Section 6101.20. Plan requiring building, modification, removal, or rebuilding of bridge, grade, or aqueduct

When the official plan provided for in section 6101.13 of the Revised Code requires the building, modification, removal, or rebuilding of any bridge, grade, aqueduct, or other construction, and a hearing upon the report of the board of appraisers of the conservancy district has been had and a final order issued by the court for appraisals and assessments affecting such constructions, the owner of said bridge, grade, aqueduct, or other structure shall be bound to make such changes or adjustments within the time specified in the official plan, or within the time directed by the court, which time shall be a reasonable one under all the circumstances. In case such changes or adjustments are not made, the board of directors of the conservancy district may make such adjustments or removals. If the change or improvement of a natural watercourse is made necessary by the insufficiency of the bridge or other structure to permit the water of the stream to pass through it in times of high water, the work of altering or removing said bridge or other structure shall be at the expense of the owner. Before the removal or modification of any works outlined in this section, the board of directors shall give thirty days' notice to the owner of such bridge or such construction that the same be adapted to the plans. In case the owner of any bridge or other structure objects to the modification or removal of such bridge or other structure on the ground that the cost of the modification or removal will be greater than the benefits resulting from such removal, a hearing shall be had before the court of common pleas having the original case, and if such contention is sustained, such modification or removal shall not be required.

The board of directors shall have full power and authority to improve in alignment, section, grade, or in any other manner any watercourse, and it may require the removal, widening, lengthening, deepening, raising, or other change of any public or private road bridge or railroad bridge or any aqueduct or telephone, telegraph, gas, oil, sewer, or water or other pipe lines or any other construction over, along, across, under, or through such watercourse. In case such change is made necessary in any such structure by the failure of such bridge or other structure to permit the free flow of water in such stream in time of flood, then the owner of any such construction shall make such change without cost to the district, or without any claim for damages against the district, except that the district shall pay the cost of excavating the earth for the enlargement of any channel or for placing earth for the filling of any channel where such excavation or filling is required as a part of plans of the district in making the changes outlined in this section. The district shall not be required to make such fill or excavation unless it would be necessary to the plans of the district if the bridge or other construction did not exist.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953