Plainfield, NJ Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 13:6-1(f) of the Plainfield Municipal Code sets the application path for any private use of the street or sidewalk right-of-way in the City of Plainfield, Union County. All requests for a street and sidewalk encroachment must be submitted to the licensing bureau on a form prescribed by the City Clerk. The Licensing Bureau forwards a copy of each request to the Director of Public Affairs and Safety, who reviews the application and shall approve or deny all requests.

Timing is fixed: any request for a sidewalk and street encroachment shall be submitted at least thirty (30) days prior. The section does not print a shorter track for private applicants, so the thirty days apply to every private request. Encroachments occurring as a result of a City sponsored event are handled differently: they can be approved by the Mayor and/or City Administrator in consultation with the Director of Public Affairs and Safety.

The approval authority carries waiver power under § 13:6-1(e). The Director can waive any and all provisions of the section where unnecessary hardship or practical difficulty exists due to special, singular and unique circumstances relating to the property affected and not to general neighborhood conditions, where there is no evidence that public health, safety or welfare will be adversely affected, and for such other good cause shown as the Director deems proper. All three conditions are joined as written, so a request must clear each one.

This permit is separate from the street opening and sidewalk closure permit in Article 4. Section 13:4-3(f) requires a permit from the Director of Public Works before any temporary sidewalk encroachment or closure, such as fences, scaffolding or construction trailers, is installed. Roll-off containers over ten (10) cubic yards need written permission under § 13:6-3, valid for not more than thirty (30) days and renewable on application.

Section 13:6-2 preserves only a building encroachment which legally existed before adoption of the article; if such a building is altered or reconstructed it must conform.