Coconino County, AZ Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Encroachment permit before ROW placement
- Enforcing agency
- Community Development Dept, Zoning Inspector
- Also required
- Building Permit under Sec. 4.2.C.1.N
- Individual fine
- Up to $750 per day
- Entity fine
- Up to $10,000 per day
- Sight triangle
- 25 feet at intersections and driveways
Summary
Any sign placed in a Coconino County road right-of-way or public easement needs an encroachment permit first. Section 4.2.C.1.C also bars signs from overhanging adjacent property or attaching to utility poles, light standards or trees, keeping shoulders and drainage easements clear for road crews.
C. No Sign may encroach upon or overhang any Adjacent property or any public Right-of-Way. No Sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, tree, or any other public facility. No Sign may be placed in any public Right-of-Way or Easement without an encroachment permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Coconino County's Zoning Ordinance treats the road right-of-way and public easements as off-limits to private signage unless the Community Development Department first issues an encroachment permit. C states plainly: 'No Sign may encroach upon or overhang any Adjacent property or any public Right-of-Way. No Sign shall be attached to any utility pole, light standard, tree, or any other public facility. N separately requires a Building Permit, plus an electrical permit if the sign is illuminated, before anyone erects, constructs, enlarges, modifies or relocates a sign anywhere in the county.
The two requirements stack, so a sign proposed for the shoulder of a county road or a drainage easement needs both the standard Building Permit and the right-of-way encroachment permit before installation. Q separately requires a 25-foot clear sight triangle at street intersections and driveway entrances. H.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted sign in the right-of-way is a zoning violation enforced under Section 5.14. The Zoning Inspector can order removal, and each day the encroachment continues is a separate offense. Civil or criminal fines run up to $750 per day for an individual and up to $10,000 per day for a corporation or other entity, with daily penalties above $1,500 on a residential lot referred to the County Attorney's Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a sign on the county road shoulder?
Can I attach a sign to a utility pole or street tree?
What happens if I install a sign in the right-of-way without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coconino County
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