Residents' VDOT request gets support

Basye neighborhood homeowners want to join state's secondary road system

By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com

WOODSTOCK -- The Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday threw its weight behind a Basye neighborhood's desire to join the state's secondary road system.

The panel voted 4-0 to support a resolution asking the Virginia Department of Transportation to add Bird Haven Way (Va. 1125) and Red Tail Court (Va. 1126) to the system. Supervisors Chairman Conrad Helsley and District 3 Supervisor David Ferguson were absent.

County Administrator Douglas Walker said the situation was unique in that the homeowners took it upon themselves to overcome obstacles to approval.

"[They] got the condition of the roads far enough along that they meet VDOT standards," he said.

There has been a high level of cooperation among the residents, county officials and VDOT representatives, Walker said.

"It's one of those good examples of property owners taking responsibility for knowing what their challenges were and working together to overcome them," he said.

Seven homes have been built in the subdivision, which has been approved for 16 lots, according to an agenda item summary provided by the county. It says the roads were built to meet VDOT standards, and the developer asked that they be brought into the secondary system in 2009, but never completed VDOT requirements.

Residents and lot owners persuaded VDOT to inspect the roads in July, and inform them what needed to be done to be in compliance, the summary says.