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What is the proper way to discharge my sump pump and/or private drain (downspout drains)?
Any sump pump, private drain and/or downspout drain should be discharged into a vegetated area outside of the road right of way. In most cases the drain can have a pop up valve installed at the end of the pipe in order to allow the force of the water to open the valve to discharge the water onto the ground. This action keeps the area around the discharge point from being wet and saturated all of the time and also allows the soils to absorb the water naturally and keeps it from entering the storm sewers system, thus reducing the amount of runoff to the often inundated storm sewers.
Will the City remove debris from a creek?
The City does not have the resources or equipment to remove any debris from creeks. However, if the creek or ditch is a "REGULATED DRAIN" the Vanderburgh County Surveyor's Office can provide assistance in removing blockages as well as construction or reconstruction of a "Regulated Drain". In addition if the blockage or obstruction is at a "BRIDGE", the Vanderburgh County Engineer's Office an assist in getting Maintenance Crews to remove the debris.
What is a "REGULATED DRAIN"?
A "Regulated Drain" means an open drain, a tiled drain or a combination of the two. By Statute (Indiana Code 36-9-27) the Vanderburgh County Surveyors Office is responsible for maintenance, construction, and reconstruction of all regulated drains. The description and location of all regulated drains can be found in the Surveyors Office.
What is a right of way?
The definition of a right of way is: A right to make a way over a piece of land, usually to and from another piece of land. A right of way is a type of easement granted or reserved over the land for transportation purposes; this can be for a highway, public footpath, railway, canal as well as electrical transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines. A right of way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right of way.
Do I need a permit to work in the City's Right of way?
Yes. Any work that is performed within the designated City Road Right of Way must obtain a Permit from the City Engineer's Office. The forms are available on the City Engineer's webpage at www.evansvillegov.org. There are no fees for the permits, however, a detailed drawing showing the location of the work, the type of work, type of materials used etc. must e provided with the application. These applications are then presented to the Board of Public Works at their meetings which are held every Thursday at 1:30 PM in Room #321, Civic Center Complex, Evansville, IN.
What is an encroachment permit and when do I need one?
An encroachment permit is a permit that is issued by the City Engineer's Office for any building, structure or obstacle that would be placed, constructed or built in the City of Evansville's street right of way. Any type a private property owner wants to locate a fence, shrubbery, sign or other obstacle in t e right of way of the street it must be approved by the City Engineer's Office in order to assure that the encroachment will not interfere with the future improvements of the roadway and to assure that it will not have any adverse effect on the traffic flow or site distance. The Encroachment Permits are available on the City of Evansville's Webpage www.evansvillegov.org (City Engineer/permits and construction/encroachment permit). There are no fees for the permits, however, a detailed drawing showing the location of the work, the type of work, type of materials used etc. must be provided with the application. These applications are then presented to the Board of Public Works at their meetings which are held every Thursday at 1:30 PM in Room #301, Civic Center Complex, Evansville. IN
What is an Easement?
The definition of an easement is: The right to use the real property of another for a specific purpose. Typical easements are for access to another pr operty, for utility or sewer lines both under and above ground and/or entry to make repairs and for drainage purposes.
I want to make improvements to my driveway. What are the City Standards and does the City require approval?
If you want to make improvements to your driveway you must obtain a Construction Permit from the City Engineer's Office. The Construction Permits are available on the City of Evansville Webpage www.evansvillegov.org (City Engineer/Permits and Construction/Construction Permit). There are no fees for the permits, however, a detailed drawing showing the location of the work, the type of work, type of materials used etc. must be provided with the application. These applications are then presented to the Board of Public Works at their meetings which are held every Thursday at 1:30 PM in Room #301, Civic Center Complex, Evansville, IN. The concrete contractor that you use has to be a contractor that is licensed through the City of Evansville. This license is obtained through the City Controller's Office.
How do I vacate right of way?
There is a packet available in the City Clerk's Office that is the responsibility of the property owners to fill out. The City Clerk will distribute the copies to the proper agencies to determine if the right of way is necessary. It is then forwarded to the City Council for action.
Can I fill in the ditch in my front yard?
Ditches that are located in the road right of way are typically there for drainage purposes. If you would like to place a culvert or pip in the ditch it must be approved by the City Engineer's Office. A construction permit would have to be approved. The Construction Permits are available on the City of Evansville webpage www.evansvillegov.org (City Engineer/Permits and Construction/ Construction Permits). There are no fees for the permits, however, a detailed drawing showing the location of the work, the typeof work, type of materials used etc. must be provided with the application. In addition drainage calculations must be provided to support the pipe size that is being requested.
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