Murrieta, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Murrieta Code Ch. 15.54
- Permit issuer
- City engineer / administrative authority
- Public notice
- 48-hour flyer to affected residents
- Security release
- No sooner than 30 days after completion
- Unpermitted work penalty
- Additional fee equal to city's actual cost
Summary
Murrieta requires an encroachment permit before anyone builds, alters, or places anything in a public street, sidewalk, or right-of-way. The city engineer administers the program under Chapter 15.54, covering everything from curb and driveway work to trees planted in the parkway.
No person shall do any of the following acts without first obtaining a valid encroachment permit: A. Make or cause to be made any excavation or opening, fill or obstruction in, over, along, on, across or through any public place for any purpose whatsoever; B. Construct or repair or cause to be constructed or repaired any curb, sidewalk, gutter, curb with integral gutter, drive approach, driveway, alley approach, spandrel and cross gutter, wheelchair ramp, A.C. dike, or any other work of any nature covered by the city standard drawings or city policy within a public place... C. Plant, remove, cut, cut down, injure or destroy any tree, plant, shrub, or flower growing within any public place excepting necessary pruning or trimming to protect persons or property
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
040 bars work in any "public place" (streets, sidewalks, alleys, easements, and rights-of-way) without a valid encroachment permit first. That covers excavations or obstructions of any kind, construction or repair of curbs, sidewalks, gutters, drive approaches, driveways, or wheelchair ramps, planting or removing any tree, plant, shrub or flower in the right-of-way, building or modifying storm drains, altering or defacing an adjacent block wall, running traffic-control operations, and entering or exiting a public place at a spot not built as an approved driveway. 060 sets the application requirements: applicant name, address and phone number, the purpose, location and dimensions of the encroachment, proposed start date and construction duration, the contractor's name and license number, plans or sketches, the disposal site for removed material, and a signed acknowledgment that insurance, indemnification and performance security must be satisfied before the permit issues.
The administrative authority (the city manager or a designee) can attach conditions to protect public safety and property, and must give written notice if the application is denied. 070 requires public notice for work with community impact: at minimum a flyer hand-delivered to affected residents at least 48 hours before work starts, describing the work, its estimated duration, and a contact name and phone number. 110 authorizes the administrative authority to collect a permit fee and deposits covering the city's administrative costs, plan checking, field inspections, and any other expense the application causes, with the fee and deposit schedule set by city council resolution.
120 lets the city engineer require a maintenance deposit or performance bond, up to 100 percent cash, to cover traffic control, restoration, or removal of materials if the permittee fails to act; unused funds are refunded and bonds released no sooner than 30 days after the city deems the project complete. 100 lets the city engineer deny a permit to anyone who has repeatedly violated permit procedures or owes the city for past violations, and lets the engineer revoke a permit if a written notice to comply is not addressed within the stated period.
Violations & Fines
Starting work without first paying fees and obtaining the permit is a violation of Section 15.54.310, unless an emergency made it impracticable to get the permit first, a call the city engineer makes at his or her discretion. A violation triggers an assessment of additional fees equal to the city's actual cost from the unpermitted work, and paying that fee does not excuse the permittee from complying with the chapter or from any other penalty the code otherwise imposes. The city and its own employees acting in their official capacity are exempt from the chapter under Section 15.54.320.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the parkway strip in Murrieta?
What happens if I start sidewalk or driveway work in Murrieta without a permit?
Does Murrieta require neighbors to be notified before encroachment work begins?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle encroachment permits.