Lawrence, MA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer, city ways
- director of police department
- Permit issuer, state highways
- state DPW
- Covers
- fixtures, structures, displayed merchandise
- Loading/unloading exception
- reasonable, expeditious, unobstructed
- Illegal placement remedy
- city removal at owner's expense
- Governing section
- § 12.12.070
Summary
Placing any fixture or structure in a Lawrence sidewalk, street or highway takes a permit from the police department director, or the state DPW on state highways, under Municipal Code § 12.12.070. Anything left there illegally, from a merchandise display to an unpermitted structure, can be hauled away by the city at the owner's expense.
12.12.070 - Permit required to place structures in streets—Removal of illegal structures. A.No person shall place, erect or cause to be placed or erected within any sidewalk, street or highway, any fixture or structure unless a permit issued by the director of the police department in the case of city ways, or by the commonwealth department of public works, in the case of state highways, authorizing such placing or erection, has been granted and is in effect...C.Any such fixture, structure or property as referred to in this section which has been erected, placed or left illegally in any street, highway or sidewalk may be moved by or under the direction of an officer and at the owner's expense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
070(A) requires a permit before 'any person shall place, erect or cause to be placed or erected within any sidewalk, street or highway, any fixture or structure,' issued by the director of the police department for city ways or by the state department of public works for state highways. Subsection B extends the same permit requirement to leaving articles, materials or merchandise on a sidewalk, street or highway, or parking a vehicle or cart there to display goods, unless the activity is 'reasonable and expeditious loading or unloading' that doesn't block pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
010, and it was carried into the current code from prior code § 24-8 as amended by the 1999 codification. There is no fee schedule written into this particular section; applicants apply to the police department for city rights-of-way encroachments.
Violations & Fines
Placing or leaving an unpermitted fixture, structure, merchandise or parked vehicle in a Lawrence sidewalk, street or highway lets the city move it 'at the owner's expense' under § 12.12.070(C), on top of whatever general penalty applies for operating without the required police department or state DPW permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues an encroachment permit to put a structure in a Lawrence sidewalk?
Can I display merchandise on the sidewalk outside my Lawrence store?
What happens to a structure placed on a Lawrence sidewalk without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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