The Limestone County Commission approved a resolution Wednesday allowing FEMA to arrange for debris removal from eligible private property.

Debris removal, however, will only take place in the hardest hit areas of the county where significant structural damage occurred. Also, the resolution does not include the removal of vegetative debris. Homeowners are required to pull vegetative debris to the rights-of-way to be picked up or hire contractors to remove it.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and contract firm Phillips & Jordan, Inc.,  are currently working in the East Limestone and Tanner areas, picking up roadside vegetative debris. The materials are being deposited on property near the Limestone Correctional Facility on Capshaw Road and at a rock quarry on U.S. 31.

Limestone County Engineer Richard Sanders said he would know more by week’s end when private property work would begin.

The county will utilize Public Assistance funding through FEMA for the debris removal project, which gives the USACE  a 30-day window to complete the task. That window began on May 21, but Sanders said work won’t necessarily end on June 21. However, work performed after the 30-day window would mean the county has to pay for a portion of the debris removal.

The resolution approved by the commission states the removal of debris “from private property is necessary and in the public interest to eliminate immediate threats to life, public health and safety” as determined by the State Health Department.

Before debris can be removed, however, property owners must sign a waiver giving permission for workers to be on private property. In cases where there is an immediate need or urgency and the procedure for obtaining a “Right of Entry” or condemnation is “too time consuming,” the county has authority from Attorney General Luther Strange to enter private property to pick up debris.

“We certify that we have a process to determine which properties will require this process to protect the public safety,” the resolution says. “In these circumstances, a reasonable waiting period will be required for public notification before private property debris removal will commence.”

The resolution also states that the County Commission will obtain documentation related to insurance coverage, proceeds and settlements from the property owner and provide that information to the state and Federal Coordinating Officer.

Sanders said one part of the resolution that was not included pertained to damaged and abandoned vehicles.

“There are a lot of steps to go through with that and we don’t have those kinds of resources,” he said.