Glendale, AZ Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Materials, excavation, or fencing in ROW
- Exempt parties
- City employees and city contractors
- Standard permit term
- 7 days from issuance
- Renewal fee
- $5.00 if filed before expiration
- Unpermitted activity
- Misdemeanor plus removal costs
Summary
Depositing or maintaining construction materials, protective fencing or excavation debris on a Glendale public street, sidewalk, alley or right-of-way requires a written encroachment permit first. City employees and city contractors are exempt; everyone else risks a misdemeanor and removal costs.
Sec. 30-102. - Permit-Required. (a)No person shall deposit or maintain in or upon any public street, court, alley, sidewalk, thoroughfare or right-of-way, any materials without first making and filing a written application with the city and receiving a permit therefrom to do so.(b)Exceptions: City employees engaged in official city business and contractors in connection with work performed under contract to the city shall be exempt from the permit procedures set forth in this article.(c)Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, in addition to any fine and/or imprisonment which may be imposed for a violation of this section, shall be liable for all costs for the removal of such materials.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 115).
Full Breakdown
Section 30-101 of the Glendale Code of Ordinances covers anyone who plans to construct, excavate, demolish or place materials that will create a temporary encroachment in the city, defining materials broadly to include building blocks, lumber, stone, protective fencing or canopies, and excavation debris. Section 30-102 requires a written application and permit before any person deposits or maintains such materials on a public street, court, alley, sidewalk, thoroughfare or right-of-way, exempting only city employees on official business and city contractors working under a city contract.
Each permit issued is valid for either seven days from issuance or through a date the city specifies. Section 30-103 requires the application to include the address, the applicant's contact information including an after-hours phone number, a detailed diagram of the excavation, demolition or construction and its dimensions, and a statement of any heavy or oversized equipment to be used and where it will be parked. Section 30-104 layers on a handling and filing fee, an inspection fee, a deposit to cover any city-installed corrective structures or cited violations, and a late filing fee if the city discovers unpermitted activity already underway.
Section 30-105 authorizes suspension or revocation if public safety is endangered, if any law is violated, or if the work fails to follow the Traffic Barricade Manual or Glendale's standard drawings.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 30-102(c), depositing or maintaining materials in the right-of-way without a permit is a misdemeanor, and the violator is additionally liable for all costs of removing the materials, on top of any fine or imprisonment imposed for the offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to leave building materials on a Glendale sidewalk?
How long does a Glendale encroachment permit last?
What happens if I encroach on the right-of-way without a permit in Glendale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle encroachment permits.