Drainage Assistance Pilot Program
Over the years, as development has occurred in unincorporated Marin County, culvert pipes were installed within natural water courses. In most cases, these pipes were installed to simply provide all-weather road access to the development. In other, more rare cases, long stretches of natural water courses were buried in pipes to provide larger areas for building purposes. In either case, these culvert pipes improvements can deteriorate over time and, if not properly repaired, can create significant problems to downstream properties. These culvert pipes are predominantly located within private property and are the private property owner’s responsibility to maintain. However, costs to properly repair deteriorating culverts may be prohibitive and therefore, simply not done, which can heighten risks of damage to public infrastructure.
To help reduce the risk of damage from these deteriorating culvert pipes, the County Board of Supervisors has authorized the Marin County Department of Public Works to initiate a pilot Private Property Drainage Assistance Program and has set aside $400,000 in one-time allocations for this pilot program. This pilot program aims to provide financial assistance, up to 50% of the cost of improvements and shall no case exceed $50,000, for homeowners to repair their drainage facilities on their private property that serves the public interest. Projects must meet certain eligibility criteria and conditions to participate in this program.