Lafayette, IN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 4.02.020 of the Lafayette Municipal Code lets merchants whose store buildings abut public sidewalks place displays and merchandise on the sidewalk in front of their buildings, but only subject to restrictions and a written approval procedure. Displayed items must be stable and secured against tipping, cannot block entrances or emergency exits, and cannot extend beyond the merchant's own storefront. Items may not extend more than 24 inches from the storefront onto the sidewalk, and a clear unobstructed passageway at least four feet wide, measured from the curb or the nearest obstruction such as a tree well or lamppost, must remain open on the street side.

No items may sit in tree wells or the parkway strip between sidewalk and curb. Display hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or the merchant's business hours, whichever is shorter, and nothing may be left out overnight. The section requires the merchant to file a letter with the City Clerk indemnifying the city for property damage or personal injury, backed by a certificate of insurance of not less than $500,000 naming the city as an additional insured, approved by the Board of Public Works and Safety.

Under subsection B, each business must apply in writing to the Board of Public Works and Safety for approval to place merchandise in the public right-of-way, and the application must include a scale drawing showing the details of the proposed encroachment into the right-of-way, along with dimensions and locations of existing and proposed features. Approval is valid for up to one calendar year, expiring December 31, and can be granted only if the applicant was cited for no more than one violation in the preceding twelve months. The City Engineer investigates suspected violations and issues written notice under subsections C and D.