DeKalb County drainage board approves two utility permits, conditions plat approval and schedules maintenance hearings

The DeKalb County Drainage Board on Sept. 4 approved utility permits for two fiber projects, granted a consent waiver and a variance tied to the Thomas Estates subdivision and set a series of maintenance hearings after a surveyor reported damage and nonfunctioning drains.

Board members voted to approve an AES utility permit to place a plowed fiber run, 12 inches deep, from an existing handhold toward a new address at County Road 35 (address listed as 5522 in the permit materials). The board also approved a separate utility permit for MCC Network Services LLC on behalf of Verizon Wireless to build fiber to a Verizon tower, a project that will use a mix of directional drilling and plowing and will cross multiple regulated tiles and open ditches in Richland and Kaiser townships. Both permits were approved based on the surveyor’s recommendation; the board required locating and coordination with surveyors to avoid damage to existing tiles.

The board considered a multi-part request for Thomas Estates, a proposed subdivision east of Auburn near County Road 35 and Old Auburn Road. Bob Gaffer of MLS Engineering presented plans for a 60-lot subdivision with three detention ponds and a new internal tile layout. The board approved three related items: (1) a consent and waiver to reconstruct a portion of the Cliff Metcalf lateral (identified in meeting materials as regulated drain number 83-01-0) on the development property; (2) a variance to allow reduced easements so lots remain buildable; and (3) the drainage plan for the secondary…