Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Smithtown, NY (2026)
3 verified sidewalk & pedestrian rules for Smithtown, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Sidewalk Repair
Smithtown puts sidewalk upkeep on the abutting property, not the Town. Owners of commercial buildings and owners or occupants of land fronting a street or highway in a business or industrial district must maintain and repair the adjoining sidewalk and clear it of snow, ice, and other obstructions under Town Code § 245-5.
Smithtown Sidewalk Repair Responsibility
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 245-5
Owners, occupants, lessors or persons in control of all buildings or structures used for commercial purposes and the owners or occupants of lands fronting or abutting on any street or highway in a business or industrial district shall maintain and repair the sidewalks adjoining their lands and shall keep such sidewalks free and clear of and from snow, ice and all other obstructions. Such owner,...
Obstruction Rules
Smithtown's core sidewalk-obstruction standard comes from its newsrack law: no newsrack, and by the same logic no similar fixture, may sit on a sidewalk if it endangers safety or unreasonably impedes pedestrian or vehicular traffic, blocks a doorway, or covers a hydrant, sign, or mailbox, under Town Code § 245-8B(2).
Smithtown Sidewalk Obstruction Rules
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 245-8B(2)
No person shall install, use or maintain any newsrack which, in whole or in part, rests upon, in or over any sidewalk or other public place when such installation, use or maintenance endangers the safety of persons or property or when such site or location is used for public utility purposes, public transportation purposes or government use or when such newsrack unreasonably interferes with or ...
Encroachment Permits
Private use of the Smithtown right-of-way that requires an encroachment easement, such as a structure or feature extending into Town land, costs $200 under the Highway Department's fee schedule at Code § 245-18A(16), issued through the same permit counter that handles excavation and driveway work.
Smithtown Encroachment Easement Permit Fee
Some RestrictionsSmithtown Code § 245-18A(16)
A. Town of Smithtown Highway Department fees shall be as follows: ... (16) Encroachment easement: $200 each.
Looking for Suffolk County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Smithtown city rules.
Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Suffolk County →