High Point, NC Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Above-ground approval
- City Council after public hearing
- Below-ground approval
- Technical Review Committee, staff-level
- Applicant must
- Indemnify city and provide insurance
- Driveways
- Exempt: separate driveway permit applies
Summary
High Point requires City Council or Technical Review Committee approval before any private structure, above or below ground, encroaches into a City-maintained right-of-way, with indemnification and insurance required; driveways are exempt and permitted separately.
Development proposing to encroach, either above or below ground, into a City-maintained right-of-way shall gain approval of a right-of-way encroachment in accordance with the procedures and standards of this section, prior to encroachment. Installation of a driveway does not constitute a right-of-way encroachment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9 | Development Ordinance: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Under Development Ordinance § 2.4.11, private development wanting to place a structure or feature, above or below ground, into a City-maintained right-of-way must first obtain a right-of-way encroachment approval. Above-ground encroachments require Technical Review Committee comment, a Planning and Development Director staff report, and a City Council decision after a public hearing; below-ground encroachments are decided administratively by the Technical Review Committee alone. Approval requires the applicant to show the encroachment is in harmony with the Ordinance, indemnify the City against liability, and furnish insurance; above-ground work must also stay clear of areas needed for pedestrian or vehicular safety. Driveway installation is expressly exempt and follows a separate driveway permit process.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining an unapproved encroachment in the right-of-way is subject to removal and code enforcement action; approval itself requires indemnifying the City and, where applicable, furnishing liability insurance for the encroachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build into the High Point right-of-way?
Who approves right-of-way encroachment permits in High Point?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in High Point
Compare High Point to another location·View the North Carolina sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle encroachment permits.