Yonkers does not regulate residential lawn ornaments such as garden gnomes, statuary, flag poles, religious displays, or seasonal yard decor. There is no permit requirement and no size or quantity cap in the City Code. Placement must keep ornaments off the public sidewalk and out of intersection sight-triangles, and condominium or HOA rules under NY Real Property Law 339-d may impose stricter community-level limits.
The Yonkers City Code does not include a residential lawn-ornament ordinance. Chapter 47 (Outdoor Signs) regulates signage and advertising but does not reach garden decor, statuary, religious objects, flag poles, or yard art that does not carry commercial advertising copy. Property owners may install gnomes, deer, nativity scenes, menorahs, flags, fountains, and similar items by right. Practical limits include the City's right-of-way rules (no encroachment into the public sidewalk or street), sight-triangle requirements at driveway and corner intersections under Chapter 43 zoning, and the State Building Code if an ornament is large enough to qualify as a structure (for example, a 12-foot fountain on a permanent foundation may need a permit). Condominium and cooperative communities governed by New York Real Property Law Section 339-d, and townhome HOAs operating under their declarations, frequently adopt restrictions on the number, size, and seasonality of yard ornaments - including prohibitions on artificial turf, garden statuary, and seasonal storage. Federal Fair Housing Act and New York Human Rights Law protect against discriminatory enforcement that targets religious or cultural displays.
There is no City permit violation for ordinary lawn ornaments. Ornaments encroaching into the public sidewalk or street can be ordered removed by the Department of Public Works. Ornaments blocking visibility at a driveway or intersection sight-triangle can be cited under Chapter 43. Permanent structures - large fountains, statues over a certain height - may require a building permit under the New York State Uniform Code. HOA rules are enforced privately by the association under NY RPL 339-d.
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