ROUTESThese represent historic roads for which the primary rationale for development was the design and provision of a specific visitor experience. Aesthetic routes, such as parkways and park roads, have historically been intensively designed and developed for the purpose of leisure, recreation and commemoration. They typically follow the natural topography of the region. They are roads for which the alignment and details are key to the experience. Special materials, planting, lighting, well-preserved stone walls, rock outcrops, historic buildings and even building facades contribute to the character of these roads. Alterations to any component of these roads will significantly impact the historic integrity of the resource.
B. 
ENGINEERED ROUTESRoads designed for a specific transportation goal, such as the movement of people, goods and services, represent the largest category of roads. They will have a documented origin or authorization and construction date. These are roads that may have been developed to open isolated areas to commerce, link the nation or simply serve our communities — roads for which the aesthetic experience was often secondary. Their alignment and detail are important in their representation of technology and culture. Many city grid patterns and our first transcontinental highways are typical of this category.
C. 
CULTURAL ROUTESThese routes evolved through necessity or tradition. While these roads may have a documented date of origin, they were developed without the intensive engineering and design practices associated with aesthetic and engineered routes. These may be routes that have evolved from Native American trails, colonial post roads or simply from convenient connections between villages.
A. 
Context. The Putnam County Legislature shall review and consider for designation as "historic" any County road which substantially conforms to the following criteria:
(1) 
County roads on which events occurred that have made a significant contribution to, are identified prominently with or which represent the broad cultural, political, economic, military or social history of the County and from which an understanding and appreciation of the larger patterns of our American heritage may be gained.
(2) 
County roads associated with the lives of persons nationally or locally significant in the history of the United States or who figured prominently in regionally and/or nationally significant events.
(3) 
County roads significantly associated with an important historical event that represent some great idea or ideal of the American people.
(4) 
County roads that embody the distinguishing characteristics of a specific type of construction or a notable design representing the work of a master builder or engineer or the travel routes of a specific civilization.
(5) 
County roads that have produced information by shedding light upon historical periods over large areas of the County of Putnam.
B. 
Integrity. To possess historic significance, a road must possess integrity.
(1) 
For an historic road designation, "integrity" means original location, including direction, curves, angles and intangible elements of feeling and association.
(2) 
It is desirable that each historic road contain sufficient land on either side of its corridor to preserve all the significant historical or cultural features associated with the road and to be able to preserve such additional lands as may be needed to protect the historic scene of the road and provide unobtrusive buffers.
(3) 
The road and its authentic historically related environment should lend themselves to effective preservation and interpretation.
C. 
All interested parties have the right to confer with and present testimony to the Putnam County Legislature throughout the designation process.
A. 
Filing procedures.
(1) 
The Putnam County Legislature, with the advice and assistance of the Putnam County Commissioner of Highways and Facilities and the Putnam County Commissioner of Planning, Development and Public Transportation, may on its own initiative consider a County road or portion thereof for historic road designation.
(2) 
Any owner of a property adjoining a County road may petition the Putnam County Legislature for a designation of said County road or portion thereof as an historic road. Petitions shall only be accepted by the Putnam County Legislature between November 1 and November 30 of each year and will be reviewed and considered thereafter. Each petition shall:
(a) 
State what County road or portion thereof is requested to be designated as an historic road and describe those characteristics of the County road which qualify it for historic road status, as well as other characteristics which enhance the historic character of the road.
(b) 
Be signed by the owners of a majority, i.e., greater than 50%, of lot frontage abutting the County road or portion of the County road in question (such ownership shall be verified by the Putnam County Legislature), stating that they approve of designating the County road or portion thereof as an historic road and indicating, to the best of their knowledge, their lot frontage along the County road or portion thereof.
(c) 
Contain the address of each signer of the petition.
(d) 
Include the names and addresses of owners of lot frontage abutting the County road or portion thereof who did not sign the petition.
(e) 
Contain the name, address and signature of the circulator of the petition.
(f) 
Contain a signed statement by the circulator that the circulator either knows each individual who signed the petition or that the signer satisfactorily identified himself or herself to the circulator.
(3) 
An original of the petition shall be filed with the Clerk of the Putnam County Legislature, who shall retain the original and forward a copy to each and every member of the Putnam County Legislature.
B. 
Notice of designation. Upon the designation of a County road or portion thereof as an historic road, the Putnam County Legislature shall immediately cause a notice of such designation to be forwarded to the Putnam County Commissioner of Highways and Facilities and the Putnam County Commissioner of Planning, Development and Public Transportation.
A. 
Alterations and improvements. No historic road or portion thereof shall be altered or otherwise improved, except as provided for in this chapter.
B. 
Routine maintenance. Routine maintenance, such as, for example, filling potholes and ruts, cleaning catch basins and the removal of invasive nuisance plant species, is permitted and shall be carried out so as to preserve to the highest degree possible the historic features of all such designated roads while ensuring the general safety of the traveling public. Routine maintenance shall not include any or all of the following activities:
(1) 
Widening of the travel portions of historic roads, except at the intersections of paved roadways for safety reasons.
(2) 
Changes of grade.
(3) 
Straightening or realignment.
(4) 
Removal of any bridge or other appurtenance.
(5) 
Removal and/or trimming of branches of mature trees, except where dead, diseased or damaged or presenting a risk to electric lines, homes or other structures.
(6) 
Paving an existing unpaved historic road.
C. 
Natural disasters. In the event of a natural disaster in which an historic road, or portion thereof, becomes impassable or unsafe for public travel, any and all emergency repairs may be undertaken to restore the road to its pre-disaster condition.
A. 
A certificate of appropriateness, granted by the Putnam County Legislature following the review of the Putnam County Commissioner of Highways and Facilities and the Putnam County Commissioner of Planning, Development and Public Transportation, shall be required before any alterations and/or improvements can commence on any designated historic road. Such certificate shall be required for, but shall not be limited to, any of the following:
(1) 
Demolition of an historic road or replacement of same.
(2) 
Relocation, realignment, widening, the reducing of width or any other physical change or alteration.
(3) 
Material change of the type of wearing surface, by addition, reconstruction, alteration or maintenance, including significant surface color change.
(4) 
Changes in the road design, including width, slope, drainage, clearance (overhead and lateral obstruction) and pitch.
B. 
In granting any certificate of appropriateness, the Putnam County Legislature shall consider:
(1) 
The effect of the proposed work in altering, destroying or affecting the historic features and qualities of the road, tempered with the particular management needs of each individual road and of the region, in light of the general safety and welfare of the traveling public.
(2) 
The relationship between the results of such proposed work and the preservation of Putnam County's rich historical, cultural, environmental, scenic aesthetic and/or architectural resources.