Summit County, OH Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Chapter 903 of the Summit County Codified Ordinances, Permits For Road Opening, Moving and Drive Culverts, governs private work that touches the county road right of way. Section 903.01(a) sets a nonrefundable thirty-dollar fee for a road opening permit, payable to the County Engineer upon issuance. Section 903.01(b) conditions issuance on the County Engineer's authorization and on posting a bond of at least one hundred dollars, or a higher amount the Engineer specifies; a certified check or commercial performance bond satisfies the requirement, and a public utility may instead post an annual road opening surety bond of five thousand dollars.

Section 903.02 sets a fifty-dollar fee for a moving permit, needed to move a structure across a county road, subject to the County Executive's approval, and Section 903.03 sets a twenty-five-dollar fee for a drive culvert permit, also subject to Executive approval. Section 903.04 caps every permit issued under the chapter at one year from issuance unless the County Executive extends it. Section 903.05 places full financial responsibility on the permittee: these permits "shall be issued for all private improvements undertaken to benefit property, and all costs incurred for the materials and installation of any such improvements shall be the sole responsibility of the holder of such permit." In practice, a property owner who wants a driveway culvert, a utility tap or any other private cut into the county right of way has to get the County Engineer's permit and bond before starting the work.