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Residents tell commissioners culvert failure near Brentwood Village is undermining property; board will seek county engineer and ODOT review
Summary
Residents described a failing culvert system tied to County Road 32 that they say has created sinkholes and damaged property; commissioners said they will contact the county engineer and ODOT and report back.
Residents at the April 22 Lawrence County commissioners meeting raised a recurring drainage and culvert problem on County Road 32 that they said has eroded a catch basin and created sinkholes affecting private property and a church fellowship hall.
A resident who described the system said the culvert system ties several parcels, runs under County Road 32 toward Route 7, and has portions that have “sunk probably 8 feet by probably 70 feet,” allowing water and debris to eat out the bottom of a catch basin and open a sinkhole on private property. The speaker said the basin was replaced in 2016 but that the system continues to fail and that water has undermined walls and foundation areas near a house.
Another resident, identified in the meeting as Mr. Jones, said the area is a safety risk for children who play near the fellowship hall and recounted a dog falling into a hole in recent years, prompting a fire department response.
Commissioners said they will contact the county engineer and coordinate with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) staff who have been involved. “Let us check with the county engineer,” Commissioner Mike Finley said during the public comment response. Commissioner Deanna Holliday added, “We will, certainly enter into communication with the engineer on behalf of this project and try to get a better understanding of the existing condition and where we need to move forward with it. So, we’ll report back to you our findings.”
The speakers described technical details during their comments: the culvert was estimated to be either 24 or 36 inches in diameter; the basin at one point was described as 25 to 30 feet deep; and the resident said that sediment and debris carried by runoff accelerate pipe wear. An ODOT representative was reported to be scheduled to meet with a resident after the meeting.
No formal vote was taken; commissioners recorded the public comments and directed staff to follow up with the county engineer and ODOT and to report back to the residents and the commission.
