THE FACT THAT YOU CAN DRIVE TO YOUR PROPERTY DOES NOT NECESSARILY GUARANTEE THAT YOU, YOUR GUESTS AND EMERGENCY SERVICE VEHICLES CAN ACHIEVE THAT SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS AT ALL TIMES.
The County and townships maintain approximately 600 miles of roads, but many rural properties are served by roads which are maintained by private road associations or groups of land owners. There may be problems with the legal aspects of access, especially if you gain access across property belonging to others. Contact the County Planning Department regarding access requirements. Many large construction, emergency, and service vehicles cannot navigate winding, narrow roads. In your building plans it is prudent to consider construction and emergency vehicle access. All County emergency responders, except for law enforcement, are volunteers. There are some County and township roads with minimum maintenance. Make sure you know what type and the provider of road maintenance. School buses do not necessarily travel on all roads. Contact your local school district for more information.
In extreme weather, roads can become impassable. Contact the state or County Highway Department for road conditions. Natural disasters, especially floods, can damage roads. The County will repair and maintain public roads, however, private roads are not the County’s responsibility. A dry creek bed can become a raging torrent and wash out roads, bridges and culverts. Residents served by private roads and/or bridges may be responsible for repairs and/or reconstruction after floods. Gravel roads generate dust and the County does not treat roads for this problem. Driving on new gravel and soft roads can be very difficult. Slow speeds are recommended at these times. When driving up hills, travel on your side of the road to avoid oncoming traffic. Many intersections in the County are unmarked. Slow down at these areas and obey all proper right-of-way practices. If your road is gravel, it is unlikely that the County will pave it in the foreseeable future. Check with the County Highway Department regarding future road improvements.
 

 MOST WELL AND SEPTIC SYSTEMS ARE PRIVATELY OWNED AS CENTRAL WATER AND CENTRAL SEWER SYSTEMS ARE GENERALLY UNAVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY.  You will probably need to install a County approved and permitted septic system. The percolation rate of your soil is used in determining the size of the septic system. The State of Nebraska requires you to hire a licensed septic installer to perform the percolation test and install the system. If you are fortunate to have access to a supply of treated domestic (central) water, consider the tap and installation fees. If you do not have access to a supply of treated domestic water, you will have to locate an alternative supply. The most common method is the use of a water well. Well registration is through the State Department of Natural Resources. To install a well, use a state licensed well driller. The County does not require well permits. The quality and quantity of well water can vary considerably by location. Consider your water needs and that both present and future property owners will also have wells. The County makes no guarantees as to water quality or quantity. It may be necessary to cross property owned by others in order to extend electric service to your property in the most cost efficient manner. It is important that proper easements are in place to allow lines to be built to your property. Contact the power company serving the area for power line costs. Power outages will occur due to any number of factors. A loss of electric power can also interrupt your supply of water from a well. It is important to be able to survive for a few days in severe cold with no utilities if you live in the rural area. Private contractors provide trash service in the County. Contact the County Clerk’s Office for the list of licensed trash haulers. It is illegal to burn or create your own trash dump, even on your own land. In some cases, your only option may be to haul your trash to the landfill yourself. Many trash items are not recyclable, contact the County Recycling Association for availability. Some open burning of selected items is permissible in the County. Contact either the local volunteer fire department or the County Planning Department for information.
 

THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR PROPERTY. RESEARCH THESE ITEMS BEFORE PURCHASING LAND.   
All of the County is zoned and building/zoning permits are required for all structures including agricultural buildings such as barns and sheds. Additionally, there are factors that can make lots unbuildable. Check with the County Planning Department for additional information. If your property is within 2 miles of the corporate limits of the City of Blair or within 1 mile of the corporate limits of the Cities of Washington, Herman, Fort Calhoun, Arlington or Kennard, it is within their zoning jurisdiction. For answers as to who has land use authority, contact the County Planning Department.

Easements may require you to allow construction of roads, power lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc. across your land. If an easement document has been recorded it will be filed at the County Clerk’s Office. However, there may be easements not of record. Talk to surrounding property owners to obtain additional information. The only way to know your property boundaries is to have the property surveyed and pins placed by a licensed surveyor. Fences that separate properties are often misaligned with the property lines. Many subdivisions or housing areas have private covenants that limit use of property. Obtain a copy of the covenants (or confirm there are none) at the County Clerk’s Office. The County is prohibited by law from enforcing private covenants. Homeowners associations, when existing, address common elements such as roads, open space, water supply, etc. A nonfunctioning homeowners association or poor covenants can cause problems for you and may involve expensive litigation. Dues are almost always a requirement for those areas with a homeowners association. Their by-laws will tell you how the organization operates and how the dues are set.

With the Elkhorn and Missouri Rivers, and a large number of creeks running through the County, there are restriction on building in flood prone areas. The County is a participant in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program. Contact the County Planning Department for flood plain information. Spring run-off and heavy rains can cause creeks and natural drainage areas to overflow their banks. It is wise to take this possibility into consideration when building on your property. Before buying land determine if it has noxious weeds that you may be required to control. Some plants are poisonous to horses and other livestock. The County Extension Office and the County Weed Superintendent can help you with these issues. The County is experiencing rapid growth and, surrounding properties will probably not remain as they are indefinitely. Check with the County Planning Department to find out how properties are zoned and what future developments may be in the planning stages. The view from your property may change. The County does not have a County-wide emergency siren system. The County is utilizing an enhanced 911 (E-911) emergency service system. All rural residents are provided with an address based on the location of the driveway to the main access road. Addresses are assigned by the County Planning Department through the building permit process. Large lots can be time consuming to maintain. There may be plans and ideas available to help reduce maintenance time. Contact the County Extension Office or a landscape designer for some thoughts. A properly placed windbreak of trees can help considerable with wind conditions and drifting snow.