Banner District
Banner district means an area designated by the city council pursuant to this section within which the display of a decorative banner is permitted.
The Office of the City Engineer Right of Way (R.O.W.) permits section oversees the enforcement of permits for any work that requires using any part of the City-owned and maintained right-of-way.
This section enforces the following:
- Street Cut Ordinance which regulates how excavations are made, construction is performed, integrity of the streets is maintained, and restoration is performed within the City’s R.O.W.
- The enforcement of permits for private construction of public utilities within the City’s R.O.W.
- The application and enforcement of permits for encroachments within the City’s R.O.W.
List Title
Pipeline Permits
List Title
Pipeline Permits
List Description
The Office of the City Engineer administers and enforces city ordinances pertaining to the construction, operation, and maintenance of pipelines in public streets within the City. The ordinance facilitates emergency response and minimizes the cost of future public works and utilities by providing a central record of all pipelines across, along, and under streets.
Document List
The Office of the City Engineer Right of Way (R.O.W.) permits section oversees the enforcement of permits for any work that requires using any part of the City-owned and maintained right-of-way.
This section enforces the following:
- Street Cut Ordinance which regulates how excavations are made, construction is performed, integrity of the streets is maintained, and restoration is performed within the City’s R.O.W.
- The enforcement of permits for private construction of public utilities within the City’s R.O.W.
- The application and enforcement of permits for encroachments within the City’s R.O.W.
List Title
Monitoring Well Program
List Title
Monitoring Well Program
List Description
The City of Houston designates the Office of the City Engineer to administer and enforce city ordinances about the construction, alteration, maintenance, and destruction of monitoring wells and soil borings within the city's right of way.
The goals of the Office of the City Engineer's Monitoring Well Program are:
- To permit the drilling, installation, and destruction of borings and wells within the city right of way.
- To educate the public regarding potential monitoring well hazards within the city right of way.
- To minimize any risks to public health with compliance in bringing deficient monitoring wells within the city right of way to proper standards.
These are accomplished by compliance with the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 40, Article XII, Sections 40-281 through 40-310.
What is a monitoring well?
Any mechanical device or monitoring well and its associated apparatus placed within a public street and designed and constructed to measure or monitor the quality or movement of foreign substances, elements, chemicals, fluids, or pollutants below the surface of the ground or any mechanical device, method, or apparatus, placed in a public street and designed and constructed to obtain a sample soil core boring from a depth of greater than one foot below the surface of the ground, to remove soil for environmental quality testing.
Generally, monitoring wells and borings are constructed to observe conditions at defined or required locations. Monitoring well locations are usually selected based on known or expected hydrologic, geologic, and water quality conditions and the location of pollutant or contaminant sources. Frequently, monitoring wells need to be located close to or within areas of pollution or contamination. Proper design and construction of monitoring wells are essential for acquiring reliable subsurface data and representative samples.
Document List
Permit Types
Bicycle Parking Station
An area on or projecting on any public R.O.W. upon which one or more bicycle racks may be affixed.
Bus shelter permit
For the construction and maintenance of bus pad and landing in the right of way for users of public transportation.
Emergency Excavation Permit (Street Cut Permit)
An excavation is an activity that cuts, penetrates, or bores under any portion of the public way which has been improved with a paved surface for street, sidewalk, surface drainage, or related publ
Encroachment Permit
Encroachments are defined as private uses into, upon, over, or under the City’s right-of-way (ROW).
Management District Agreement
The Maintenance Agreement is made between the City of Houston and the District where improvements benefit the City of Houston in public safety, security, business and economic development as well as beautification of Houston.
Monitoring Well & Environmental Test Boring Facility
Monitoring Well Program is designated by the City of Houston to administer and enforce city ordinances pertaining to the construction, alteration, maintenance, and destruction of monitoring wells and environmental soil borings within the City's R.O.W.
Paving Permit (Right of Way)
A Paving permit is granted for constructing/paving of public streets including new curb and gutters inside the City limits. In addition, this permit also covers the repair, improvement, and/or maintenance of an alley.
Pipeline Permit (Oil & Gas)
Pipeline companies are required to submit mapping information and obtain a permit ordinance to own, maintain, operate, acquire, construct, or extend a pipeline for the transportation or distribution of natural gas or liquids in a City street.
Scheduled Excavation Permit (Street Cut Permit/Steel Plate)
An excavation is an activity that cuts, penetrates, or bores under any portion of the public way which has been improved with a paved surface for street, sidewalk, surface drainage, or related publ
Storm Sewer Permit
Connection to the City storm sewer from inside the property; abandonment of sewer connection; replacement work in the city right-of-way.
Subdivision Identification Marker
A marker placed in the public right-of-way intended to identify a residential community or residential development with 50 or more platted single-family residential lots.
Contact
1002 Washington Avenue
Houston, Texas 77002
Encroachment: 832.394.9130, option 6
Monitoring Well Program: 832.394.9130, option 6
Pipeline Permit: 832.394.9130, option 6
Street Cut Excavation Permit: 832.394.9130, option 1
Storm and Paving Permit: 832.394.9130, option 3
8:00-4:00 p.m.
COMMON RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMITS
Street Cut Excavation
Performing any kind of excavation, removing or otherwise disturbing soil that cuts, penetrates, or bores under any part of the City R.O.W. that is from property line to property line.
Storm Sewer
Installation of a new storm sewer with appurtenances, modifications to existing storm sewer system and installation of roadside ditch culverts.
Encroachment
Private uses into, upon, over, or under the City’s ROW that covers tunnels, vaults, pedestrian walkways, basements, tiebacks, railroad spurs, utilities, high and low voltage circuits, cables, conduits, signs, tanks, balconies, canopies, etc.