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1. What is the purpose of the cameras on the signal at Center Street & Payne Street?

The cameras you see at this intersection are solely for detecting the presence of vehicles and provides optimum signal timing for the intersection.  Other signals utilize in-ground induction loops that are cut into the roadway pavement, such as the signals along Broadway.  The camera option avoids the need for the installation of devices within the pavement surface.

2. Why are the cameras mounted above the signal lights?

The mounting position allows for a better angle so the camera has a better view of the lanes of traffic.

3. Does anyone watch me through the camera?

There is no surveillance and images are not archived from the camera.  The images are only used for the time it takes the signal to process the traffic loading on the roadway segments during the signal phase.  The cameras do not produce an image that is of high enough quality to read license plates nor to identify drivers of vehicles.  

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1. Who is responsible for removing diseased trees in the boulevards?

It is the property owner’s responsibility to remove the diseased trees in their adjacent boulevard area. The city did remove some Ash trees in boulevards through DNR grants, but the city did not receive grant money this year for more removals.

2. Who removes the stumps in the boulevards?

The City of New Ulm, Street Department will remove stumps in the boulevard after the tree is removed by the property owner.

3. Do you need a tree removal permit for removing diseased trees in the boulevard?

Yes, all property owners are required to get a tree removal permit to remove any tree in the boulevard. There is no fee for the permit. The permit helps us track where stumps need to be removed by the street department, it also helps us track what kind of tree has been removed and for what reason. Tree Planting, Pruning and Removal Permits can be completed online or obtained at the City Hall Engineering Department by stopping in or calling (507) 359-8245.

4. Is there reimbursement money for diseased trees?

Yes, there is reimbursement money for boulevard and private yard diseased trees.

Boulevard trees have a reimbursement of half the cost of removal up to a maximum reimbursement of $75.00 per diseased tree.  Private yard trees have a reimbursement of one-third the cost of removal up to a maximum reimbursement of $50.00 per diseased tree. (see note)

NOTE:

• Reimbursements for boulevard trees is limited to three trees per property per calendar year unless the property has multiple street frontages (corner houses), in which case the limit of reimbursement will be six trees per calendar year.
• Reimbursement for private yard trees is limited to three trees per property per calendar year.
• The city requires a contractors billing invoice to give a reimbursement. The city will not reimburse for trees where the property owner removes the tree(s) themselves or does not have a billing invoice.

5. Who to contact with questions?

City of New Ulm, Engineering Department at (507) 359-8245

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1. Where is the sanitary sewer service located?

The City of New Ulm Engineering Department can provide an ESTIMATED location of the sewer service based on the original record drawings. The sewer service can be televised and located by a plumber who has specialty equipment to provide this service. Along with locating the sewer service, the plumber can inspect the sewer service to see the condition of the pipes.

Under New Ulm Public Utilities (NUPU) Regulations, the sanitary sewer service is the responsibility of the property owner from the house to the connection at the City sewer main.

2. Does the home have a sump pump? Is it draining properly?

If the home has a sump pump, check to make sure it is not draining into the sanitary sewer system. The discharge must run from a permanently installed discharge line from the interior of the home to the exterior of the home, draining to the City storm water system.

Click this link to view New Ulm’s Sump Pump Inspection FAQs.

3. Where is my water service located?

NUPU regulations state that the property owner is responsible for the water service from the house to the curb stop. Identifying where the curb stop for the property is will tell you where and how long the water service is to the home.

4. Whose responsibility are repairs to a home’s water service?

Water service repair is the responsibility of the homeowner. The homeowner’s responsibility is from the home up to the curb stop. The New Ulm Public Utilities’ responsibility is from the curb stop to the City water main.

The property owner shall maintain accessibility and proper grade of the curb stop riser box. Proper grade is defined as flush with finished grade to no more than 4 inches below finished grade. If grade is adjusted by New Ulm Public Utilities, the property owner could be billed for adjustment to grade, correction to operable vertical position, and/or relocation in conformance with local and state requirements.

5. Where is the water shut-off valve in the house?

On all water services up to 1 inch, there shall be a lock wing valve on the inlet side of the meter, and a gate valve on the outlet side of the meter. A water meter which is 1½ inches or larger in size is required to have a bypass water line. The property owner has the responsibility to keep water shut-off valves operable and accessible at all times.

6. What is the hardness of water in New Ulm?

New Ulm’s water hardness averages 511 ml/L or 30 grains/gallon.

7. What is the size of my electrical service? Does it have fuses or breakers?

Your Realtor or real estate agent can tell you the service size and if the house has fuses or breakers.

If you wish to make changes, such as upgrading your electric service or burying your overhead power lines, contact the Electric Department office: 507-359-8295 or 507-233-2110, Ext. 420.

Click this link for information on how to Install, Change or Upgrade Your Utility Service.

8. Are there functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the home?

To check smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, push the test button. If no sound, change the battery and then recheck. Also, check the dates of the detectors. If the smoke detector is 10 years old or older, it needs to be replaced. Carbon monoxide detectors vary from five to 10 years for replacement. If there is no date, replace.

Click this link to view Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips.

9. The natural gas appliances are not working; who should I call?

Call the Gas Department at 507-359-8264 during business hours or 877-868-3636 anytime. A technician will come to make sure that the regulator and meter are operating property. If they are operating properly, the homeowner will need to call a repair person to fix the appliance. If work needs to be done on the gas line after the meter, a licensed plumber will need to be called.

Click here to view more information on this topic: Gas appliance problems? Call us first!

10. Are there any rebates for replacing appliances?

If an appliance, like a refrigerator, is 15 years old or older it may be time to replace it with an efficient Energy Star appliance. Some appliances that are Energy Star rated can save a up to 30% energy compared to non-Energy Star certified appliances. New Energy Star certified appliances may qualify for a rebate from New Ulm Public Utilities.

If the age and condition of an appliance is unknown, try looking for the model number on the appliance. Locating a model number is not difficult. It is generally located on a paper sticker or a metal plate attached to the appliance. If it cannot be located, try locating a user manual that may have been left by the past owner. A model number can help aid in finding the age of the appliance and its energy consumption.

Click here to apply for Energy Star appliance rebates: New Ulm’s Residential Rebates.

For more information on the rebates we offer, call us at 507-233-2110, Ext. 401.

11. What is the condition of the furnace/air conditioner? Are there rebates available?

To verify the condition of a furnace/boiler or air conditioner, it is best to contact a professional HVAC technician and have them checked and cleaned. Once checked and cleaned, the technician will be able to verify the condition of the units.

New Ulm Public Utilities offers rebates for a check and clean for both furnace/boilers and air conditioning units. Call New Ulm Public Utilities at (507) 233-2110, Ext. 401 for rebate information.

Click here to apply for a furnace/boiler or air conditioner rebate: New Ulm’s Residential Rebates.

12. What are the past average utility bills for my home?

As a potential homeowner, you can request your Realtor or real estate agent to obtain information on past utility bills for the property. Be aware, however, that the usage from one family to the next could be drastically different due to lifestyle and members in a household.

13. How and where do I change the utilities into my name after I purchase the home?

Your utility account can be set up using the online form process found on the City website (www.newulmmn.gov) or in person at City Hall, 100 North Broadway, New Ulm, Minnesota. Please allow a 72-hour notice for the request to be processed and the meters read.

Click here to learn how to start up your utility account for your new home: Start/Stop Service

14. What type of insulation is in the house? Is the attic insulated?

Insulation in the home is an important part of having an energy-efficient home and the ability to maintain a nice, even temperature in the home. Inquire as to what R-value is in the walls and in the attic.

15. What is my property zoned?

Zoning information is available on the City of New Ulm GIS site.  Or you may call the Building Safety department at 507-359-8245 for all zoning questions.

16. What are my property setbacks?

Property setback information is available by calling the Building Safety Department at 507-359-8245.

17. How do I identify my property lines?

The City of New Ulm Engineering Department can provide guidance on how homeowners can find their property lines. The Engineering Department does not locate property pins and does not have licensed land surveyors to set property pins. A licensed surveyor would need to be hired by the homeowner to find and document all property lines. For more information, contact our Engineering Department at 507-359-8380.

18. Are there any easements on my property?

To inquire about any pending assessments on a property, contact the City of New Ulm Engineering Department at 507-359-8380.

For existing assessments in the payoff period, an assessment search can be requested from the City Hall Finance Department at 507-359-8259. There is a $40 charge for the certificate. Please allow two to five days to complete. The Brown County Recorder’s Office will also have this information available.

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1. Why it is important to locate property lines?

Before performing any construction on your property, including building a fence, deck, gazebo, shed, garage or an addition to your house, it is necessary to establish where your lot lines are located. This provides evidence the building inspector needs to verify that a project is within the setback required by both zoning laws and building codes. Building inside setback areas or over wrongly assumed property lines may result in moving or dismantling your project. This can be costly and time consuming.  If you don’t know the location of the property line, you can investigate by using one or more of the methods described below. The City of New Ulm does not provide the service of locating property lines.  

Property lines often are casually delineated by where you and your neighbors mow lawns, plant flower beds or maintain fences. These borders may not be the property lines. Even if your neighbor agrees that this is the property line, problems can arise when either property is sold, or property lines are found not to be where they had been assumed to be located. Do not assume that utility poles or boxes mark property line locations or that the sidewalk edge is the property line. Also, street curbs are almost never located at the property line.

2. How to locate property lines.

The first step in finding your property lines is to determine the dimensions of your lot. You may be able to obtain this information from your deed or a plat map obtainable from the City Engineering Department or Brown County Recorder. If you are able to obtain a combination of this information, you can measure from the roadway curbs to find the property line. Use caution when using this method as this is assumed information that the roadway was constructed exactly centered within the platted City right-of-way. 

The next step is to locate the survey pins, if they exist. Often these are located at the corners of your lot and at the beginning of a curve if the property line curves. Ask your neighbors if they have recently located the survey pins for their properties. This could save you the trouble of having to find them yourself. If no one knows where the pins are, you may wish to use a shovel to probe the area of the ground where they are assumed to be located.  They can be a foot or more below grade. If that proves fruitless, you may need to use a metal detector or magnetic locator to help find them.  

Many lots in New Ulm were surveyed many years ago and survey pins may have been removed.  If this is the case, property lines may be located by measuring from the opposite pins on neighboring properties if you are allowed to locate them or other pins on the block where the locations are known.  Once you locate a survey pin, do not disturb its location.  Any person who willfully removes, destroys, or defaces a monument lawfully erected is guilty of a misdemeanor.

3. When Professional surveys are necessary.

If property lines cannot be determined by using these methods, you will need to hire a professional to survey your lot and put in new pins. You will be responsible for the cost of a new survey.  

"CALL BEFORE YOU DIG" Minnesota law requires that any excavator call the state-wide notification center at least 48 hours (excluding weekends, holidays and emergencies) prior to the start of digging.   Contact Gopher State One-Call at 651-454-0002 or you may dial 811 from your cell phone.

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1. Do I need to install a sump pump if I do not have one?

No, you do not.

2. Which properties will be inspected during the program?

All residential properties in New Ulm.

3. When will inspections take place?

Inspections will begin in late May 2015 and will continue until all properties have been inspected. Peak inspection months are expected to be from May through August in the following years. Available inspection times will be from 9 am to 7 pm.

4. What happens if I do not have a sump pump?

You still need to have the inspector verify this information during an inspection.

5. What happens if I am not at home when the inspector comes?

If you are not at home or if it is inconvenient at that time, don’t worry. The inspector will leave a door hanger with a number for you to call and set up a convenient time for inspection.

6. What happens if I do not let the sump pump inspector into my home?

You will receive a notice in the mail stating that you have 15 days to schedule an inspection. A surcharge of $50 will be added to your monthly utility bill until your sump pump is inspected.

7. What is the problem with sump pump discharge to the sanitary sewer?

Problems include:

• Backup of wastewater in basements is costly to clean up and creates potential health hazards.
• Millions of gallons of clean water enter the sanitary sewer and unnecessarily increases the costs for treatment at the wastewater treatment facility.

8. Who can I contact to fix my connection?

New Ulm Public Utilities does not fix sump pump connections. Customers may complete the repair themselves, or they can contact a plumber or other home contractor to complete the work.

9. What happens if I do not correct my sump pump discharging to the sanitary sewer?

If during an initial inspection, our inspector determines that your sump pump is discharging to the sanitary sewer, you will receive written notice in the mail stating that you will have 60 days to make the correction. Our staff will then conduct a second inspection to determine if you have made the necessary correction. Failure to comply will result in a monthly surcharge of $50 added to the property’s utility bill.

10. Can I switch my discharge pipe to the sanitary sewer system during the winter months?

No, this will not be permitted. It is recommended that homeowners attach one 6 to 10 foot long 1.5 inch diameter PVC pipe to the house outlet discharge during the winter. This type of system has very little chance of freezing. For extra protection, heat tape may be attached to the pipe.

11. Can I have a bypass valve on my sump pump discharge hose?

No, it is illegal to have a bypass valve on your sump pump discharge pipe or hose. Existing valves must be removed.

12. Do I need a permit to correct sump pump discharge?

No permit is required. However, if you do plan to connect directly into an existing City storm sewer structure or tile line, you will need to get approval from the City Engineering Office.

13. What happens if my drain tile discharges directly into a sanitary sewer main or old tile line?

The inspection program will check for obvious signs of cross connections, but it is not proposed to go into in-depth inspections for these types of connections. These connections used to be a standard practice in house construction, but are no longer permitted. Many older homes are hooked up to old tile lines that may have collapsed or been disconnected.

There is not a clear cost-benefit to the City in identifying and/or correcting these illegal connections, however people who have had problems with back-ups from these types of connections should strongly consider correcting the problem. The City does periodic televising of sewer lines, and may do smoke and dye testing to identify some of these problem systems that affect the municipal sewer system in the future.

14. Where can I run the sump pump hose, and what type of hose works best?

You should run your sump pump hose at least 6 to 10 feet away from your house to avoid it "recycling" back into the house. It is also alright to run it on your front or back yard, or to the street with permission from the City Engineer. Try also to avoid running the water directly onto your neighbor’s property. The City receives numerous complaints from neighbors about wet yards and streets, but this will be difficult to avoid.

Most people use the flexible, black hose that can be moved around easily. This works great most of the time, but please be aware that this pipe’s capacity can be greatly reduced if it is rolled up or extremely curvy, and many people have problems when it is not properly located or unfolded during a storm. It also is not recommended to use this type of hose in the winter. The smooth, white PVC pipe (1.5 inch diameter) has more capacity and works better in situations where you do not need to move the hose around.

15. Who do I contact for more information?

Call our Sump Pump Inspection office at 507-359-8360 or send us an email.

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1. How to rent a scooter?

To rent a scooter, you need to download the Levy app to an electronic device. Once the Levy e-scooter is unlocked, push off with your foot and activate the hand throttle switch. The cost to rent is $1 and about 30 cents a minute.  First time rider information.

The Levy app will include a map of Levy locations and includes the boundary where the e-scooters can be used. The e-scooters will not operate outside of New Ulm city limits.

The e-scooters are geo-governed to prevent higher speeds in certain parts of town. Levy scooters are limited to 12 mph on the bike trail. City regulations prohibit the use of sidewalks. Levy requires all riders to be age 16 or older.

The Levy e-scooters will reach speeds of 20 mph. 

2. How to ride scooters in New Ulm?

Scooter riding is regulated by Minnesota Statute 169.225

• You should always wear a helmet
• You must follow the same traffic laws as bicyclists
• You cannot ride a scooter on the sidewalk 
• You may ride scooters in bike lanes, and on paths and trails unless signs prohibit
• You should ride as close as safely possible to the right-hand side of the road
• It is illegal to ride with more than one person on a scooter
• Always yield to pedestrians

3. How to park scooters in New Ulm?

Scooters must be parked upright and stabilized when not in use.

Sidewalk  parking  shall  be  limited  to  areas  outside  the pedestrian path of travel.  

Scooters must not be parked in any location or manner that will impede normal and reasonable pedestrian traffic or access to:

• Pedestrian ramps
• Building/property entrances
• Driveways
• Loading zones
• Disability parking and transfer zones
• Transit stops
• Crosswalks
• Parklets
• Street/sidewalk cafes
• Other street furnishings (benches, parking meters, etc.)
• Underground utility, sewer, or water facilities 
• Sidewalk Clear Zones 4

Scooters  shall  not  be  parked  in  landscaped  areas,  traffic  islands,  in  the  street,  in  a manner  that  obstructs  the  sightlines  of  any  intersection,  or  in  any  place  where  they  could pose a safety hazard.

4. Who to contact with questions, concerns, or comments?

If a scooter is knocked over, parked incorrectly, found in a prohibited area, damaged/inoperable, or if you have an issue with payment, please call or email Chad Aukes, E-motor Fun LLC at (507) 441-1116.