Committee approves county fill policy to standardize distribution of construction fill

The Public Works Committee approved a resolution to formalize Columbia County’s policy for distribution and disposal of construction and roadside fill.

County staff explained the draft policy was created because there was never a formal written procedure covering fill created during county highway work and other construction. The policy gives the property owner adjacent to a work area the first right of refusal to accept fill. If the adjacent owner declines, the county will offer the material to other adjacent properties, and then maintain a public list of interested property owners, county employees and private citizens within a 10‑mile radius of the project site who can receive delivered fill.

Staff said recipients must sign a release prior to delivery acknowledging the county is not responsible for any soil, septic or other subsurface problems that could result from the fill. The committee voted “aye” to approve the resolution and send it to the full board for final action; staff said minor typographical edits will be made before the full board packet is prepared.

Committee members discussed logistical questions, liability protections and whether deliveries should be offered first to farmers and community partners. Staff said the policy includes a first right to adjacent owners and a public notification process; they also said details about delivery, cleanup and release forms are included in the draft policy.

The resolution will be considered by the full Columbia County Board for final adoption; no changes to county law were made in committee beyond approving the written policy and forwarding it to the board.