Garden Grove, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Written encroachment permit required
- Application
- Must state nature, purpose, duration, location
- Cost
- Fee plus City-approved performance bond
- Insurance
- Set by City Engineer per project risk
- Revocation
- City may revoke and require removal anytime
- Citation
- Municipal Code Sec. 11.12.010
Summary
Placing any temporary structure, appliance, or permanent improvement in a Garden Grove street or right-of-way, from a private structure to an outdoor dining encroachment, requires a written encroachment permit from the City under Municipal Code Section 11.12.010, plus a permit fee, a performance bond, and liability insurance sized to the project's risk.
§ 11.12.010. Permit Required. A. No person shall erect or maintain any temporary structure or appliance in, upon, over, along, or across any street, nor erect or maintain any permanent structure within the planned right-of-way, except as otherwise provided by law, without filing a written application and obtaining a written permit therefor from the City. ... D. Any permit granted under this section shall specify: 1. The nature of the structure or appliance. 2. The purpose for which it will be erected or maintained. 3. The time during which such structure may be maintained. 4. The location thereof. ... F. No permit granted under this section shall be issued until the person applying for it has paid a fee in an amount set by City Council resolution for the issuance of each permit, and has also executed a good and sufficient bond to the City... G. The City may revoke the permit at any time. Prior to the expiration date of the permit or at the revocation of the same, the structure or appliance shall be wholly removed from the location stated in the permit.
Full Breakdown
010 sets the baseline: no person may erect or maintain a temporary structure or appliance in, upon, over, along, or across any street, or a permanent structure within the planned right-of-way, without first filing a written application and obtaining a written permit from the City. The application must describe the structure and its purpose and include a map or diagram of its location, and any permit the City issues must specify the nature of the structure, its purpose, how long it may stay in place, and its exact location.
No permit is issued until the applicant pays a fee set by City Council resolution and executes a bond, with at least two City-approved sureties, holding the City and its officers harmless from costs or damages arising from the encroachment. 121 adds that liability insurance coverage standards for encroachment permits are set by the City Engineer based on the degree of risk the particular project poses to the City. The City can revoke an encroachment permit at any time, and once a permit expires or is revoked, the structure or appliance must be wholly removed from the permitted location.
170, covers unpermitted obstructions placed directly in a dedicated street right-of-way: the City can give the responsible party 10 calendar days' written notice to remove it, and if that deadline passes, remove or relocate the obstruction itself and bill the owner for the cost. 010 framework.
Violations & Fines
Erecting or maintaining an unpermitted structure or appliance in a Garden Grove street or right-of-way violates Section 11.12.010 and is enforceable under the citywide general penalty, Section 1.04.010, as a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in county jail, or as an infraction at the City Attorney's discretion. Unpermitted obstructions can also be removed by the City under Section 11.04.170 after 10 days' notice, with removal costs billed to the responsible party.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a structure in the Garden Grove right-of-way?
What does it cost to get an encroachment permit?
Can the City remove a structure I put in the right-of-way without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garden Grove
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle encroachment permits.