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Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Scottsdale, AZ (2026)

3 verified sidewalk & pedestrian rules for Scottsdale, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Sidewalk Repair

Scottsdale places the sidewalk squarely on the adjacent property owner's maintenance list. Sec. 47-47(f) names the sidewalk, the adjoining right-of-way strip, the adjacent alley, and any multi-use path or trail as things the owner must keep up unless the city has authorized otherwise in writing.

Scottsdale Sidewalk Maintenance Responsibility

Some Restrictions

Scottsdale Code of Ordinances § 47-47(f)

Except as authorized in writing by the city, the owner of property adjacent to the right-of-way shall maintain the following:(1)The adjacent right-of-way from the back of the curb, edge of the pavement or edge of the city-maintained dirt road or dirt shoulder, to the property line on all street frontages, where the right-of-way has been dedicated in fee to the city; and(2)The right-of-way, from...

Obstruction Rules

Scottsdale bars placing or maintaining anything in the public right-of-way, which by code includes the sidewalk, without written city authorization. Only a short list of low-profile improvements is exempt; everything else needs a permit, and unauthorized encroachments draw daily civil fines and city-ordered removal at the owner's expense.

Scottsdale Sidewalk and Right-of-Way Encroachment Rules

Some Restrictions

Scottsdale Code of Ordinances § 47-46(b)

Except as authorized in writing by the city, no person shall:(1)Place or maintain any encroachment in the right-of-way.(2)Place or maintain any tree, hedge, shrub or other plant, or any structure or other encroachment, on property adjacent to the right-of-way, which interferes with public uses of the right-of-way.(3)Use the right-of-way, or areas below, adjacent to or above the right-of-way, in...

Encroachment Permits

Scottsdale requires a permit for private improvements in the right-of-way (PIR) before anyone builds or installs anything private in a public street, sidewalk or easement area. The Right-of-Way Supervisor decides whether a PIR or a work permit (PWR) applies, and that call is final.

Scottsdale Right-of-Way Encroachment Permits

Some Restrictions

Scottsdale Code of Ordinances § 47-51

No person shall construct or install any private improvement in the right-of-way, except as follows. A person proposing to construct or install any private improvement in the right-of-way must have a permit for private improvements in the right-of-way (PIR). If there is a question about whether a PIR is required, the Right-of-Way Supervisor shall determine if a PIR is required. The determinatio...

Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Scottsdale city rules.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Maricopa County