Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Fort Collins, CO

If you live in Fort Collins or are thinking about moving there, sidewalk & pedestrian rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Fort Collins has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of sidewalk & pedestrian rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Encroachment Permits

Placing a building, fence, barrier or post inside Fort Collins-owned property, a street, sidewalk or public right-of-way requires a written encroachment permit under Sec. 23-81. The City Manager reviews the application against nuisance and public-use criteria, and the permit stays revocable at the pleasure of the City Council under the City Charter.

Key details: Section: Sec. 23-81, Division 3 Encroachments. Reviewing office: City Manager. Insurance: $1,000,000 liability minimum. Legal basis: City Charter Art. XI, Sec. 10. Removal notice: 10 days to remove, Sec. 23-84.

An encroachment placed without a permit, or kept beyond the terms of one, triggers a written removal notice under Sec. 23-84 requiring removal within ten days; continuing the encroachment after that notice is itself unlawful. If the owner does not comply, the City Manager can remove it under Sec. 23-85 and bill the cost to the property owner, assessing it against the parcel's tax rolls if unpaid within ten days of the assessment notice. Sec. 23-86 also makes noncompliance with permit terms punishable under the general penalty in Sec. 1-15.

Obstruction Rules

Fort Collins Municipal Code Section 17-128(b) bars anyone without legal privilege from obstructing a sidewalk, street, building entrance or public fixture such as a bench, trash can or water fountain. It is a separate offense to disobey a peace officer's or firefighter's order to move to clear the obstruction.

Key details: Covered locations: Sidewalks, streets, entrances, stairways, aisles. Protected fixtures: Benches, signal buttons, trash cans, fountains. Separate offense: Disobeying an officer's order to move. Maximum penalty: $2,650 fine or 180 days jail. Enforcing agency: Fort Collins Police Services.

A Section 17-128(b) violation is an unclassified misdemeanor under Section 1-15(a): a fine up to $2,650, imprisonment up to 180 days, or both, with each day of continuing obstruction chargeable separately. Fort Collins Police Services issue citations; cases are heard in Fort Collins Municipal Court, where the City must prove the obstruction rendered passage impassable or unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous.

Sidewalk Repair

Fort Collins puts the duty to keep an abutting sidewalk, curb and gutter in repair on the adjacent property owner. If the owner does not fix a hazard the City orders repaired, the City Engineer can do the work and bill the cost back to the property through the county tax roll.

Key details: Governing law: Fort Collins Municipal Code § 24-42, § 24-44. Repair duty holder: Owner of adjacent property. Compliance window: 30 days after mailed repair order. Small-repair threshold: Under $300 ordered by City Engineer alone. Unpaid assessment interest: 6% per year via County Treasurer.

An owner who ignores a repair order under Section 24-44 does not face a direct fine for the neglect itself; instead the City performs the repair and assesses the full cost, plus a 10 percent engineering surcharge, as a lien on the property. Under Section 24-50, unpaid assessments certified to the County Treasurer also carry a 10 percent collection penalty and accrue at 6 percent interest per annum until paid.

The Bottom Line

Fort Collins's sidewalk & pedestrian rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Fort Collins is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Fort Collins can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.