Rich County commissioners set public hearing after debate over encroachment permits, road crossings and fee increases

Rich County commissioners voted to place proposed fee changes for encroachment and right‑of‑way work on a public hearing agenda for the commission’s November meeting after a lengthy discussion about enforcement, permits and differentiated fees for boring versus cutting.

The discussion began after a resident, Brandon, asked the commission to clarify that building permits should not be issued until an encroachment or approach permit for work that touches county roads is obtained. "I'm here to make some changes to our encroachment ... processes," Brandon said, asking that the building inspector require applicants to contact the road department and that fees be raised for road crossings and gravel crossings.

Why it matters: County roads and driveway approaches affect maintenance, snow removal and long‑term wear on surfaces. Commissioners said they want a clear permitting path so the road department can enforce standards and recoup inspection and maintenance costs.

Brandon recommended separate, clearer permits: an "approach"/encroachment permit and a distinct crossing/boring permit. He proposed raising inspection and deposit amounts, for example increasing the inspection fee to $100 and making deposits nonrefundable for certain types of road cuts. "It's gonna require... additional time and trips to make sure it's done," Brandon said when describing ongoing maintenance needs.

Commissioners and staff discussed enforcement for unauthorized cuts, and differing fees for boring versus full cuts. One county official observed that boring usually requires less maintenance later than cutting, and supported a lower fee for boring and stronger enforcement for illegal cutting. "If we're gonna do a full cut on asphalt, we probably need a deposit and enforcement," a commissioner said. Road or engineering staff noted that gravel should settle over time but still requires some material replacement.

The commission agreed that a fee change requires a public hearing. A commissioner moved to "put our fees for our road fees for encroachment cuts and right‑of‑way easements on the agenda for public hearing for a fee change." The motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to prepare specific fee proposals for November, including separate permit forms and an online payment option to ease compliance.

The commission also asked staff to outline an enforcement plan for unauthorized cuts and a tiered fee schedule that would be lower for boring than for full road cuts. Staff said they would consult the county engineer and road supervisor, refine the proposed fee amounts and return with draft language and a public hearing date.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to draft detailed fee and permit language, notify stakeholders, and present the ordinance and public hearing notice at the November meeting so the board can consider final adoption thereafter.