Georgetown, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

09 covers structures and facilities placed within public rights-of-way, City easements, or public utility easements, including sidewalks. 030 requires any landowner whose abutting property has been improved with a structure or facility extending into the right-of-way, and anyone who wants to build a new structure or facility into such an area, to obtain a revocable license before doing so. The applicant applies for a License to Encroach under the Unified Development Code's procedures, and City staff may require an Engineering Study limited to the specific questions raised during review.

Licenses into a City easement or public utility easement are finally decided by the City Manager or a designee, but requests to encroach into a public street, roadway, sidewalk, or right-of-way require final approval from the City Council, a higher bar than a staff-level sign-off. 040 flatly bars any revocable license for encroachments into a State highway right-of-way. 050 bind the licensee to keep the structure in good repair, restore the area to its original condition if the license ends, replace any sidewalks or street surface damaged by construction, and indemnify the City, with the City retaining the right to reclaim the licensed area on 30 days' written notice if it needs the space for a public purpose.