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Engineer proposes six-month limit on county right-of-way permits amid surge in fiber work
Summary
Williams County's engineer proposed shortening right-of-way permit validity from one year to six months to avoid out-of-date permit conditions as fiber and utility projects proliferate; staff will prepare a resolution and a possible fee change for commissioner consideration.
Williams Countyengineer told the board April 23 that the county's one-year right-of-way permits are creating problems when contractors wait months to start work while new utility lines appear in the same corridors. The engineer recommended shortening permit validity to six months and asked the board to consider an application fee to help cover staff review costs.
"If you issue a permit today, a month from now it could be different in that right-of-way," the engineer said, noting that fiber contractors and other utilities are actively working across the county and that permit conditions can become outdated quickly. Commissioners discussed whether a six-month term would be administratively feasible and considered a modest application fee to cover review and enforcement.
Commissioner Terry N. Rummel asked if the engineer would supply a resolution for the board; the engineer agreed to coordinate with the clerk to draft formal language. The board did not adopt the change at the meeting but directed the engineer to prepare a resolution and suggested staff consider a fee to support enforcement and permit processing.
Next steps: county engineer will draft a resolution reducing permit validity to six months and propose an appropriate application fee; the clerk will place the resolution on a future agenda for formal board consideration.
