Pottstown, PA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- §209, Chapter 21, Streets and Sidewalks
- Default rule
- No projection past the building line
- Old steps exception
- Up to 1/3 width, max 5 feet
- Areaway doors
- Up to 1/4 width, max 3 feet
- Outdoor dining
- Exempted, handled under Chapter 27 Zoning
Summary
Pottstown bars buildings, steps, railings and areaways from projecting past the building line into the public sidewalk, with narrow carve-outs in Section 209 of Chapter 21. Pre-existing steps that can't be rebuilt within the line may extend up to a third of the sidewalk's width, capped at five feet, and iron-covered areaway doors may reach a quarter of the pavement width, capped at three feet.
With the exception of outdoor dining areas, as defined within Chapter 27, Zoning, § 1400, Definitions, no portion of a building or structure, or any open areaways, railings, or steps, shall project beyond the building line; provided, however, that this requirement shall not apply to reconstruction of steps of buildings already erected which it would be impossible to reconstruct in accordance with above-specified regulations, and in such case they may be reconstructed to extend over the pavement or sidewalk not more than 1/3 of the width of said pavement or sidewalk, but in no case cover a width greater than five feet. No steps of any building shall project more than 18 inches on either side of any door jamb. Areaways or openings covered with iron doors not more than three feet in width with rough surface, set flush with pavement, may project over not more than 1/4 of the pavement width but in no case more than three feet measuring from the inside face of the areaway to the building line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5012545; v22 updated 2026-07-13; through 07-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 209, part of the sidewalk and curbing chapter adopted by Ordinance 2172 on January 8, 2018 and amended by Ordinance 2184 on April 8, 2019, sets the default rule that no part of a building, structure, areaway, railing or step may project beyond the building line into the public right-of-way. The 2019 amendment carved out one broad exception: outdoor dining areas, defined in Chapter 27, Zoning, Section 1400, are allowed to encroach and are handled through the zoning process rather than this section. Beyond that, the ordinance keeps only narrow, dimension-limited allowances rooted in older construction.
Steps on buildings already standing that cannot practically be rebuilt behind the building line may extend over the pavement, but never more than one-third of the sidewalk's width and never more than five feet regardless of the sidewalk's size; the same steps may not project more than 18 inches past either side of the doorway they serve. Iron-doored areaways or cellar openings, set flush with the pavement and no more than three feet wide, may extend over at most one-quarter of the pavement width, again capped at three feet measured from the areaway's inner face to the building line.
Anything beyond these figures is an unlawful encroachment. Because outdoor dining is carved out to Chapter 27's zoning permit process, a restaurant owner seeking a sidewalk cafe needs a zoning permit, not sign-off under Section 209.
Violations & Fines
An encroachment beyond these limits falls under the Part 2 general penalty in Section 215: a fine of $5 to $600 plus costs of prosecution, with imprisonment of up to 30 days in default of payment. The Borough may also order the offending structure removed and, under Section 210, perform the removal itself and bill the owner the cost plus a 10% penalty if the owner does not act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build steps that extend into the Pottstown sidewalk?
Do I need a permit for a sidewalk cafe or outdoor dining area?
What happens if my building already encroaches on the sidewalk beyond the allowed limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pottstown
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