Residents press commission to address Deep Creek Road safety as Hidden Hills plat is approved

Several residents at the Morgan County Planning Commission meeting pressed officials to resolve long-standing safety and maintenance concerns on Deep Creek Road before allowing further building. Public commenters described recent collisions, narrowed pavement after repaving, and problems for school buses navigating blind curves.

Brandon Anderson, a resident who spoke during public comment, said repaving had “made a big difference” but that it also removed roughly a foot of pavement on each side, creating a hazard at a blind corner near the proposed driveway. Several other residents said they have repeatedly raised the same safety concerns for years and urged the commission to require road improvements before approving additional lots.

Staff and the applicant’s engineer told commissioners that the Hidden Hills Estate small subdivision (file 25.048) had been reviewed by county engineering, fire, surveyor, and health staff and that construction drawings would require the driveway be moved to increase sight distance. Jeremy Draper, the applicant’s engineer, said the driveway will be shifted to provide approximately 150 feet of site distance and that the construction of the new driveway location is required before a building permit can be issued.

Commissioners debated whether the county has an obligation to bring an older, maintained road up to county standards and whether additional right-of-way dedication should be required for future subdivisions. Staff said the county has maintained and plowed Deep Creek Road for more than seven years and referenced state statute language about public dedication through continuous use while noting improvements may still be required through subdivision review and possible impact fees.

A motion to approve the Hidden Hills Estate preliminary and final plat (file 25.048) was moved and seconded; the commission approved the one-lot subdivision with the staff conditions in the packet dated 03/12/2026, including the required driveway relocation and related construction drawings.

Next steps: the applicant must record the plat and complete the driveway relocation and outstanding title report items; building permits will be withheld until required improvements and construction drawings are satisfied.