Colorado Springs, CO Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Mayor, or Utilities Executive Director for Utilities property
- Sidewalk width cap
- No more than 1/5 of paved sidewalk width
- Bus stop clearance
- 12 feet from bus stop sign, bench, pad or shelter
- Max permit term
- 12 months, renewable
- Insurance for high-risk uses
- $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate
- Appeal window
- 10 days, written, to City Council
- General penalty
- Up to $2,500 fine and/or 189 days jail
Summary
Colorado Springs requires a revocable permit before anyone builds in, on, or over public property: sidewalks, streets, alleys, or the space below or above them. The Mayor (or the Utilities Executive Director for Utilities-controlled property) issues these permits under City Code § 3.2.201, covering encroachments from bike racks to sidewalk sales.
The space below the surface, upon the surface, and above the surface of public property may be used and occupied for any purpose not inconsistent with the provisions of this part, other provisions of this Code, other laws or ordinances regulating the use and occupancy of the public property. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or occupy the space, whether below, upon or above the surface of public property, or to construct any device or structure set forth except by and under the authority of a revocable permit or license in writing first granted and issued by the Mayor or Utilities Executive Director, in the case of property primarily used by Utilities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
201, it is unlawful to use or occupy the space below, upon, or above public property, or to build any device or structure there, without a revocable permit issued in writing by the Mayor or, for Utilities property, the Utilities Executive Director. 211 splits permitted uses into three classes: subsurface space (vaults, storage tanks, monitoring wells, communication conduits), surface uses, and spaces above the surface. 213 cover bicycle parking racks, newsracks, benches, flagpoles, awnings, lighting, parking, fencing, dumpsters, signage, and sidewalk sales or similar events; applicants must submit detailed plans showing installation, size, and location, and pay all installation and removal costs.
d), and nothing may sit within twelve feet of a municipal bus stop sign, bench, pad, or shelter. 204). 216). 217 separately makes it unlawful to place any encumbrance, earth fill, building materials, fences, platforms, stairs, railings, barricades, signs, on a sidewalk, street, alley, or watercourse without a permit; the City can order removal, and after 30 days an unclaimed offending object is presumed abandoned and becomes City property.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted encroachments are removed by the City and restored at the owner's expense under § 3.2.217; objects unclaimed after 30 days are declared City property. Violations are punished under the General Penalty, § 1.1.201: a fine of up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination, unless a specific lesser penalty applies, for example, a minimum $100 fine for structures placed within 12 feet of a municipal bus stop under § 3.2.213.F.1.e.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a bench or sign in front of my Colorado Springs business?
How much of the sidewalk can an encroachment take up?
What happens if I build in the right-of-way without a permit?
How long does an encroachment permit last and can it be revoked?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
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