Review Group Frequently Asked Questions
PAGE CONTENTS
Wetlands
Flood Zones
Stormwater
Water and Sewer
Trees
Site Development Plan Review (10 set)
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 JAXGIS Click on the button labeled Duval Civil Planning. Click on Layers then Flood Plains and choose the flood plain information you are looking to explore. If you have any questions, contact Mike Stanfield at (904) 255-8366.
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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 (904-630-2489) 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.
What law regulates blocking drainage?
Florida Statute Section 298.66 Obstruction of drainage canals, etc., prohibited; damages; penalties.
(1) A person may not willfully, or otherwise, obstruct any public canal, drain, ditch or watercourse or damage or destroy any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district.
(2) Any person who willfully obstructs any public canal, drain, ditch, or watercourse or damages or destroys any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district shall be liable to any person injured thereby for the full amount of the injury occasioned to any land or crops or other property by reason of such misconduct and shall be liable to the district constructing the drainage work for double the cost of removing such obstruction or repairing such damage.
(3) Any person who willfully, or otherwise, obstructs any public canal, drain, ditch, or watercourse, impedes or obstructs the flow of water therein, or damages or destroys any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
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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. 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.
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SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (10 SET) 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?
Check out the Affected Projects portion of the Site Development Plan Review page for an answer to this question.
How do I find the status of a Site Development Plan Review?
Check the status of a Civil Site Plan at Jax Civil Plan using the city development number or the project name. If you can't find the project you are looking for, contact Development Services at (904)255-8310 or Reviewgrp@coj.net for help.
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PLAT REVIEW AND RECORDING
Who needs to go through the plat review process?
Check out the Affected Projects portion of the Plat Review page and City Ordinance Section 654.106(nn) for an answer to this question.
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.
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?
Development Services 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. 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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