Utility Permit Policy

Requirements for utility work within the right-of-way of a Fairfield County road.

All Forms and Permits · Utility Road Right-of-Way Permit

Utility Permit Requirements

  1. All work requiring personnel or vehicles within county road right-of-way shall comply with all applicable requirements of the National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and ODOT Construction and Material Specification Item 614 (Maintaining Traffic), latest editions. Road closures will NOT be permitted unless a separate permit is issued and public advanced notice is arranged.
  2. Depths of all buried telecommunication utilities shall be a minimum of 3 feet, except for fiber optic lines which shall be buried a minimum of 5 feet with 8 feet preferred. Buried electric lines shall be in conduit and a minimum depth of 8 feet when parallel and crossing the roadway. Installations shall include location markers provided, installed, and maintained by the power company. Buried electric service lines, when exiting the right-of-way perpendicular to the road, shall be a minimum depth of 5 feet. All other underground utilities must be a minimum of 4 feet deep unless construction plans approved by the County Engineer’s Office shows otherwise. No underground utilities shall be installed by any vibratory/knifing methods. All buried utilities crossing an open watercourse shall be buried a minimum of 6 feet deep under the watercourse.
  3. Nothing shall be permanently installed/buried within 3 feet of the centerline of any ditch or waterway or between the edge of pavement and the centerline of the road ditch except County Engineer approved signs, mailboxes, culvert pipes or ditch enclosures.
  4. Any required valves, clean-out lids, inspection boxes, manholes, etc. will be flush with final surface grades and have traffic worthy frames and lids. All service valve taps shall be located outside of the road right-of-way.
  5. NO OPEN CUTS SHALL BE ALLOWED ACROSS A COUNTY ROAD.
  6. No bore pits are permitted within 10 feet of the edge of pavement, unless authorized by the Fairfield County Engineer’s Office (FCEO). No bore pits shall be left open overnight unless approved by the FCEO.
  7. All boring casing materials and material certifications, for casings used in road borings, shall be approved by the FCEO prior to installation.
  8. No open cuts shall be allowed across driveways unless they are gravel; concrete/asphalt drives must be bored. Any open cuts across gravel driveways shall be restored to original condition within 4 hours of being disturbed and be coordinated with the landowners.
  9. Overhead utilities shall maintain a minimum clearance of 16.5 feet. Overhead electric lines shall maintain the National Electrical Safety Code clearance.
  10. Anything considered a road hazard, in accordance with the Fairfield County Engineer’s Office Road Hazard Policy, is not permitted within the preferred clear zones established by this policy. Preferred clear zone widths vary from 9 feet to 14 feet from edge of pavement, depending on the County Road Classification. Any road hazard, including poles, lines, vent pipes, etc., installed within the right-of-way must be delineated on a set of plans accompanying the permit application, with the offset from centerline and edge of pavement to each object clearly marked.
  11. There shall be no overnight parking of any equipment, materials, items, etc. within 10 feet of edge of pavement.
  12. Prior to any excavation in the road right-of-way, the Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) must be contacted a minimum of 48 hours in advance in accordance with ORC Section 3781.25 to 3781.32. OUPS can be reached by dialing 811, 1-800-362-2764, or online at OHIO811.org
  13. Any disturbed area shall be restored to its original or better condition within 14 days.
  14. All installations, lines, pedestals, manholes, improvements, etc. shall be the permanent responsibility of the utility, including vegetation management. Utility installations that must be relocated due to a County Road or Bridge Project shall be relocated at the expense of the responsible utility.
  15. Driveway Requirements (one permanent drive per parcel permitted)
    1. A separate permit is required from the Fairfield County Engineer’s Office for the installation of each temporary or permanent drive. For a new drive, a copy of the Deed or Access Easement for the property being accessed shall be supplied with the permit application. Commercial drives may require a traffic study as determined by the Fairfield County Engineer.
    2. Driveways forcing vehicles to back out onto the public highway shall not be permitted. Safe sight distance shall be checked, during County site visit, for conformance with minimum standards. If adequate sight distance is not available, a drive may not be permitted.
    3. The elevation of the drive where it abuts the road shall be constructed ½ inch below the edge of the existing road and then sloped away from the road per the Fairfield County Engineer Standards - Driveway Detail. This is to ensure that no water from the drive is forced onto the road.
    4. Driveway culvert type, size, and length will be established during County site visit and specified in the permit. Driveway culvert pipes will be a minimum of 12 inches in diameter. Residential drive pipes shall generally be a minimum of 30 feet long and a maximum of 32 feet long. Commercial drive pipes generally will be 40 feet long and Reinforced Concrete Pipe.