General Information & Frequently Asked Questions
The purpose of this guide is to answer some of the most important and frequently asked questions that Riverlea residents have. If your question is not answered here then please feel free to contact an appropriate member of Village Government.
The Village sponsors three social events each year: an Easter egg hunt on the Saturday before Easter, a summer picnic, and a party on Halloween Beggar’s Night. All three events are held at the Circle Park on Riverglen Drive. Please visit the Social Committee page for more information. And please come and join the fun!
- Dogs must be controlled at all times and are not allowed to stray more than 10 feet from the curb onto private property without the owner’s permission.
- Please pick up after your dog and dispose of the waste properly. Please do not dispose of waste in a neighbor’s trash can or in the storm sewer.
At this time, Riverlea does not provide a fall leaf pickup service.
If you would like pickup service, please check with a landscaping service.
No permit is necessary for garage sales. Garage sale signs may be located only on the property hosting the sale, and may be displayed one day before and on the day of the sale.
Please contact the Planning Commissioner if you plan to make any exterior changes to your home to determine if a Certificate of Appropriateness is required. This includes adding a fence, wall, or patio or installing a new driveway apron. The Planning Commission page contains information and forms for obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will help you to assess the problem. Riverlea is required to track all water in basement events and report the cause to OEPA in our annual sewer system reports.
If the Street Commissioner is unavailable, please consult the City of Columbus website for information to help you assess the problem and determine who to contact.
Riverlea does not have a sewer maintenance contract for our sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems. We own the lines and are responsible for all necessary maintenance and repairs. Please do not call the City of Columbus for basement flooding issues unless you are certain that the issue is due to a water supply line or water meter problem and you need to have the water service shut off at the curb to stop the leak.
The following guidelines are provided to help you to determine the source of your water in basement problem.
Sanitary sewer backups
If the water smells foul and/or is coming up through the basement floor drains, it is likely a sanitary sewer backup, either in the house service line (called a “lateral”) or in the main line in the street. Most sanitary sewer lateral backups are due to blockages caused by root growth into the lateral, resulting in partial or total flow obstruction and possible structural collapse of a section of the line. Check with your immediate “downstream” neighbors (those south or west (downhill) of you) to see if they are also experiencing a backup. If so, then the backup may be due to a blockage in the main sanitary line in the street. If this is the case, please call or text the Street Commissioner immediately at 614-403-3733 so that he can contact an emergency response contractor.
Repair of sanitary sewer laterals is the homeowner’s responsibility. The City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities maintains a list of approved water and sewer contractors who are licensed by the City to perform sewer and water line repairs. You will first need to create an account and then login to search for approved water/sewer contractors. Unfortunately the list is by sorted by individual licensee’s name and only includes the address, not the associated company’s name, address, phone number, or email.
Storm water
If the water is clear or muddy-brown and is coming in along the base of the walls, then it is probably storm water intruding through the foundation, due to high ground water, heavy rainfall, leaking gutters and/or blocked roof drains. If the water is coming up out of the sump pump pit, it is likely that the sump pump system has failed due to loss of power, a failed control float, the discharge line being blocked, or the discharge check valve being stuck open or closed.
If you cannot fix the sump pump problem yourself, contact a plumber. If water is entering through the walls or foundations, contact a professional specialty contractor who deals with basement water problems. If water is ponding around the outside walls due to leaking gutters or blocked downspouts or roof drains, contact a gutter or roof drainage contractor to help resolve the problem.
Water supply leaks
If the water is not coming up from the floor drains, through cracks in the walls, or from the sump pump pit, but you can hear water running in the house, then you probably have an interior water supply system leak, perhaps near the water meter at the water line service entrance.
If you cannot stop the leak using the shutoff valve on the upstream side of your water meter, call the City of Columbus Water Department Customer Service Line at 614-645-8276 (Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm), or after hours call the Water Distribution Dispatcher at 614-645-7788 (24 hours), to request water shutoff at the curb box in your yard.
Please self-report all such water leaks directly to the City of Columbus Water Distribution Maintenance dispatcher’s office at 614-645-7788 (staffed 24 hours).
Please also call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733 to let him know that the leak has been reported.
Evacuate the building or area immediately.
From a safe distance, call Columbia Gas at 800-344-4077 and select option 1 from the automated menu for gas or carbon monoxide emergencies.
Do not turn on lights or use matches to try to find the source of the leak yourself.
Do not smoke, make a spark or flame, activate or switch on/off any electrical equipment, raise/lower windows, or re-enter the building.
Wait in a safe location for the crew to arrive to investigate the situation.
More information is available at the Columbia Gas website.
Generally, yes for plumbing & electrical work you need to get a permit from Franklin County.
For Plumbing,
Contact the Franklin County Public Health Department
See: https://myfcph.org/environmental-health/plumbing/
Or Call (614) 525-3160
Located at;
Franklin County Public Health
280 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4562
For Electrical,
Contact the Franklin County Building Zoning Department
See: https://development.franklincountyohio.gov/building-permits
Or Call (614) 525-3095
Located at;
PERMIT COUNTER:
142 S. Front St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
The Village does not levy a municipal income tax. However, municipal income taxes in Ohio are paid based on where an individual earns income, not where they live. Employers who are located in a municipality where an income tax is levied are responsible for making the appropriate withholdings.
- No motor vehicle may be parked on the street for longer than 48 hours.
- No vehicle may display a “For Sale” sign while parked on the street.
- Commercial vehicles and trailers may not be parked on the street for more than an hour unless they are being used to perform a service.
- Boats, recreational vehicles, and trailers may not be parked in the Village for more than 72 hours.
There are use, location and time restrictions on the use of storage units and dumpsters. Contact the Planning Commissioner for more information.
There is a separate collection each Monday for recycling. Glass, aluminum, steel, paper, cardboard, and plastics labeled 1 through 7 (HDPE & PETE) are accepted. Please rinse items out before placing them in the recycling bin. See the Trash & Recycling page for more information.
Riverlea is located in the Worthington School District. Students attend the following schools:
Evening Street Elementary School
885 Evening Street
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 450-4400
Kilbourne Middle School
50 East Dublin Granville Road
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 450-4200
Thomas Worthington High School
300 West Dublin Granville Road
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 450-6200
Busing
Due to Riverlea’s close proximity to the schools, only bus service to Evening Street Elementary is provided.
The Village restricts the display of yard signs. Before placing any signs within the Village please refer to the sign ordinance (Title XV, Section 152).
Snow removal services are provided through a contract with Sharon Township. Roads are plowed to the curb or road edge and salt is placed in the center of the roads. Parked vehicles should be moved off of the street after 2 inches of snowfall so that the plows can clear the streets. When shoveling or clearing your driveway please do not throw snow into the street.
No permit is required for door-to-door soliciting in the Village. Residents may post a sign containing the words “No Peddlers or Solicitors” to prevent solicitors from knocking or ringing. Violators should be reported to the Worthington Police on the non-emergency line: (614) 885-4463.
Monday is the regular trash collection day in Riverlea. If New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, or Christmas falls on a Monday then collection will be on the following Tuesday.
Trash, recyclables and yard waste should be placed at the curb (not in the street) before 6:00 am on the scheduled collection day, but not more than one day prior. All waste should be covered and/or secured. Empty containers should be removed by the following morning and stored out of sight. See the Trash & Recycling page for more information.
When registering your vehicle please verify that Riverlea is listed as the taxing district (#2520) so that the appropriate share of the fees goes to the Village. Each year we lose a substantial amount of revenue because vehicles are erroneously registered to Worthington or another municipality.
Riverlea residents vote at the Worthington United Methodist Church, 600 High Street, Worthington, OH 43085.
Please call the Sharon Township Roads Department (option 2) at 614-885-5933. They will remove it for a disposal fee.
Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Other items can clog the sanitary sewer lines on your property or at the water treatment facility.
Items that should not be flushed down the toilet include:
- Tampons and sanitary napkins
- “Flushable” wipes or cleaning wipes of any kind
- Plastics, including dental floss, bandages, and condoms
- Paper towels, facial tissue, cotton balls, or cotton swabs
- Grease or cooking oils
- Cigarette butts
- Medication or chemicals
Riverlea’s lift station, which pumps waste from the lower portion of the Village to the main sanitary sewer line, often has to be cleared of improperly disposed items to keep it functioning. This creates a significant expense for the Village.
“Flushable” wipes do not break down quickly and are becoming a costly problem for sewage and water systems throughout the US and elsewhere.
Medications and hazardous materials can contaminate water and should not be disposed of in any toilet or drain.
The village coincides with Worthington’s Beggars Night.
Trick-or-Treat night in the City of Worthington is scheduled for October 31st from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The City of Worthington schedules Beggars Night in Worthington on Halloween, October 31st each year, no matter what day Halloween falls on.
Beggars Night takes place rain or shine and will not be cancelled or postponed in the event of inclement weather. Parents are urged to use sound judgment and common sense when considering whether to send their children outside.
During the work day, please call Sharon Township at 614-885-5933. They will remove the debris and bill the Village.
After hours, please notify Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463, and call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will notify Sharon Township and put out traffic cones.
Also, your neighbors might be interested in the wood. Post on “The Friends of Riverlea” facebook group.
If there is a safety issue (sparking line down, glass in the street, etc), please call AEP at 800-672-2231 and Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463.
If the light is simply out, you can file a report with AEP https://www.aepohio.com/outages/report/StreetlightProblem.aspx
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733 to let him know that you filed a report.
Call your insurance company.
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will log and report the damage to the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency and assist in their disaster recovery efforts.
Please contact Local Waste Services at 614-409-9375 or http://www.localwasteservices.com/contact/
See the Trash & Recycling
Please self-report all power outages directly to AEP at 800-672-2231. The quantity and source location of calls will help them to determine the extent of the outage. Outages can also be reported at https://www.aepohio.com/outages/
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733
American Electric Power (AEP)
Customer Solutions Center: 800-277-2177
Please contact these service providers directly for new service or problems with your utility service.
Columbia Gas of Ohio (A NiSource Company)
DirectLink: 800-344-4077 between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Spectrum ( formerly Time Warner )
- Spectrum Customer Service: 1-855-855-4578
- Setup an account Online: https://www.spectrum.com/
AT&T
- New Service: 844-827-7057
- TV and Bundles
- Internet
WOW TV & Internet
- New Service: 1-800-343-2076
- https://www.wowway.com/
City of Columbus Division of Public Utilities
910 Dublin Road
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-645-6141
Power outages
- Please self-report all power outages directly to AEP at 800-672-2231. The quantity and source location of calls will help them to determine the extent of the outage. Outages can also be reported online.
Potholes, broken storm drain grates or covers, broken or missing manhole lids
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733.
Fallen tree or large limb blocking the street
- During the work day, please call Sharon Township at 614-885-5933. They will remove the debris and bill the Village.
- After hours, please notify Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463, and call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will notify Sharon Township and put out traffic cones.
Dead deer in the street or yard
- If the carcass is still fresh, please call the Worthington Police dispatcher at 614-885-4463. They maintain a list of people who will come and take it for meat.
- If the carcass has been there for a while, please call Sharon Township at 614-885-5933. They will remove it for a disposal fee.
Major storm damage to your property
- Call your insurance company.
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will log and report the damage to the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency and assist in their disaster recovery efforts.
Garbage collection issues and questions
- Please contact Local Waste Services at 614-409-9375 or online.
- See the Trash & Recycling page or visit the Local Waste Services website for more information about garbage collection in Riverlea.
Street light outages
- If there is a safety issue (sparking line down, glass in the street, etc), please call AEP at 800-672-2231 and Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463.
- If the light is simply out, you can file a report with AEP online.
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733 to let him know that you filed a report.
There is a separate collection each Monday for yard waste except during the winter. Residents are responsible for bagging their leaves and grass clippings and putting them out with their other waste. Leaves should not be raked into the gutter. Branches and brush should be bundled. See the Trash & Recycling page for more information.