ACCESS TO AND OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE UTILITY SYSTEM AND EASEMENTS.
Raleigh City Code § 8-2012
in effectSec. 8-2012. - ACCESS TO AND OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE UTILITY SYSTEM AND EASEMENTS.
(a) No person shall open, enter into, place, or allow anything to be placed in any manhole, hydrant, valve box, meter box or any other appurtenances of the City's water or sanitary sewer system without written approval from the Raleigh Director of Public Utilities or his designee.
(b) No person shall damage, obstruct, or cover any manhole, hydrant, valve box, meter box or any other appurtenances of the City's water or sanitary sewer system.
(c) No person shall plant trees, shrubs, or other plants within a water or sewer easement without prior written approval from the Raleigh Director of Public Utilities or his designee. Shallow-rooted ground cover material may be planted and maintained within the easement area provided that all risk of damage to any such improvements caused by maintenance or repair of the sewer line and appurtenant facilities shall be with the property owner. Further, the City is authorized to remove and keep removed from the easement all trees, vegetation, and other obstructions as necessary to maintain, repair or protect the sanitary sewer line or lines and appurtenances.
(d) No person shall place any part of a structure or any permanent equipment within a water or sewer easement without prior written approval from the Raleigh Director of Public Utilities or his designee.
(e) Any unapproved structure, equipment, or landscaping located within a water or sewer easement, that limits access in the event of an emergency, will be removed by the Raleigh Department of Public Utilities at the property owner's expense. In times of nonemergency, property owners will be notified to remove unapproved structures, equipment, or landscaping located within a water or sewer easement within forty-five (45) days of notice. Any structures, equipment, or landscaping not removed by the property owner within the specified time, may be removed by the Raleigh Department of Public Utilities at the property owner's expense.
(f) Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and in addition may be punished under §8-2014 of the City Code.
(Ord. No. 1985-543, §11, 4-16-85; Ord. No. 1999-658, §1, 10-19-99; Ord. No. 2014-262, §13, 1-21-14, eff. 1-26-14)
Source: City of Raleigh, North Carolina, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/raleigh/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=DIVIICOGEOR_PT8PUUT_CH2WASESE_ARTAGEPR_S8-2012ACOBUTSYEAFetched: 11/1/2026