Administrative Regulation 11.01-1

This policy is intended to provide insight regarding the County’s Road Maintenance responsibilities and is not intended to delineate all functions required within that program. County road maintenance crews shall be carefully and fully informed of their duties and responsibilities with respect to maintenance efforts, including, but not limited to, such items as equipment care and treatment, use of tools and equipment and the actual work to be performed.  

1. Public Roads  - It is the responsibility of the Road Maintenance Division to keep those roads constructed, dedicated to public use and accepted for maintenance by the County in functional condition at all times, provided such roads are not under the jurisdiction of another public body, such as Florida Department of Transportation. 
   Maintenance effort of public roads shall include, but is not necessarily limited to: 

   Repair or Surfacing - patching potholes, grading and other operations designed to make passage of motor vehicles over those roads reasonably safe and comfortable. Roadside Maintenance - mowing, ditch cleaning, collection and disposal of overhanging tree branches, shaping of outfall ditches, cleaning and mowing drainage retention areas and removal of dangerous obstacles from roadside areas Drainage Maintenance - cleaning of culverts and inlets, as well as routine shoulder shaping to provide proper stormwater runoff as well as maintenance of items covered under roadside maintenance. Tree Removal and Safety Features - dead or dying trees and bushes are to be removed from the right-of-way regardless of whether or not a safety hazard is involved. Trees on the right-of-way which may endanger life or property shall be removed on a planned schedule of removal, with due consideration to the type of vegetation involved and the ecological impact on the area. Safety features, including signs, striping, guardrail, etc., as well as informational signing is the responsibility of the Road Maintenance Division.  Garbage/Trash Removal from Right-of-Way - items of trash and other debris found on the right-of-way shall be removed by the road maintenance crews and disposed of at the County's Central Landfill. An effort shall be made to identify the source of the trash and a record kept of where the material was found, the date, the estimated amount and any information that can be added to aid in identifying the responsible party. This data shall be turned over to the County Sheriff's Office for follow-up action.

2. Private Roads - There shall be no maintenance effort expended on any road known to be a private road, nor shall County forces enter upon or in any way disturb private property except by expressed instructions received from the Board of County Commissioners, acting in open session.

   As used herein, the phrase "private property" shall mean any properties not under the direct control of the Board of County Commissioners, including School Board, City or State properties.  It is recognized that the ownership of many roads in Citrus County is undetermined or in dispute and are currently being maintained as a result of inadvertent action, or by virtue of the fact they have been maintained for a number of years. Any road not definitely identified as having been dedicated and accepted by the Board of County Commissioners, or to which the County holds fee simple title, shall be classified as a "Private Road" until or unless a record search reveals otherwise. Those roads presently being maintained for which the County may not hold title shall be subjected to the following procedures:

   A record search shall be instituted to determine owner(s) of record.  If not County-owned the following shall apply:  If road was originally constructed by Citrus County and maintenance effort has been expended on the road continuously the road may be subject to acceptance by the County under Chapter 95.361 Florida Statutes. If maintenance effort has been less than the four-year period, or has been intermittent, all maintenance effort shall cease.  Roads under 2 (a) shall be subject to a joint inspection of the facility by the Department of Public Works, Engineering Division and Road Maintenance Division who will report the desirability of continued claim to the road directly to the County Administrator, who will make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.  If the Board's decision is to claim the road, the Board will instruct the Land Section to cause surveys to be made and prepare the necessary documentation. In this case, maintenance effort may continue as this activity proceeds.  If the Board determines such a claim would not be in the best interests of the County, or if the legal qualifications necessary to claiming the road have not been met, all maintenance effort shall cease and the road shall be left in a reasonable condition.

3. Assistance to Other Departments - Park areas, cemeteries and recreational areas are the responsibility of the Division of Grounds Maintenance. The Road Maintenance Division shall provide assistance to the Division of Grounds Maintenance personnel when equipment being used by the Division of Grounds Maintenance is inadequate for a particular maintenance effort. 

   On occasion, the Road Maintenance Division may be called upon to assist in the removal of dead animals from travel ways or provide equipment to remove large animals to restore public safety. Road Maintenance crews shall be responsible, through established report methods, to document unusual maintenance needs assigned to the Division of Road Maintenance are brought to the attention of the Director of Public Works.