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ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STAFF:
Amy Ries, P.E.
City Engineer
(8915)838-0549
aries@lockport.org
Amy Wagner
Assistant Engineer
(815)838-0549
awagner@lockport.org
Bob Weir
Engineering Technician
(815)838-0549
bweir@lockport.org
Jeni Lopez
Administrative Asst. for Engineering/Public Works
Departments
(815) 838-0549, ext. 2308
jlopez@lockport.org
Kaylynn Bown
Secretary for Engineering/Public Works
Departments
(815) 838-0549, ext. 2303
jlopez@lockport.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Is my final grading approved?
Before calling the City, check with your builder to verify
that the final survey has been submitted. If the survey has been
submitted, your next step would be to contact the Building Department to check
the status of the survey. When the Building Department receives the survey
from the builder, it is sent to the Engineering Department. The
Engineering Department has 5 working days to review the survey and make a field
inspection. The survey is then marked "Rejected" or
"Approved." If the survey is rejected, it is up to the builder
to correct the problems and submit a new survey. The Engineering
Department will not make another inspection until a new survey is received.
My final grading is not approved. Why can't I
install a fence/pool/shed?
The Engineering Department spends a lot of time and energy
to ensure that final grading is performed per the approved plan. If the final
grading is not constructed per the approved plan, it will be rejected and the
builder will be required to correct any deficiencies. It is very important that
the homeowner does nothing to disturb their yard prior to approval of the final
grading. If the yard is disturbed or altered, it becomes very difficult
for us to force the builder to correct any problems. If the disturbance is
caused by the homeowner, the builder will refuse to correct the problem. We
advise homeowners not to do any landscaping or install any items in their yards
until the final grading survey is approved.
Has my landscaping been approved and when will I
receive my refund?
Questions regarding landscaping refunds can be answered by
the Building Department. Refunds are mailed on a monthly basis and usually take
4 to 6 weeks to process.
Do you have a list of survey benchmarks?
The City of Lockport utilizes FEMA and Will County
benchmarks. Benchmark information can also be obtained from the National
Geodetic Survey at www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_county.prl,
select Illinois and Will County.
I want to re-grade my yard. Do I need a
permit?
A Grading Permit can be obtained through the Building
Department. The City will not allow any grade changes to be made at the
property lines without submitting a complete plan for approval.
My neighbor's sump pump is discharging onto my
property. How can I make them stop this?
The City of Lockport does not have any ordinances
regarding sump pump discharges, as long as the hoses stay on the owner's
property. We would encourage you to work with your neighbor to resolve any
issues pertaining to sump pumps. Some suggestions would be to run the sump
pump into the storm structure or out to the street. The City will provide
technical assistance to homeowners who want to correct these problems.
I want to tie my sump pump into the storm structure
in my rear yard. Do I need a permit?
Many homeowners prefer to tie their sump pumps into rear
yard storm sewers. You will not need a permit to perform this work;
however, the tie-in to the storm sewer will need to be inspected. To
schedule an inspection, please contact the Engineering Department a minimum of one
day ahead of time.
I am experiencing a drainage problem. What do
I do next?
Subdivisions are designed to convey stormwater through
storm sewer and overland flow routes to the detention ponds. Many lots are
designed with swales through the side yards and rear yards to collect storm
water run-off. These areas are designed to be wet during storms. If these
areas are wet or soggy during and immediately after rainfalls, then dry up
within several days, they are operating correctly. If the areas remain wet for
weeks after the last rainfall, there may be a drainage problem. It is important
that homeowners do not obstruct overland flow routes or swales with landscaping,
sandboxes, sheds, or other items. If the swales are obstructed, it may cause
standing water in the yard or lead to other drainage problems.
Is my property in a floodplain?
FEMA determines if a property is in a floodplain.
FEMA regularly publishes maps that show the location of floodplain. The
City has a set of maps for the public to view. The maps may be viewed at
the Engineering Department office. Please call ahead. If you want
more information, you may go to FEMA's website, www.fema.gov.
Please read below for flood protection information.
The City of
Lockport’s Engineering Department is working with FEMA (Federal Emergency
Management Agency) to try to help property owners prepare for flooding
occurrences, particularly those properties that reside in a floodplain.
Floodplains play a
valuable role in the community. They preserve open space and provide a habitat
for plants and wildlife. The natural vegetation provides filtering of
impurities and uses excess nutrients. Floodplains
ensure adequate storage of flood waters in the event of a flood, helping to
reduce the severity of a flood. They also maintain water quality by allowing
sediment to settle out. The City
of Lockport has several drainage areas: the
I&M Canal, Milne Creek, Fiddyment Creek, Fraction Run Creek, and Big Run
Creek. All of these drainage
areas lead to the DesPlaines River or Sanitary Ship Canal. If an extremely
heavy storm event occurs, water from these sources may overflow from the
creeks and flood adjacent properties. If your property is adjacent to any of
these drainage areas, you may be susceptible to flooding. If you are in a
floodplain, the odds are that someday your property will be damaged.
This information
will provide you with some ideas of what you can do to protect yourself and
your home.
Flood
Information
The
City of Lockport offers floodplain map information at the Community
Development Center located at 921 S. State Street.
To view the maps or obtain copies please phone the office of the City
Engineer at (815)838-0549 ext 1141. Our
business hours are 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Flood maps
and flood protection references are also available at the DesPlaines Valley
Library, Lockport Branch on Hamilton Street. The City would like to remind
everyone that flood insurance is mandatory if building in the floodplain and
using a federally regulated/insured bank mortgage. If requested, Engineering
staff will visit a property, free of charge, to review its flooding or
drainage problem and suggest ways to minimize flooding or reduce flood damage.
Contact the Engineering Department at (815)838-0456, option 4.
What
You Can Do:
Several
of the City’s efforts rely on your cooperation. Here is how you can help: Do
not dump or throw anything into ditches or streams. Dumping in a ditch or
drainage way is a violation of City Ordinance. Even grass clippings and
branches can plug channels and prevent proper drainage. Every piece of trash
contributes to flooding. If your property is next to a ditch or stream, please
help keep the banks clear of brush and debris. Public Works can remove major
blockages, such as downed trees. If you see dumping or debris in the ditches
or streams, contact Public Works at 838-1705.
Always check with the Engineering Department before you build on,
alter, re-grade or fill in your property. A permit may be needed to ensure
that projects do not cause problems on other properties. A permit is always
needed prior to any development in the floodplain. If you see building or
filling without a permit posted, contact the Building Department, at 838-0456,
option 5. Check out the following tips on floodproofing, insurance and safety.
Floodproofing
There are several different ways to protect a building from flood damage.
Retrofitting (altering your building to eliminate or reduce flood
damage) measures include:
Elevation – This involves raising the
house so that the lowest floor is above the flood protection level.
Relocation – Moving a building out of the
flood area is the surest way to protect it from a flood.
Floodwalls – They work to keep water from
reaching your home by constructing barriers out of fill or concrete between
the building and the flood water.
Dry Flood-proofing – Makes the building
walls and floor watertight so water does not enter.
Wet Flood-proofing – Modifies the structure
and relocates the contents so that when floodwaters enter the building there
is little or no damage.
Alterations
to your building or land may require a permit from the Building Department.
Re-grading or filling in the floodplain requires a permit.
Please call the Building Department at (815)838-0549 option 5 with any
questions.
Flood Insurance
There is a 26% chance that your home will be flooded during the life of a 30
year mortgage. If you don’t have flood insurance, talk to your insurance
agent. Homeowner policies do not typically cover flood damage. However,
because Lockport participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can
purchase a separate flood policy. This insurance is backed by the federal
government and available to everyone, even properties that have been flooded.
There is a 30-day waiting period before it goes into effect. Some people
purchase flood insurance as a requirement of their mortgage or home
improvement loan. Usually these policies only cover the building’s structure
and not the contents. During the kind of flooding that occurs in Lockport,
there is more damage to the furniture and contents than to the structure. If
you have flood insurance coverage, check the amount and make sure you have
content coverage. Remember, even if the last flood missed you, the next one
could be worse. Flood insurance
covers all surface floods. Also, if your property is not located within a
floodplain, it doesn’t hurt to check your homeowner’s insurance policy to
check if you have sewer backup coverage.
If not, you may want to consider adding it to your policy.
Flood Preparedness
There are many things that can be
done to prepare for a flood. Read
the flood safety instructions which follow:
Ø
Talk to your insurance agent about your coverage.
Inquire about flood and sewer backup insurance.
Ø
Prepare a list of emergency telephone numbers, including your
insurance agent. Make copies and
keep them in your car, at work, and at a friend’s house.
Ø
Assemble the supplies you will need for cleanup and recovery.
Keep them in a safe place.
Ø
Make a record of all your personal property.
Go through your house room by room and record household inventories.
Take photographs and videotapes.
Ø
Put photographs of inventory records, insurance policies,
deeds, automobile titles, wills, telephone numbers, bank and credit card account
numbers, and other valuable papers at a location away from your house, such as a
safe deposit box.
Ø
Prepare a flood response plan that will help you think
through all the details that demand attention after a flood watch or warning is
issued. Writing it down will help
you remember everything, which is especially important when you are in a hurry
and excited because a flood is coming.
Ø
Identify two places where family members can meet if you are
split up – one place in the neighborhood and another place that is sure to be
high and dry and out of the flood area.
Ø
If you know a flood is coming, you should shut off the gas
and electricity and move valuable contents upstairs.
Flood Safety
The
City of Lockport alerts its residents when there is a flash flood watch or
warning. Flash floods can be very
dangerous, occurring when water accumulates so rapidly that it cannot be
absorbed by the ground or accommodated by storm sewers.
Flood waters can move rapidly, carrying away anything in its path and can
create areas of deep standing water. During
a Flash Flood Watch, residents should stay aware of the weather and take
necessary precautions if conditions worsen. Please
remember the following safety tips the next time the Lockport area is hit by a
big storm or flood.
Do not walk through flowing water. Drowning is the number one
cause of flood deaths. Currents can be deceptive; six inches of moving water can
knock you off your feet. If you walk in standing water, use a pole or stick to
ensure that the ground is still there.
Do
not swim in detention ponds. This could be very dangerous to small children who might get
caught in the drainage grates and pulled under water or seriously injured.
Do not drive through a flooded area.
More people drown in their cars than anywhere else. Never drive around road
barriers- the road or bridge may be washed out
Keep
children away from flood waters, ditches, culverts and storm drains. Flood
waters have picked up sewage and chemicals from roads, farms, factories and
storage buildings. Remember that a
child can drown in as little as 2” of water.
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.
The number two flood killer is electrocution. Electrical current can travel
through water. Report downed power lines to the power company or the City.
Have your electricity turned off by the power company.
Some appliances, such as television sets, keep electrical charges even after
they are unplugged. Don’t use appliances or motors that have gotten wet unless
they have been taken apart, cleaned and dried.
Watch for animals, especially snakes.
Small animals flooded out of their homes may seek shelter in yours. Use a pole
or stick to poke, turn things over and scare away small animals.
Look before you step.
After a flood, the ground and floors are covered with slippery mud and debris,
including broken bottles and nails.
Be alert for gas leaks.
Use a flashlight to inspect for damage. Don’t smoke or use candles, lanterns
or open flames unless you know the gas has been turned off and the area has been
ventilated.
Carbon monoxide exhaust kills.
Use
a generator or other gasoline powered machines outdoors.
The same goes for camping stoves. Fumes
from charcoal are especially deadly – cook
with charcoal only outdoors.
Clean
everything that has been wet. Flood waters are contaminated with
chemicals and sewage. Spoiled food,
cosmetics and medicines are health hazards. WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT.
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