Development regulations have been updated and adopted by the Polk County Board of Commissioners.

Matt Denton, assistant county manager, described the old regulations as somewhat primitive.

He said the revised regulations would include new permits.

“We will now require a permit by companies that plan to cut across county roads while doing work in Polk,” he said. “They will now have to contact the building inspection department and get a permit. We will monitor their repair work.”

“In the past, we have experienced bad roads left unrepaired by companies who came, cut up Polk’s roads and then left,” he explained.

Denton said the Utility Roadway Crossing Permit would:

Be required by anyone proposing to disturb the surface, base, or sub-base of any county maintained roadway, including boring activities. To insure proper replacement of roadway materials, the Building Inspections Department will issue a permit.

Anyone with a history of unsatisfactory workmanship will be required to provide a $1,000 irrevocable letter of credit to the Building Inspections Department prior to getting a permit.

Failure to obtain a permit will result in a $500 penalty fee plus applicable permit fees.

Failure to pay will be considered a County Ordinance violation.

Included in the updated regulations are requirements for existing maintained roads:

Only dirt and gravel roadways that exist prior to the adoption date of the 2009 policy and provide through access from a paved county maintained roadway to a paved county maintained roadway are eligible for paving, provided that all other requirements of policy are met.

The requirements are:

By AGNES HAGIN

Sr. Assistant Editor

The Hills Creek Bridge project is on schedule and the Polk County Board of Commissioners have accepted bids for the new pre-engineered structure.

Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc. who recommended the lowest bid be accepted, have facilitated the process.

This bid, totaling $111,000, was submitted by Contech Construction Products, Inc. and approved by the county board.

The preliminary cost estimate for engineering and construction is not expected to exceed $500,000, which will be paid with Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds.

Hopes are the project will be completed by the end of the year and traffic can be resumed along this route in northeast Polk near Taylorsville.

Commissioners have also approved an initial one-year contract extension with John Mann, fixed base operator of the Polk County Airport. There is an option to automatically extend the contract for four years, unless terminated by the county board.

A request, made by the sheriff, was left on the table during the September meeting of the county board following recommendations from the public safety committee.

Commissioner Larry Reynolds said the county police department was already providing this service.

In other business, board members:

Voted to amend the contract to provide medical service at the county jail from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. five nights a week. A cost comparison will be done at the end of the fiscal year.

Gave the green light to a request by Polk School District to provide labor and equipment for paving an additional driveway at Eastside Elementary School. Estimated cost for labor is $1,500 for three to four day’s work. Hopes are to complete the project in October, weather permitting.

Named John Harvey Moore as chairman of the 2010 Census Committee. Moore will be authorized to select committee members.