Ridgecrest, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- § 14-26 (permit); § 14-25 (penalty)
- Issuing authority
- City Manager or designee
- Insurance required
- $100,000/$300,000 liability minimum
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor
Summary
Placing, erecting, or maintaining anything in a Ridgecrest street or public right-of-way, signs, fences, pipes, excavation, requires a written encroachment permit from the city manager, with insurance and possible bond, before work begins.
It shall be unlawful for any person to excavate, place, erect, or maintain an encroachment into, on, above or below a street without first obtaining a written permit from the city manager or his designee except as provided in this section and except that no permit shall be required of a public utility to install, maintain, or replace aboveground facilities which are outside the paved and/or traveled portion of a street. No public utility shall install facilities in a street, however, without first having coordinated plans for such installation with the city manager or his designee.
(Code 1980, § 14-2.2; Ord. No. 14-04, § 2)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Under Ridgecrest City Code § 14-26, it is unlawful to excavate, place, erect, or maintain an encroachment into, on, above, or below a city street without a written permit from the city manager or designee. 'Encroachment' is defined broadly in § 14-24 to include signs, fences, pipes, and excavation work in the right-of-way. Applicants must carry public liability insurance (at least $100,000/$300,000) and property damage coverage ($25,000 minimum), and may need to post a cash bond. Public utilities installing aboveground facilities outside the paved roadway are exempted from the permit requirement.
Violations & Fines
Working in the right-of-way without a permit is a misdemeanor under City Code § 14-25, and the city manager may order removal of an unpermitted or dangerous encroachment under § 14-28.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a fence in the Ridgecrest right-of-way?
Is a public utility exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
California rules heatmap·Compare Ridgecrest to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle encroachment permits.