Litchfield Park City Code 7-16-1: right-of-way permit for plumbing work in the street

Subsection B is the rule: "It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to construct, reconstruct, repair, alter, or grade within the public rights-of-way without first obtaining a permit from the director." The director is the director of the public works department, and "public right-of-way" means right-of-way dedicated to the public for roadway or other public purpose.

Subsection C lists what the application must show: the name, address and license number of the party doing the work, the location of the work area, plans (sealed by a state-registered engineer unless the city agrees the work does not warrant it), a traffic control plan, and the estimated cost. Subsection D says the permit includes a completion date, which the director may extend for good cause.

Subsection E lets the director require evidence of general liability and automobile insurance naming the city as additional insured, and a letter of credit based on the estimated cost. Subsection F requires at least 24 hours' notice to the director before work starts.

• Public right-of-way: land dedicated to the public for streets or other public purposes. A sewer or water tap under the street is inside it.
• Director: the public works director, who issues the permit.
• Traffic control plan: under Sec. 7-16-2 it must be submitted at least two business days before the start date and designed by a certified member of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA). No work starts until the director approves it.
• Letter of credit: security the city can draw on to finish work the permittee does not complete (Sec. 7-16-3).

Anyone who builds, repairs, alters or grades within a Litchfield Park public right-of-way: plumbing contractors, utilities and owners. It does not cover work that stays on private property, which follows the ordinary building permit process. The article also carries rules for wireless facilities, which are not covered here.

A sewer tap for a new commercial building. The tap is under the street. The contractor files the application with plans and a traffic control plan, pays the plan review and inspection fees, and gives 24 hours' notice before digging.

A broken lateral entirely outside the right-of-way. The plans and boundary information confirm the repair stays on private property with no public right-of-way affected. This right-of-way permit does not apply, though ordinary building permit rules still do. The curb alone does not establish the boundary.

The edge case: a utility working for a customer. When a utility does the work for a customer, the customer pays the plan review and inspection fees unless the utility says it will. The permit is issued to the utility, which is the permittee.

1. 1Locate the work relative to the property line and the street edge. If any digging reaches the right-of-way, this permit applies.
2. 2Hire a licensed contractor. The application needs the contractor's name, address and license number.
3. 3Get plans prepared. Ask the city early whether it will waive the engineer seal for a small job.
4. 4Arrange a traffic control plan from an ATSSA-certified designer and submit it at least two business days ahead.
5. 5Use the city's Permits and Applications Portal to obtain the current application process and Public Works contact details.
6. 6Pay the plan review and inspection fees, then give the director 24 hours' notice before work starts.
7. 7Request the final inspection and restore the right-of-way when the work is done.

• "A plumbing permit covers the street." The right-of-way permit is separate and comes from the Public Works director.
• "Traffic control is optional on a small dig." The application must include a traffic control plan, and work cannot start until it is approved.
• "The city will fix my restoration later." The permittee restores the right-of-way at its own expense and must reimburse the city for any damage.
• "Every city sends this to the same office." Mesa sends its street-dig permit to the City Engineer.

The rules are Litchfield Park City Code Secs. 7-16-1 through 7-16-4 on Municode. The article is short, so read it yourself. The fee amounts are set by council resolution and are not in the code. The city's answer for your project, not this summary, decides a real dispute.