Pembroke Pines's Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sidewalk & pedestrian rules a little differently. In Pembroke Pines, Florida, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Encroachment Permits

Pembroke Pines bars anyone from altering the contours of a swale, the strip of city right-of-way between the road and the sidewalk or property line, or paving it over, without a permit from the Building and Zoning Department. Applicants must submit plans and specifications and follow the Department's conditions first.

Key details: Permit issuer: Building and Zoning Department. Governing section: § 52.23. Correction notice window: 15 days (§ 52.28). Paved swales: Banned outside commercial/industrial zones. Driveway apron radius: 2.5 feet where it meets the road.

Altering or paving a swale, or building a driveway crossing it, without the § 52.23 permit is a chapter violation. Under § 52.28 the Public Works Department issues a written notice giving the abutting owner 15 days to correct or remove unpermitted work; if the owner doesn't act, the city performs the correction and charges the cost against the owner as a property lien. Section 52.99 otherwise punishes chapter violations under the citywide § 10.99 general penalty: up to $500 or 90 days in jail, each day a separate offense.

Obstruction Rules

Pembroke Pines bars several specific obstructions from its sidewalks and rights-of-way: a portable storage unit can sit only in the driveway, never in the right-of-way or blocking the sidewalk; outdoor retail displays can't spill into the right-of-way at all; and abutting owners must keep their sidewalk safe and passable or the city fixes it and bills them.

Key details: Governing section: § 155.625(A)(1). Portable storage location: Driveway only, no ROW. Portable storage size cap: 130 sq ft, 10 ft high. Outdoor sales in ROW: Banned under § 155.520. Newsrack limit: One per qualifying location.

A portable storage unit parked in the right-of-way or blocking a sidewalk violates § 155.625 and can be ordered removed, and a portable storage company operating without its required annual city permit loses its authority to place units at all. Outdoor sales tables or racks set up in the right-of-way under § 155.520 face the same code enforcement process, and an abutting owner who lets a sidewalk stay unsafe or obstructed after a § 52.04 notice pays for the city's own repair through a lien on the property, per § 52.05.

Sidewalk Repair

Pembroke Pines Code § 52.01 makes it unlawful for the abutting property owner to let the sidewalk, driveway, or alley next to their lot fall into a condition that is unsafe or inconvenient for public use. If the owner doesn't fix it within 15 days of a violation notice, the city repairs it and bills, or liens, the property.

Key details: Who is responsible: Abutting private property owner. Correction window: 15 days after notice. City remedy: City repairs and bills or liens owner. Ownership proof: County Tax Assessor records. Max penalty: $500 fine or 90 days jail.

An owner who ignores a § 52.04 notice of violation faces the city performing the sidewalk, driveway, or alley repair itself and billing the cost back, plus a lien on the property under § 52.05 if that cost goes unpaid. Section 52.99 also exposes the owner, or an agent, servant, or employee responsible for upkeep, to the general penalty in § 10.99: a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

The Bottom Line

Pembroke Pines'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 Pembroke Pines is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Pembroke Pines's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.