Garland, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License issued by
- Director of Engineering
- Covers
- Minor or temporary street/alley/easement encroachments
- Council referral
- Director may send any request to City Council
- Related permit
- Separate permit for excavations/cuts (§ 31.115)
- Mud cleanup deadline
- 48 hours before City abates and liens
Summary
Anyone wanting to place a minor or temporary structure, sign, or use into a Garland street, alley, easement, or other City right-of-way needs an encroachment license from the Director of Engineering under § 31.117. The license only covers uses that will not significantly affect the public interest or unreasonably interfere with the right-of-way's purpose or other existing uses.
The Director of Engineering may grant a license for minor or temporary encroachments into a street, alley, easement or other property of the City. The license shall be in a form prescribed by the City's Technical Standards Manual. For the purposes of this section, a "minor or temporary encroachment" means a use that will not: (1) Significantly affect the public interest; (2) Unreasonably interfere with the paramount and primary purposes for which the street, alley, easement or other property interest exists; or (3) Unreasonably interfere with existing uses within the area of the proposed license.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4862189; v40 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
117(A)). 117(B)). 115), and that work must be performed under the method the Director of Engineering prescribes. 116).
Violations & Fines
Encroaching into a street, alley, easement, or other City right-of-way without a license issued under § 31.117, or without the excavation and connection permits required by § 31.115, is enforced as a general Code violation. Because Article VIII sets no separate fine, the City's general penalty in § 10.05 applies, capping conviction at a $500.00 fine per offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who approves a Garland right-of-way encroachment?
What makes an encroachment too big for a simple license?
What happens if I track mud onto a Garland street during work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Garland to another location·View the Texas sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle encroachment permits.