Palm Bay Paver Driveways: Swales, Culverts and What to Plan For

Drive through most of Palm Bay and you'll notice something about the roadsides. A lot of streets don't have curbs. Rainwater runs off the road into a shallow grass ditch, called a swale, and passes under driveways through a culvert pipe. If that describes your street, your paver driveway has a few extra things to plan for.

Open Drainage vs. Curb and Gutter

The City of Palm Bay sorts residential driveway permits by drainage type. Its fee schedule lists separate permits for lots with open drainage, meaning swale and pipe, and lots with closed drainage, meaning curb and gutter. It also lists a permit for replacing or revising an existing driveway. In plain terms, the city wants to review driveway work, and it pays close attention to how your driveway sits over the drainage system.

Why the Culvert Matters

The pipe under your driveway apron carries water down the street. If the apron is rebuilt too high, too low or on a weak base, three things can happen:

• Water backs up in the swale and sits in front of your house
• The pipe gets crushed or shifts under the weight of cars
• The pavers over the pipe sink because the fill around it washes out

Before we quote a Palm Bay driveway, we check the condition of the existing culvert, its ends and how water moves through the swale after rain.

Who Handles the Permit

Palm Bay driveway permits go through the Public Works Right of Way Services, Driveway Permit Section. Work in the right of way follows the city's Right of Way Use Procedures and Requirements Manual. That's the office that cares about your apron and culvert, separate from any building review of the rest of the job.

Building a Paver Driveway That Lasts on Palm Bay Sand

Palm Bay soil is mostly sand. Sand drains fast, which is good, but it shifts when water moves through it. A paver driveway here needs:

• A dug out and compacted base, not pavers laid on loose fill
• Edge restraints that lock the outside rows in place
• Grading that sends water toward the swale, not toward the garage
• Extra care where the pavers meet the culvert and the road

Our guide to sinking pavers explains what happens when that base is skipped.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can pavers go all the way to the road in Palm Bay?

The apron is in city right of way, so it goes through Public Works review. Ask your installer how they handle the apron and culvert before you sign.

Do I need a new culvert?

Not always. If the pipe is in good shape and sized right, it can often stay. If it's crushed, rusted or set at the wrong height, replacing it during your driveway job is easier than tearing up new pavers later.

Will pavers help with water in my swale?

A well graded driveway won't make swale drainage worse, and permeable pavers can soak up some rain on site. They won't fix a swale that's clogged or graded wrong. That's a city drainage question.

See our Palm Bay paver page for more on our work in the area.

Get a Real Price for Your Project

Alliance Pavers of Brevard is a Melbourne paver company. We walk your site, measure, and give you a written scope and price. See our driveway pavers page, browse real Brevard jobs, or send us your project details to get your price.