Right-of-Way / Street Permitting

Right-of-way (ROW) means the surface and space above and below a public roadway, bicycle lane and public sidewalk in which the City has an interest, including other dedicated ROW for travel purposes and utility easements owned by the City for public utility purposes.

The City’s easement allows City staff to monitor and manage the ROW, ensure safe vehicle and pedestrian travel, and use the right-of-way for snow storage and public infrastructure. The City is also tasked with regulating and managing the installation of any privately owned features, such as private utilities, landscaping, etc.

View the City’s ROW ordinance and use the sections below to learn more.

Easements

Hennepin County maintains official records of all easements on a property. Contact the County to learn about easements on your property.
Visit the City’s Deeds and Easements Map to view easements filed with the City. Note, the City does not provide surveying services for private property owners. Residents must hire a private licensed surveyor for questions and requests associated with their projects and questions. The City does not endorse any private entities but can provide a list of licensed surveyors that regularly do work in the City upon request.
Certain encroachments into easement are not permitted on public easements and City approval must be sought either through an encroachment agreement or an easement vacation.
To request an easement vacation, contact Engineering Director Chad Millner.

ROW Permits

Residents

Residents or their contractors may apply for permits on the permitting platform ePermits and plan review platform ProjectDox.

Permit required: Driveway entrances and connecting to the City sump line (PDF).
Permit not required: Plantings and hard surface pathways from the house to the street.
Prohibited in ROW: Fences, structures and construction materials.

Private Utilities (communications, electric, gas)

Register for an account and apply for a utility or small cell permit on the permitting platform ROWay. Registration requirements are listed in Chapter 24, Article III.
Contact Graduate Engineer Zuleyka Marquez with questions about registration, permitting, restoration and inspections.

Public Utilities (sewer and water)

Register for an account and apply for a sewer and water permit on the permitting platform ePermits and plan review platform ProjectDox.
Contact Public Works Coordinator Dave Goergen with questions about permitting and scheduling an inspection for the pipe connection.
Contact Graduate Engineer Zuleyka Marquez with questions about restoring the street and other hard surfaces and scheduling an inspection.

Lane/Road Closures

Permit required through the Public Works Department. Apply online no later than three days prior to start of work by completing this application.
Contact Streets Supervisor Shawn Anderson for assistance.

Utility Locating (Flags and Excavating)

If you are planning to dig for any reason, contact Gopher State One Call or call 811 to request utility location at least 48 hours in advance. Utility companies will mark the utility locations with small flags and/or paint.
Do not move or alter the flags or paint until work is complete, as displaced markings may lead to accidental damage of the existing utilities.
Flags are placed in the ROW to identify the location of private and public utilities (private services are not identified on private property).
Also on Gopher State One Call, you can look up who made the request and see a key of what the colors/flags mean.

Restoration

Standards and Requirements

Private parties performing work in the ROW are expected to know and comply with the pertinent and latest standard plates and restoration requirements. Roadway age impacts the level of restoration and can be found using the below street maps.

Questions about requirements can be directed to Graduate Engineer Zuleyka Marquez.

Damage / Requests for Restoration

If your private property is damaged by a private utility contractor during construction, contact Graduate Engineer Zuleyka Marquez. Providing details such as the contractor name, dates of construction or when damage occurred, location and photos of the area before and after can help speed the restoration process.

You can also make a report through Edina 311 (below) by entering your address and then choosing the category "Property Damage by a Private Party."