Public Services

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who maintains City sidewalks when they are broken or uplifted by tree roots?
• Who do I call for street repair…e.g., potholes?
• When are streets paved?
• Who do I call regarding depressed areas in my yard over utility lines?
• How can I get my street swept?
• How often are streets swept?
• Who do I call to have a catch basin or inlet cleaned out?
• Who do I call to have an inlet on my street repaired?
• If I have a hole developing in my yard, is it a sinkhole? Who do I call to find out?
• How do I get a ditch cleaned out?
• How often do they clean ditches?
• Who maintains the City's rights-of-way?
• Who takes care of the ponds and lakes within the City Of Clearwater?
• Who removes dead trees?
• How do I trim trees or who maintains the ones in my yard?
• How can I find information on a construction site?
• What can I do to help the City Of Clearwater?

Q:Who maintains City sidewalks when they are broken or uplifted by tree roots?

The Public Services Department has a supervisor with 11 employees that rotate the repairs, along with many other concrete related tasks or assigned duties.

Q:Who do I call for street repair…e.g., potholes?

The same supervisor that has the sidewalks crews also has two employees who repair all the asphalt potholes and patches throughout the City. We can be reached at (727) 562-4950.

Q:When are streets paved?

The Engineering Departmen creates a list annually of streets that are in need of repairs. This list is created through reports from our department, from other city departments, and from citizen input. Engineers evaluate the streets and rank them using structural criteria. Funding amounts are applied and a contract is developed for prospective asphalt contractors. The goal is that streets will be paved once every 10 - 15 years. The Engineering Department can be reached at (727) 562-4750.

Q:Who do I call regarding depressed areas in my yard over utility lines?

Our Public Services Department will be glad to assist in determining if it is our utilities that are causing the depression. The Public Services Department can be reached at (727) 562-4950.

Q:How can I get my street swept?

Please call our main office and we will put your street on the list.

Q:How often are streets swept?

The arterial or main roads are swept weekly; residential streets are swept quarterly.

Q:Who do I call to have a catch basin or inlet cleaned out?

Please call our Public Services Department at (727) 562-4950. We have two trucks assigned to the routine maintenance of stormwater catch basins and inlets.

Q:Who do I call to have an inlet on my street repaired?

Please call our Public Services Department at (727) 562-4950. We have a supervisor and a crew of 5 employees assigned to repair, replace, and maintain all the storm structures within the City Of Clearwater.

Q:If I have a hole developing in my yard, is it a sinkhole? Who do I call to find out?

Our Public Services Department will be glad to assist in determining if it is one of our utilities that are causing the depression. If we have no utilities that would cause such a problem, then call your homeowners insurance company. They can hire a geotechnical engineering firm to study the settlement.

Q:How do I get a ditch cleaned out?

You are welcome to call us at (727) 562-4950.

Q:How often do they clean ditches?

The Public Services Department has a supervisor, 2 mechanical slope mowers and 7 employees assigned to maintain our 400 miles of ditches. Each ditch is on our schedule for cleaning twice a year.

Q:Who maintains the City's rights-of-way?

The City Engineer, Mike Quillen, is the custodian of the City's rights-of-way. In concert with the City Engineer, the Public Services Director, Gary A. Johnson, directs his department to maintain the small and quick repairs. Larger repairs requiring special design are put out for bids for civil and utility contractors to build under the supervision of the Engineering Department's Construction Division.

Q:Who takes care of the ponds and lakes within the City Of Clearwater?

There are many involved in the maintenance of the water bodies located within the City Of Clearwater. Many lakes and ponds are private. However, the Southwest Florida Water Management District has jurisdiction over all of them. The City Of Clearwater's Engineering Department includes the Environmental and Stormwater Division that also regulates water body issues within the City. The Public Services Department has two employees that inspect the City's ponds for compliance issues. The Public Services Department also employs the use of heavy equipment and operators that will remove build-up of soils and vegetation when needed and permitted in city owned ponds.

Q:Who removes dead trees?

If the trees are within the City's rights-of-way or are on city property, the Public Services Department's Urban Forestry Division has certified arborists and other employees that are very well versed in proper tree maintenance.

Q:How do I trim trees or who maintains the ones in my yard?

Public Services Urban Forestry Division can assist you by providing informational pamphlets and verbal directions on pruning techniques.

Q:How can I find information on a construction site?

You can call the Engineering Department Construction Division at (727) 562-4750. You can also visit our City Projects area online.

Q:What can I do to help the City Of Clearwater?

We appreciate comments and concerns about the City. You are the extra eyes that see potential problems. The information you provide helps us schedule repairs and can facilitate new construction projects. As you drive by or through construction sites, slow down and watch out for the workers. Keep litter, leaves, and other types of debris out of the storm inlets, creeks, ponds, or any other bodies of water.