Question for a contractor (Howe: moving, homeowner, yard)

[wayover20]

I have 2 driveways in my front yard and want one of them totally taken out. Since the city "owns" the portion from the sidewalk to the street is the contractor I hire to do the work responsible for redoing the street access portion of it to make it just a curbed sidewalk or do I pay the city to do it?

Also, does it require a permit?

Thanks

[ged_782]

I'm not a contractor, but one thing I do know is that it is the adjacent property owner's responsibility to maintain City right-of-way that abuts their property. If there is a sidewalk there, in most cases it was installed by the homebuilder or developer, and the current homeowner must maintain it.

As for the portion of the driveway that is on City property, you would be responsible for removing it, just as you would be if you were putting in a new driveway where there was none before. I don't think you would be required to remove any portion of the driveway on City property, or to fill in the curb, if you don't want to.

I don't whether a permit would be required, but a contractor should know, and they would be responsible for seeing that the proper permits are issued before starting work.

[dixierambler]

Check with the city first. More than likely, you will have to take out a demolition permit. At a minimum, you will be required to replace the portion of the sidewalk that comes out with the driveway. But depending on how your curb cut was made, you may or may not have to replace the curb.

If the original curb and gutter was entirely removed, and your driveway abuts the street surface itself, you will have to replace the entire curb and gutter. However, if the gutter portion of the original curb is still there, and only the 6" raised curb was cut out to allow your driveway access, you might be able to replace just the curb only. Check with the city to be sure.