Sidewalk permits are required to be obtained prior to modifying, repairing, or constructing a sidewalk along the county road right-of-way.  This process has been developed to ensure the concrete or asphalt sidewalk is completed in a way that ensures a high level of safety as well as adequate construction standards.

Some residents may ask "Why would I repair the public sidewalk in front of my property?  Shouldn't the County do that?"  The answer to those types of questions is found in Oregon Revised Statute 368.910 which makes the abutting property owner responsible for the maintenance and repair of sidewalks.  Therefore, poor sidewalk condition may warrant repair to minimize hazards.  Our permit fee may be waived in certain circumstances as indicated below.

Do I Need This Permit?

Common examples of when to obtain a permit include:

• Adding a new sidewalk along a county road
• Repairing a damaged section of sidewalk
• Replacing a section of sidewalk

Summary of Process

How to Start - Call us or come into our office with the information noted in the 2nd bullet of the 'Steps' section below.

Steps

• Contact Roads to ensure your sidewalk is along a county road (as opposed to city or state)
• Make application for the permit in person at our office or over the phone.  Necessary information includes:
  • Name and mailing address of current property owner (or written authorization from property owner to contractor)
  • Sidewalk location information such as address, 'next-to' address, or other identifying marking(s)
  • Daytime telephone number
  • Legal description (township, range, section, and tax lot number)
• Sign a 'signature page' which is your authorization to proceed through the permitting process (sample form can be viewed from the PDF link below)
• Pay the fee associated with this permit (cash, check, or credit card including over the phone)
• Your permit application will then be sent to an Inspector who will determine construction requirements.  This step may take several days depending on workload and complexity of the application.
• If approved, your permit will then be mailed to you (or faxed if you prefer).
• An on-site conference with the Inspector and approved permit in possession is required prior to any construction work. 
• NOTE: When a permit is issued and includes referenced plans provided by the permit applicant and prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer, the permit applicant shall retain the stamping engineer as the Engineer of Record (EOR) for the work covered by the permit.  If the stamping engineer is not retained by the permit applicant, other arrangements will have to be made by the permit applicant to provide an alternate EOR.  The arrangements for an alternate EOR must be approved by the County Engineer.

Fee(s) - $318.00 (subject to change during annual fee update process).  NOTE: Fee may be waived in certain repair circumstances where property owners are trying to fix hazards which are not directly caused by negligence (such as driving heavy equipment over an unprotected sidewalk causing it to crumble).

Timing - the initial office work or phone call may take 15 minutes or so.  It then takes several days up to two weeks to consider your application with the end goal to issue you a permit.   Your work can begin once you have your permit in hand and the permitted work needs to be completed within 60 days; extensions may be considered in certain circumstances.

Tips & Tricks

• Be sure to start the process well ahead of when you want the construction to be completed.
• Gather necessary information before you come into our office or call - see details above.
• You can obtain this permit and complete it fully without having to come into our office - by paying with a credit card the entire process can be completed using things like phone/mail/fax.
• Don't forget to "Call Before You Dig" - safety first!

Forms/Documents/Drawings

Standard specification drawings are on our website.

Below you will also find the following:

• Sample Signature Page - you will need to sign this form when we provide it to you to authorize the permit.  It will become a part of the permit file.