Concord, NC Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Under City Code § 50-42, it is unlawful to place or maintain a fixed object, anything from a planter to a sign structure, in the public right-of-way without an encroachment agreement approved by the city, unless the placement already went through a separate city permitting process. The city council delegated issuing authority to the city manager rather than requiring a council vote on each request, and the section carves out only mailboxes and utility facilities placed under Article VII. The requirement sits inside Article II of Chapter 50, "Obstructions," alongside § 50-41's broader ban on anything left in a street, right-of-way, easement or sidewalk that interferes with public or vehicular travel.

That companion section treats an unpermitted obstruction as a public nuisance: after notice or a demand to remove it goes unmet, the city can summarily remove the item and bill the responsible person, with the cost becoming a lien filed with the city tax collector or as a lis pendens with the Cabarrus County register of deeds. Section 50-42 was adopted by Ord. No. 16-08 on February 11, 2016, replacing a prior § 50-42 that had regulated congregating on sidewalks. Because the encroachment agreement mechanism applies broadly, it covers everything from a business's ground-mounted sign to a contractor's construction fencing staged in the right-of-way, not just food service or merchandise display, which are separately licensed under §§ 50-50 through 50-57.