Board tables decision, orders temporary safety steps after sinkhole reported in Channing Circle yard

A Madison County homeowner told the Board of Supervisors July 21 that a sinkhole in her backyard at 114 Channing Circle has reappeared after a prior county repair and is affecting multiple neighboring backyards.

County staff explained the hole appears at a storm inlet and runs into a 24-inch pipe installed during neighborhood construction; staff said the county previously repaired the pipe before 2016 but the repair did not hold. The resident was identified in the meeting as "Miss Griffin" and brought the issue before the board during the engineering updates portion of the agenda.

County Engineer Tim (identified in the meeting as the county engineer) answered board questions about the pipe and its drainage path and confirmed the pipe carries drainage to a downstream detention pond. Tim and other staff told the board the feature does not currently appear to carry public water but is collecting runoff from multiple yards.

Supervisors debated whether to authorize an immediate county repair on private property. One motion to repair failed in the discussion. The board ultimately voted to table the matter for two weeks and directed the county engineer and county attorney to examine records and return with recommended language and next steps at the next board meeting. The motion to table passed by voice vote.

In the interim the board directed staff to secure the sinkhole as a public nuisance to prevent injury, even though the hole is on private property. The board asked staff to return with information that can be added to county records to support repair if the county is found to have responsibility.

The record shows engineers will examine the neighborhood construction plans, title/right-of-way information and prior repair documentation before the board considers committing to repair work or reimbursement.