Alexandria, VA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Sec. 5-2-29(a)(1) requires a permit for any encroachment into a public right-of-way and lets the Director of Transportation and Environmental Services set rules for processing applications; a permit may be revoked and the encroachment removed if the holder violates any permit condition. Applications are checked against four standards: the encroachment must not unduly obstruct the right-of-way or interfere with access and safety; its design and construction must not create a nuisance or hazard; its design, material and color must suit an urban right-of-way and, in a historic district, must match the streetscape and the Board of Architectural Review's design guidelines; and a nonpermanent encroachment's owner must move it whenever the city needs access.

Fees are set under Sec. 3-2-82 and 3-2-85, and the permit holder must carry city-approved insurance for as long as the encroachment stays in place. Sec. 5-2-29(b) lists specific encroachments that can be authorized by permit, including nonpermanent planters up to 30 inches high that leave a five-foot pedestrian path, benches and street furniture that must touch and not project more than 30 inches from the adjacent building wall, and stationary features like steps, ramps, architectural projections, signs and awnings, each with its own maximum projection measured against the street's right-of-way width (for example, steps may project up to five feet on a right-of-way 100 feet or wider, but only 20 inches on Union Street and part of King Street).

Any encroachment that doesn't fit an authorized category under subsection (b) can be allowed only by special ordinance of the city council under subsection (c).