County Passes Encroachment Law for Roads

RISON - Anyone placing anything along a county-maintained road that obstructs the flow of traffic along that road can now face fines of up to $1,000 after the Cleveland County Quorum Court approved a new ordinance during its regular monthly meeting Monday night.In addition, the quorum court also approved moving some money within the county budget  to buy a new excavator and new tractor for the county road department. During the August quorum court meeting, County Judge Jimmy Cummings presented the justices of the peace with a draft of the proposed ordinance that essentially makes it illegal to impede traffic along any road maintained by the county.Cummings told the quorum court during Monday night’s meeting that the Association of Arkansas Counties suggested approving such an ordinance after one county was held responsible for removing an obstacle that was placed across a county-maintained road. Cummings said this ordinance will remove that liability.In essence, Ordinance 2024-9 makes it a criminal misdemeanor to place any sort of an encroachment that impedes the flow of traffic along a county-maintained road. This include gates, debris or any object or structure placed on or across a road. In addition, it also prohibits burning anything in the middle of a county road, and also requires any vehicles, trailers or other obstacle parked along the shoulder of a county road that impacts traffic to be removed with 48 hours.The ordinance establishes an initial fine of up to $1,000 for violating the ordinance, and then an additional $500 fine for each day the ordinance is violated after that.Before the vote was taken on the proposed amendment, Justice Melody Spears asked about mail boxes since the ordinance requires shoulders and right-of-ways along a county-maintained road should be clear of obstacles. Cummings agreed and Justice Donnie Herring suggested adding a sentence to the ordinance that states that mail boxes ...