Engineering Department

Mission Statement

To plan, document, and oversee the sustainable development of our community's public infrastructure with professionalism and integrity. We are dedicated to providing reliable technical support to city departments and safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of our residents by ensuring high-quality, long-lasting construction.

General Information

The Engineering Division of the Department of Public Works oversees a number of different permits and offers a variety of services. 

PERMITS

RIGHT OF WAY & TRENCH

• Issue Right-Of-Way Permits for proposed construction activities within public Right-Of-Ways.
• Issue Trench Permits for any proposed trench to be opened within the City (this includes all private and public property).
• The Right-Of-Way & Trench Permit Manual contains valuable information relative to the city's specifications and standards.
• Prepare or review and approve all plans to construct, extend or improve a roadway or sidewalk or install utilities within any right-of-way.

OBSTRUCTIONS

• Issue Obstruction permits for items in the public right of way, such as but not limited to dumpster, storage container, lift, and scaffolding.

SEWER & DRAIN

• Issue permits to construct, repair, extend or connect to the municipal sanitary sewer or storm water drain system per approved plans.
• The required permit will only be issued to an individual who is officially approved and licensed by the City.
• The list of Licensed And Bonded Drainlayers is available in the Engineering office. Please view our Drainlayer's Information page for additional forms and information.
• Perform all necessary field investigations required for associated plan reviews and inspections for  sanitary sewer and storm drain main installation and service connections.
• There is a charge for Sewer and Drain permits.
• You can obtain data relative to the location of your sanitary sewer service connection, if available. 

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW

• The Development Review Filing Process And Application is available on-line.
• A site plan is required for all commercial or industrial projects, including renovation to an existing building; for all new residential dwellings; and for renovation of a residential dwelling when the number of units is to be increased or decreased and/or municipal utilities are to be changed. 
• Review all proposed subdivision, special permit, and site plans relative to engineering design and City standards and requirements.

EMERGENCY ROAD OPENING MORATORIUM REQUEST (EROM)

• The EROM request is available on-line.
• This request is required to be presented to city council when an applicant petitions the city to excavate a road that has been paved within the last five years

STREET ACCEPTANCE PERMIT

• The request to Accept, Discontinue, Name, Rename, or Alter a street can be found here.

SERVICES

ADDRESSES

• Assign all street numbers (addresses) to all dwellings, tenements and buildings in the City.
• You can obtain or verify your legal street number (address).

PLANS

• Have charge and custody of all maps, plans and surveys of all right-of-ways, subdivisions, sidewalks, bridges, landings, sanitary sewers, storm water drains, dams, reservoirs and other public land, works and structures.
• You can obtain a copy of your property parcel (plot plan).
• (There is a charge for reproduction costs.)

RIGHT OF WAY DATA

• Obtain information relative to Right of Ways within the city such as status, spelling, and other record data

Relative to Floodplain, Flood Zone and Flood Map – we assist the public as follows:

• Help with whether a site is in or out of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), as
  shown on the current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for Haverhill.
• Provide additional flood insurance data for a site such as the FIRM Zone, Base Flood
  Elevation (BFE) or floodway, if shown on the FIRM.
• Produce a copy of Elevation Certificate, if available.
• Additional Flood Map Information can be found via the following links:
  • National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) – FloodSmart
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)
• Merrimack River Gauge Data at Haverhill
  • NOAA National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
  • USGS Station Number 01100693