Heavy equipment with tracks will no longer be permitted on Buchanan County roads except during a state of emergency following action by the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors.
The board approved the change following a public hearing during its Aug. 3 meeting at the Buchanan County Government Center on Slate Creek.
The proposed ordinance involved Chapter 90, Vehicles and Traffic of the Buchanan County Code and initially addressed the use of heavy construction equipment on county roads.
During discussion, board members narrowed the restriction to equipment with tracks, rather than heavy trucks and other equipment operating on rubber tires.
During the public hearing, Knox supervisor Trey Adkins said heavy construction equipment could also be an asphalt truck or gravel truck.
Board attorney Lee Moise asked Adkins for his recommendation.
“Metal tracks is the main thing,” Moise said.
Adkins discussed the importance of an exception during emergencies, when tracked equipment, such as bulldozers, may be needed to clear roads or assist with recovery efforts following flooding or other disasters.
“I think we can change it to tracks only and put an exception in there that whoever needs to can during a state of emergency,” Adkins added.
Rocklick supervisor Craig Stiltner said he doesn’t think rubber tires on end-loaders and trucks are hurting anything.
Under the change approved by the board, heavy equipment operating on rubber tires may continue to use county roads. Equipment with tracks is prohibited from operating on the roads unless it is being used during a declared state of emergency.
Adkins moved to close the public hearing, which was seconded by Stiltner and unanimously approved by the board.
Following the public hearing, Adkins moved to approve the ordinance, with the restriction applying to tracked equipment and an exception for a state of emergency. The motion was seconded by North Grundy supervisor Lee Dotson and approved unanimously.
The tracked-equipment ordinance was one of several matters considered by supervisors following public hearings during the meeting.
The board also held a public hearing concerning the proposed adoption of an ordinance involving the county’s land-use permit regulations. The change updates the county code to include land-use permits and renames the applicable chapter from “Gas Line Pipelines” to “Land Use Permits.”
No members of the public spoke during that hearing.
After the hearing closed, Adkins moved to approve the ordinance, with Garden supervisor Jeff Cooper seconding. The board approved the measure unanimously.
Supervisors also considered conveying an easement for ingress and egress near Dog Pound Road and the Buchanan County Animal Shelter to Billy Owens.
During the public hearing, county officials explained that Dog Pound Road and another access road in the area have been used to reach the landfill and that the access road also serves property owned by Owens.
Officials said the request was essentially to provide Owens with a permanent right-of-way to access the remainder of the property.
Following the hearing, the board approved the conveyance of the easement to Owens for a fee of $100.
The action also authorized board Chairman Tim Hess, the Hurricane District supervisor, and County Administrator Craig Horn to execute the conveyance on behalf of Buchanan County, subject to County Attorney Moise’s approval of the form.
Stiltner moved to approve the easement, which received a second before the board approved it unanimously.
