Right of Way/Obstruction & Excavation Permits
As a general rule, the right of way area on a Detroit Lakes street falls within 33 feet either direction from the center of the roadway. There are exceptions to this rule, however. Two of those exceptions include the East Shore Drive and South Shore Drive areas which have a 50 foot right of way.
Property owners are responsible for maintaining the right of way on their parcel by mowing the boulevard, shoveling the sidewalk, trimming back trees and hedges, and by keeping items such as rocks, planters, flower beds and sprinkler heads clear of the right of way. Any items that may be damaged by snow removal equipment is the responsibility of the property owner.
EXCAVATION & OBSTRUCTION
In order to dig in a city right of way, the contractor must hold a city EXCAVATION LICENSE. The fee for an Excavation License is on the fee schedule. In order to obtain a Right of Way Excavation License, an application must be submitted, along with payment for the annual license, proof of $2,000,000 liability insurance coverage, Workman’s Comp coverage, if applicable, and an excavation surety bond in the amount of $5,000. This license will expire on December 31st of each year, regardless of the date it was purchased during the year.
An EXCAVATION PERMIT must be obtained for each dig site in a City right of way. An excavator must hold a current excavation license. When the excavation is complete, the contractor is required per City ordinance to fill out and return to Public Works, a Certificate of Completion form. Concrete and bituminous work must be completed in streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters before inspection of the permitted site. The Excavation Permit fee is on the fee schedule.
A contractor needs an excavation permit only if digging in a City right of way. If digging takes place on private property, a permit is not required. Always remember to contact Gopher State One Call 48 hours before any digging begins.
When there is going to be an OBSTRUCTION of a right of way (with no dig), an Obstruction Permit must be obtained. At this time there is no charge for an Obstruction Permit. An obstruction is considered to be blocking any public right of way - streets, sidewalks, boulevard, parking spots, or parking lots, with demolition, machines, dumpsters, trailers, etc.
When there is an excavation or obstruction that affects the flow of traffic, our office must be contacted so that a public notice is sent out to emergency personnel – EMS, law enforcement, fire dept; news organizations & public transportation in the City of DL.
Please refer to the Licenses & Forms section of the City's website for license and permit applications. Click HERE to go to this section.
Our office is located at 1759 N Tower Rd. Office hours are M-F 7:00am to 3:30pm
Contact us for questions at dlpublicworks@cityofdetroitlakes.com or call us at 218-847-4637.
Right of Way Management Ordinance 302