Pipe Policy Related To Pipes Installed Under Driveways Along Right-Of-Way
Date Adopted: September 1, 2021
Minute Book: 44 page 34
POLICY: To establish a policy for installation of pipes under driveways along the county owned or maintained rights-of-way.
Allowable Pipes: Only new aluminized corrugated metal (14 gauge minimum) or new reinforced concrete pipes with flared ends (45 degrees) will be allowed to be installed under this policy. Plastic pipe is not allowed.
PROCEDURES: Prior to installing any pipe on the county's right-of-way and as part of the issuance of a Right of Way Permit, the owner of the property requesting a driveway pipe must contact the Houston County Road & Bridge Department at 792-4149 or 1-800-782-4149. The citizen will be sent a driveway pipe permit to return to the Engineer's Office (this permit is available online). After the office receives the completed permit, an employee in the department will review the completed permit and an employee of the department will determine the size of pipe to be installed. An employee of the department will provide the owner of the property the size of pipe to be installed. Except for parcels solely dedicated to agricultural use, the owner of the property shall be solely responsible for all costs, fees, and expenses arising out of or related to purchasing and installing the pipe. A licensed and bonded contractor shall be required to install the pipe. The department will have available a preapproved list of contractors that are authorized to install such pipes. The owner may nominate another contractor to install the pipe, who shall be reviewed for approval by the department.
The owner and contractor are separately and severally responsible for contacting the department once the pipe is delivered and scheduled for installation to allow for the department to inspect said pipe prior to the pipe being installed. The installation of the pipe shall be completed and ready for review on or before 120 days from the date the Right of Way Permit is issued for the property. If the installation is not completed within the allotted time, the citizen must make a new petition and obtain a new Right of Way Permit. The owner of the property shall be responsible for any changes required by the department from the inspection of the installation of the pipe. The department is hereby authorized to remove any pipe on the county's right of-way installed incorrectly or installed without approval of the department.
Pipe Lengths: The owner of the property shall be required to install pipes that are a minimum length of 24 feet. The length of any and all pipes installed along the county's right-of-way shall not exceed a combined length of 60 feet per parcel of land, unless approved by the County Engineer. There will be a maximum of two (2) driveways per parcel.
Right of Way Encroachments: No fixtures, including, but not limited to, non-breakaway mail boxes, brick mail boxes, brick columns, brick head walls, fences, and buildings, shall be located on the county's right of-way.