§ 17-36. Policies and procedures established.

(a)

No cutting, jacking and boring, construction, driveway connection, digging and excavation of or discharge of water onto, county roads and rights-of-way shall be undertaken in Santa Rosa County without the prior issuance by Santa Rosa County of a permit allowing the same. Any water company, power company, telephone company, or other utility or contractor for said utility shall automatically be granted a permit for any of the following situations:

(1)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which does not cut any paved county road.

(2)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which does not cut any paved right-of-way.

(3)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which does not involve excavation in wetland areas.

The utility permits will be automatically granted so long as said water company, power company, telephone company or other utility provides the Santa Rosa County Public Works Department with an executed permit form (as provided by the Santa Rosa County Public Works Department) within 24 hours of the time that said work is commenced.

(b)

Standards.

(1)

Utilities and water discharge. All cable or pipe placed under a county paved ditch or roadway must be encased in an appropriate protective covering, i.e. PVC or other pipe. All lines must be buried a minimum of 30 inches below the surface, including shoulders and ditches. All road borings must be a minimum of 24 inches below the road surface. (Any pole, junction box or above ground facilities must be placed so that right-of-way maintenance may be easily performed and permits must specify that such placement will be required. Their placement shall be indicated on any work plans or drawings. Placement near existing facilities or equipment is recommended. If there are no existing facilities or equipment in the vicinity the placement shall be as close to the right-of-way boundary as possible. Also, facilities or equipment must be indicated with some type of reflective device 36 inches above the surface.) No cable or pipe will be installed less than 36 inches from the edge of the pavement. Jacking and boring is the preferred method of crossing county roads. All trenches shall be compacted back to a non-settling condition. All shoulders shall be dressed back to original condition before construction, including seeding, mulching and sodding in areas where vegetation was damaged or destroyed.

Specifications not addressed herein are subject to the regulations provided in the State of Florida Department of Transportation Right-of-Way Manual.

Water discharge shall not be approved if said discharge will negatively impact the road, will not drain properly, or will interfere with traffic.

(2)

Driveway connections.

a.

Construction shall be structurally and cosmetically sound per Santa Rosa County specifications.

b.

Construction shall not obstruct stormwater movement in any way.

c.

Construction shall not create a safety hazard.

d.

The permittee shall assume any and all liability including stormwater movement on said job site and or adjacent properties while construction is in progress.

e.

Permittee shall release Santa Rosa County from any and all liabilities that may arise while construction is in progress.

f.

Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners reserves the right to have access of said construction for removal or alteration purposes.

g.

All activities in accordance will require adherence to the department of transportation's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

h.

Permittee is responsible for notifying all utility companies for locations.

i.

Permit will be void in 18 months if not completed.

j.

Permittee shall repair all damage according to Santa Rosa County specifications.

k.

All portions of the right-of-way disturbed in the construction of this driveway will be mulched and/or seeded as per Santa Rosa County specifications and no other landscaping on county right-of-way will be allowed.

l.

Sodding is required around concrete slabs and at ends of pipe.

m.

Approved expansion material is required when installing driveway section or adjoining concrete curb.

n.

The permittee will furnish, install and cover culvert pipe (if needed) per county specifications. The applicant shall be required to install culverts in the existing ditch along the entire frontage of the lot, not to exceed 150 feet, if the public works department determines that the ditch constantly remains wet due to flat elevations and/or high water table.

o.

Line and grade will be set by the Santa Rosa County Road and Bridge Department and correct installation to line and grade is the responsibility of the permittee.

p.

Mitered ends are required when specified on permit.

(c)

The following projects always require a permit in advance of the work being started:

(1)

All driveway connections on county maintained rights-of-way.

(2)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which cuts any paved county road.

(3)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which cuts any paved right-of-way.

(4)

Any jacking and boring, digging and excavation of county roads and rights-of-way which involves excavation in wetland areas within the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation or Army Corps of Engineers.

(5)

Any project for which detailed engineering or architectural drawings have been prepared.

(6)

For any of the four types of projects listed above in subsections (c)(2)—(5) there shall be submitted to the public works department an application for permit (on forms provided at the public works department) and diagrams outlining the proposed work. A copy of the application shall be forwarded by the public works department to the applicable water and/or wastewater utility company providing service in the area (unless said utility is the applicant). Said utility shall have ten days from transmittal to comment on the application. The utility shall indicate if the proposed project would interfere with any existing or planned utility facility and may suggest modifications to said application to avoid interference. The public works department shall investigate the proposed site for the work and take one of the following actions:

a.

Issue a permit authorizing said work and outlining the conditions under which said work is permitted.

b.

Decline to issue a permit. In this case the public works department will render its decision within ten (10) working days from the receipt of the written request.

No telephone requests or authorizations for permits will be authorized.

(d)

Mailboxes and structures.

(1)

No mailbox, basketball goal, or any other structure or fixture, whether fixed or movable, shall be placed or maintained within a county right-of-way except as authorized by this section. This section shall not apply to residential sanitation containers.

(2)

Guidelines.

a.

Along any right-of-way designated with a speed limit greater than 30 m.p.h., no mailbox shall be constructed closer than six (6) feet to the improved road surface. All mailboxes in this category shall be constructed to the following standards:

1.

Wood posts— Maximum four-inch diameter (if round), four-inch by four -inch if rectangular;

2.

Metal pipes— Two-inch inside maximum diameter;

3.

Number of supports— Only one support for one box or group of boxes.

Supports shall:

1.

Yield or collapse if struck.

2.

Bend or fall away from vehicle.

3.

Not create severe deceleration.

4.

Not be fitted with an anchor plate (metal post).

5.

Not be embedded over twenty-four (24) inches into the ground.

6.

Not be set in concrete.

b.

On all rights-of-way and roads designated with a speed limit of thirty (30) m.p.h. or less, no mailbox shall be constructed closer than two and one-half (2½) feet to the edge of the roadway surface.

(3)

Set back variance may be granted by the public works department upon a determination that the right-of-way width is not adequate for compliance.

(4)

Any person placing or maintaining any mailbox or structure in violation of this section shall remove said item or bring it into compliance within thirty (30) days of notification by Santa Rosa County. If said mailbox or structure is not removed within the thirty-day period, Santa Rosa County may remove the mailbox or structure and the owner shall be responsible for the removal costs incurred by Santa Rosa County.

(5)

Santa Rosa County may immediately remove any mailbox that it determines creates a hazard or interferes with right-of-way maintenance.

(6)

Santa Rosa County will not be liable for any damage caused to a mailbox resulting from its removal or relocation.

(e)

Emergency situations. When any water company, sewer company, or gas company determines that an emergency situation exists which requires the immediate cutting of any paved road or paved right-of-way they shall immediately contact the county public works department. If the emergency occurs after hours, they are authorized to take action provided that they notify the public works department of their action no later than the next business day. No tap-in shall be deemed an emergency situation. In the event the public works department determines that anyone is abusing this emergency authorization the public works department may revoke this authorization by notice in writing to the company. Santa Rosa County may also require that correction or removal of any improperly installed utilities be performed by the agency or organization applying for said permit or performing the work in question. Santa Rosa County also reserves the right to bill for any services that may be required to correct a problem related to right-of-way construction. This billing may include labor, equipment and materials.

(f)

Appeals. In the event that a permit is denied, the party requesting said permit may appeal the decision of the public works department to the board of county commissioners by filing a written appeal letter stating the reasons for the appeal.

(g)

When a permit is issued, it shall be the responsibility of the permittee to notify the county public works department at least one day in advance of the actual work taking place.

(h)

The public works department may require a performance bond by the contractor doing said work prior to the issuance of the permit for projects that the public works department feels might be costly for the county to complete if they were to be left uncompleted by the contractor.

(i)

No person shall fill, obstruct, or in anyway alter any county drainage ditch, swale, or structure without the prior approval of the Santa Rosa County Public Works Department.

(j)

The board of county commissioners may establish by resolution a fee schedule for the issuance of permits provided for in this section.

(k)

All permits will require the contractor to reimburse the county for any damage to county property.

(l)

Violations of this section will constitute a civil infraction punishable as specified in Ordinance 96-18 [section 1-6.5 of this Code]. Each day that the violation exists, shall constitute a separate offense. The third or greater violation of this section by any person or company shall constitute a second degree misdemeanor.

(Ord. No. 2006-03, §§ 1—12, 2-15-06; Ord. No. 2006-17, § 1, 6-22-06; Ord. No. 2008-40, § 1, 12-11-08)