The Engineering Department provides engineering assistance to the public and other town departments concerning town roads, street lines, town rights of way and easements, sanitary sewers, floodplain management and stormwater issues. The Department, together with town land records in the Town Clerk’s Office, maintains records for most roads, sewers and many other parts of the town’s infrastructure and is the local community map repository for FEMA Flood Insurance Maps. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Septic System Pumpouts
The Department issues permits for the town pumpout service for those mainland residences which do not have sanitary sewer service available to them. Any mainland residential property which does not have sanitary sewer service available to it is entitled to one pumpout of their septic tank every three (3) calendar years. A permit is valid for one year from date of issuance. No gray water tanks or cisterns are eligible for pumpout. Permits are purchased at the Department in Town Hall or via email to: engineering@branford-ct.gov for $25.00. After purchase, the property owner is responsible for uncovering the septic tank cover and calling the designated vendor to be put on the schedule for non-emergency cleaning. Emergency or weekend service is not provided. The Town does not maintain records for septic systems. Records may be available from the East Shore District Health Department, 688 East Main Street, Suite 1-West, Branford. Tel. 481-4233.
Road Excavation permits
The Department issues permits for any excavation within the town highway limits, whether within the pavement, on the town Right-of-Way outside the pavement, or within town easements. Excavation within a town road requires a minimum $2000 cash bond to be posted to insure protection of the excavation and to provide funds for the town to perform final patching of the excavation. In addition, a certificate of insurance is required listing the Town as an additional named insured to insure all liability for the excavation is covered by the excavator’s insurance. As required by state law, a current call before you dig notification shall also be provided. Finally, a $45.00 excavation fee is payable to the Town of Branford prior to the issuance of the permit. The permit holder is responsible for scheduling town inspections during excavations. Permit applications can be submitted at the Department in Town Hall, mailed to: Engineering Department, PO Box 150, Branford, CT 06405 or via email: engineering@branford-ct.gov . Excavation Permit Application here
Sanitary Sewer Connection Permits
The Department maintains records of all sanitary sewer installations in town. In order to insure the integrity of the sanitary sewer system and to protect the town’s substantial investment in this portion of our infrastructure, any work done on the system or connection to the system, including repairs or modifications, requires a permit issued by the Department. All connections done must be performed by licensed professionals holding a P-1, P-7 or W-9 license as issued by the State of Connecticut and who must also provide a certificate of listing the Town of Branford as an additional named insured. The current fee for the permit is $2.00. Permit applications can be submitted at the Department in Town Hall, mailed to: Engineering Department, PO Box 150, Branford, CT 06405 or via email: engineering@branford-ct.gov . Sewer Permit Application here
Floodplain Management Permit
The Department administers the town’s Floodplain Management Ordinance. This ordinance regulates all activities within the federally designated flood zones, and because the town has these regulations, residents are allowed to purchase federally sponsored flood insurance. Any alteration or improvement of property, whether land or buildings, within the 100 year floodplain, requires a permit. The flood hazard zones are established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and therefore the Town of Branford cannot provide residents with a flood zone determination for a specific property. We do provide the public with access to maps and documents to assist you here. The Town also does not issue elevation certificates for properties in flood hazard zones. Please contact a licensed surveyor if you need an elevation certificate. Floodplain permits are normally processed with any building permit application and have no fee.
The Floodplain Regulations can substantially impact any plans you may have for properties within the 100 year floodplain.The Floodplain management Ordinance can be found in Chapter 161 of the Town Charter Floodplain Ordinance here. Please contact us early in any planning process for improvements to your property. We will be happy to meet with you to discuss the impacts of these regulations on your project. Please call the office to setup an appointment to meet with the Town Engineer.
Stormwater Management
The Department is managing the federally mandated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. Municipalities must produce a stormwater management plan and undertake measures to manage stormwater and work to improve stormwater quality. Mapping of the town’s stormwater system is an ongoing project and along with other departments, we are working to meet the goals set in the plan. Continued public participation is necessary for the success of the program and interested citizens are invited to contact the department for further information. Click here for more informtion: Stormwater Management
Call Before You Dig
The Department processes all “Call Before You Dig” requests for excavations within Branford. This includes review of excavation notifications and markouts of sanitary sewers and important stormwater facilities to protect these portions of the town’s infrastructure from damage during excavations. We do not mark out private property improvements or connections. For your own protection, care should be taken to insure that no utilities are impacted in any excavation, no matter how small. Any markouts by the Department will be in our designated color of green.
Other Services
Many other records are maintained and other services are provided by the Department. Please contact us for further information or if you have any questions. If we cannot help you, we will try to find the proper department to help you. Unfortunately, engineering services specifically related to individual private properties or disputes between adjoiners most often require the services of a consulting engineer and/or land surveyor. The town does not provide engineering or survey services for private properties which are unrelated to town infrastructure. If you are unsure, please contact us and we will advise you if we can help.
