Commissioners approve first private-contractor right-of-way permit and allow administrative approvals going forward

Oklahoma County commissioners on Tuesday approved a permit application that allows private contractors to work in county right-of-way under the direction of county superintendents. The specific permit approved would let a homeowner move drainage around a house and return it to the same creek, county staff said.

A county presenter described the job as a solution to a long-standing drainage problem and said this first permit is before the board both to approve the plan and to set a precedent for administrative handling of similar requests. "This is something new. This is a permit application that would allow private contractors to work in our right of way under the direction of our superintendents," the presenter said. He added this particular drainage plan "is a solution" and acknowledged the house likely should not have been built in that location.

Commissioner discussion focused on whether future, similar permits should be handled administratively to avoid delays that could harm property owners. A commissioner said, "Let's go ahead and just for approval, just make a motion to approve, allowing administrative for Stacy to go ahead and approve those." The board voted to approve the permit and the authorization for future administrative approvals.

Staff noted the county sometimes has as many as nine days between meetings, creating the possibility of harmful delays for property owners; the administrative authorization was presented as a way to expedite responses when property damage or urgent timelines are involved. The motion was approved without recorded dissent.