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Home > Offices > Planning and Development > Development Services
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
 

WEB PAGE SECTIONS

Wetlands
Flood Zones
Stormwater
Water and Sewer
Trees 
Site Development Plan Review
Plat Review/Recording
Roadway/Right of Way
Easements

 

 

WETLANDS

Where do I find out about wetlands?
Wetlands are under the jurisdiction of the St. Johns River Water Management District.  For questions about wetlands, contact them at: 

        St. Johns River Water Management District
        7775 Baymeadows Way, Suite 101
        Jacksonville, Florida 32256
        Phone:   (904) 730-6270

Do not mistake wetland designations with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zone designations.  They are very different.  Wetlands are areas that have been designated as wet by an environmental specialist based on soil conditions and indigenous plant life.  Flood zones are areas established by FEMA to show the approximate extent of flooding during a hurricane.

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FLOOD ZONES

Is my property in a flood zone?
You can find this out at the City of Jacksonville's GIS web site [maps.coj.net].  Click on the button labeled Duval Maps.  If you have any questions, contact Mark Pate at (904) 255-8576.

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STORMWATER

Water is draining off of my neighbors property onto mine. What can I do about it?
Contact (904) 630-CITY (630-2489) for referral to a Code Enforcement officer.

Water is draining off of the roadway onto my property. What can I do about it?
Contact Public Works Right of Way & Grounds Maintenance.

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WATER AND SEWER

Where do I find out about city water and sewer?
JEA handles most of the municipal water and sewer throughout the City of Jacksonville.  An availability request form can be obtained here.  Septic tank and well information can be obtained from the Duval County Health Department.  They are located at 900 University Blvd. N.  Their phone number is (904) 253-1284.

Who repairs broken water mains?
JEA.  They can be contacted at (904) 665-6000.

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TREES

How do I find out about protected trees?
You can contact the landscape representatives in the Building Inspection, or you could do a search of the City of Jacksonville Ordinances at www.municode.com.

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SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW

How long will the Site Development Plan Review process take? 
Development Services' goal is to complete the first review within 28 working days and to complete any additional reviews within 14 working days.  Add this to the amount of time the civil engineer would need to revise the plans between submittals.

Who needs a Site Development Plan Review
Go to the Projects That Require a Site Development Plan Review page.

How do I find the status of a Site Development Plan Review?
Use the city development number to check the status of the project.  If you do not know the city development number, contact Development Services at (904)255-8310 for help.

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PLAT REVIEW AND RECORDING

Who needs to go through the plat review process? 
Go to: Do I Need a plat review?.

How long will the plat review process take?
Development Services' goal is to complete each review within 15 working days.  Add this to the amount of time the surveyor would need to revise the plat between the preliminary and final.

How long will the plat recording process take? 
Development Services' goal is to complete the plat recording process within 10 working days.

How do I find out the status of a plat review or recording?
Call Development Services at (904)255-8310 for help.

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ROADWAY / RIGHT OF WAY

What is the city's right of way, and how far does it extend onto my property?
The city right of way is a strip of property encompassing the roadway plus the parkway or shoulder (area between the road and private property.)  The right of way does not extend into your property.  It begins where your property ends and goes all the way across the road to where your neighbor's property begins.

How far is my property from the street?
The best way to find this out is to find the property irons (metal posts driven into the ground) at your property corners.  Then, measure from there to the roadway.  If you can not find your property irons, a good estimate is that your property begins at the back of the sidewalk.  This is not exact, but it provides a good estimate if precision is not an issue.  If it is, you will need to hire a surveyor to find your property lines.

Is my street a private road or a city road?
You can find this out by calling Public Works Topographic/Survey Counter at (904)255-8760.

Why do I have to pay for a permit to do work in the city right of way (driveway, sidewalk)?
Paragraph 744.110 of the Jacksonville Municipal Code  requires a written permit to disturb, excavate, block, obstruct, tamper with or place any construction or other material on or in any public road, right of way or easement of the City of Jacksonville.  For additional information go to right of way permitting.

Do I need a permit to put a brick mailbox in the city right of way?
Yes, you do.  In fact, since a brick mailbox is not city standard, you need two permits.  First you will need to execute and record a revocable permit and indemnification agreement.  This is an agreement between the owner and the City of Jacksonville stating that at any time, the city can require the removal of the mailbox and that the city is not liable for any damages that may be caused by the placement of the mailbox.  Once this is done, a right of way permit will be needed.

How wide does a road have to be?
The minimum roadway width is 20' for short cul-de-sac roads (1,000' or less).  The minimum width is 24' otherwise.

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EASEMENTS

How do I find out whether there are any easements on a parcel?
Have the Clerk of the Circuit Court office perform a record search on the parcel to see if any plat or easement documents have been recorded.

Can I build a fence in an easement?
The Development Management Group has no objections to the placement of fencing in City of Jacksonville easements with the understanding that, if the city ever needs to perform work within the easement, the fence will need to be removed.  As with the brick mailbox above, you will need both a revocable permit and indemnification agreement and a right of way permit.  There are easements over which the City of Jacksonville does not have jurisdiction.   Utility easements are typically under the jurisdiction of JEA.  Conservation easements are typically under the jurisdiction of the St. Johns River Water Management District.  For construction within easements that the city has little or no interest in, you would need to get permission from the parties for which the easement was recorded.

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