(a) Classification. The County Council may classify, reclassify, or revoke the classification of an existing public road or road segment as a rustic road or an exceptional rustic road by approving an amendment to the Master Plan of Highways and the relevant area Master Plan.
(b) Criteria for rustic road. Before classifying a road as rustic, the Council must find that an existing public road or road segment:
(1) is located in an area where natural, agricultural, or historic features are predominant, and where master planned land use goals and zoning are compatible with a rural/rustic character;
(2) is a narrow road intended for predominantly local use;
(3) is a low volume road with traffic volumes that do not detract significantly from the rustic character of the road;
(4) (A) has outstanding natural features along its borders, such as native vegetation, stands of trees, stream valleys;
(B) provides outstanding vistas of farm fields and rural landscape or buildings; or
(C) provides access to historic resources, follows historic alignments, or highlights historic landscapes; and
(5) the history of vehicle and pedestrian accidents on the road in its current configuration does not suggest unsafe conditions.
The Council must not classify a road as rustic if that classification will significantly impair the function or safety of the road network.
(c) Criteria for exceptional rustic road. The Council may classify an existing public road or road segment as an exceptional rustic road. Before classifying a road as an exceptional rustic road, the Council must find that the road or road segment:
(1) qualifies as a rustic road under subsection (b);
(2) contributes significantly to the natural, agricultural, or historic characteristics of the County;
(3) has unusual features found on few other roads in the County; and
(4) would be more negatively affected by improvements or modifications to the physical characteristics of the road than would most other roads in the rustic roads program.
(d) Significant features. When the Council classifies a road as a rustic road or an exceptional rustic road, the Council must identify the significant features of each such road that must be preserved when the road is maintained or improved.
(1993 L.M.C., ch. 9, § 1; 1996 L.M.C., ch. 31, § 1; , § 1.)
