(A) The proper management and operation of the county highway's infrastructure is critical to the safety of the motoring public and directly related to the overall economic health and quality of life in Lake County. The economic vitality of the county is related to the availability of access to the arterial highway system. This requires the implementation of access management regulations that provide for a balance between the need to move traffic safely and efficiently while still providing access to adjacent properties. The county strives to provide transportation systems that provide for safe, efficient and flexible movement through an integrated network of road, rail, public transit, and non-motorized (bicycle and pedestrian) modes of travel.
(B) The construction, maintenance and improvement of the county highway system represents a substantial investment of public funds. Impacts from development on the county highway system shall be mitigated by development and should not result in the need for the investment of additional public funds. The use of the county highway system's rights-of-way by non-highway uses must be properly managed to ensure that these non-highway uses do not constrain the ability of the county to improve the county highway system in the future.
(C) Conflicts between vehicles using a county highway and vehicles entering and exiting via access locations should be minimized through the application of appropriate design standards. Therefore, the application of the regulations and standards contained in this chapter will promote consistent driver expectations, resulting in maximum operational efficiencies and safety, and protect the public investment in county highways.
(D) The county also strives to allow for installation of utilities in a safe and efficient manner. Prudent placement, removal, relocation, modification, or abandonment of utilities and facilities will promote the most effective and efficient use of the limited space available within the rights-of-way of county highways.
(E) Therefore, this chapter is adopted for the following purposes:
(1) To protect and provide for the public health, safety, and general welfare of the county and the public using the rights-of-way.
(2) To promote the effective and efficient use of the rights-of-way of county highways.
(3) To preserve an acceptable level of service on county highways.
(4) To preserve the rights-of-way of county highways for highways and associated appurtenances.
(5) To minimize conflicts between vehicles using county highways and vehicles entering and leaving via access locations on county highways.
(6) To establish reasonable rules, regulations, and specifications to ensure the proper construction, installation, maintenance, removal, relocation, and placement of utilities and facilities within the rights-of-way of county highways in accordance with accepted engineering and design standards and specifications, as well as the restoration of the disturbed portions of any and all sections of the rights-of-way of county highways that are the result of the placement, removal, relocation, modification, or abandonment of utilities and facilities within the rights-of-way.
(7) To establish reasonable regulations and procedures to ensure that any public or private utilities and facilities are either placed in easements outside of the right-of-way or are placed within existing rights-of-way such that future expansion of the county highway can be accomplished at no additional cost to the county to relocate or remove such utilities or facilities.
(8) To provide for the proper location and limit the number of access locations to regulate safe and reasonable access from county highways to abutting property and to provide sufficient spacing between access points to minimize interference with traffic using adjacent access locations.
(9) To prohibit inappropriate use of a county highway as a portion of the internal circulation system of abutting property or as parking for abutting property.
(10) To provide for the establishment of sufficient pavement, right-of-way, and easement widths.
(11) To establish reasonable requirements for performance and maintenance guarantees, to ensure the proper construction of required improvements, and to ensure that required improvements are completed in an expeditious manner in accordance with accepted engineering and geometric standards and specifications.
(Ord. 19-1061, passed 7-9-2019)