Council approves updated right-of-way permitting rules after industry talks

The Jacksonville Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee on March 3 approved a substituted version of ordinance 2024-950 to change notice, bonding and inspection requirements for companies doing work in the city's rights of way.

The substitute adopted Wednesday was the industry's revision of a measure introduced by Councilmember Mike Gay. The committee approved the industry substitute by voice and then by recorded ballot, 7-0.

The adopted substitute establishes a new annual surety approach for utilities and other permittees, narrows residential driveway work to a lower bonding threshold, and reduces advance public-notice requirements while leaving the technical structure of construction engineering inspections to city permitting processes.

Councilmember Mike Gay, the bill sponsor, told the committee he introduced the issue to protect neighborhood road and sidewalk restorations and to improve public notice for affected properties. "This was created to protect our right of ways and our roads…