No paved road for affluent neighborhood on Old Double Churches Road

Nestled among the trees and a short winding road, homes scattered along Old Double Churches Road have too much of a country feel for some residents in Columbus.

At least one homeowner is wondering why the graveled road with homes valued at more than $300,000 hasn’t been paved. There are two sides to this request, with some residents supporting asphalt like other affluent neighborhoods while others are opposed to it, according to Farhad AliFarhani, an engineer with the Columbus Consolidated Government.

Records show the neighborhood dates to the early 1980s and the city lists it as a substandard street. While lots were sold and homes were built, AliFarhani said the road was never built to city standards.

“Based on those who asked for it to be paved, we have told them the street that is there, the width, curve, radius and all do not meet standards,” AliFarhani said . “They have to get it according to standards and get it to a city street, paved and everything and the city takes care of it afterward. And they haven’t done that.”

Some residents are mixed on improving the road and bringing it up to standards. “Some live on that street and I’ve talked to them,” he said. “They don’t want it to be paved. Some want it paved and some don’t. Regardless or whether they want it or not, it just doesn’t meet the city standards.”

When a subdivision is developed, the developer doesn’t just give the city right-of-way, AliFarhani said. “They build the road and pave it,” he said. “They are responsible to design, build it and be operational.”

It’s unclear whether the road has been turned over to the city. AliFarhani said the city does minimal maintenance on the street. Property records show homeowners pay anywhere from $900 to more than $5,200 a year in property taxes.

Director of Public Works Pat Biegler said the city picks up trash on the street and runs a blade on the graveled road on a regular basis. “If we have some really bad rain, we grade it and put down gravel,” she said.

City officials have to keep enough room on the narrow road for garbage trucks to run and fire trucks if there is an emergency. “We keep enough room for the garbage trucks to go through there without major damage,” she said.

With some sharp turns along the roadway, AliFarhani said some sections require modifications to bring the road up to standards.

“We told them, bring it up to standards and everything, it’s like a regular subdivision,” he said.

If you see something that needs attention, give me a call at 706-571-8576.

This story was originally published June 25, 2017 at 7:49 PM with the headline "No paved road for affluent neighborhood on Old Double Churches Road."