Salinas, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- City engineer
- Application point
- City permit center
- Notice before removal
- 5 days
- Daily penalty
- $150 per day past notice
- Unpaid removal cost
- Becomes a foreclosable property lien
- Covered items
- Pipes, ATMs, sidewalk cafes, bus benches
Summary
Placing anything, from a pipe or sidewalk cafe to an ATM or bus bench, in or under a Salinas street, sidewalk or alley requires an encroachment permit from the city engineer. Unpermitted encroachments are a public nuisance the city can summarily remove and bill the owner $150 a day.
It is unlawful for any person to lay, place, construct, reconstruct, improve, repair, control, or maintain, or cause to be laid, placed, constructed, reconstructed, improved, repaired, controlled, or maintained, any encroachment or encroachments in or under any street, sidewalk, alley, or public place in the city without first receiving an encroachment permit issued by the city engineer in accordance with the requirements of this article. An application for an encroachment permit shall be initiated by submitting an application and required fees to the permit center.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 30-36 makes it unlawful to lay, place, construct, reconstruct, improve, repair, control or maintain any encroachment in or under a street, sidewalk, alley or public place without an encroachment permit from the city engineer. Sec. 1 defines encroachment broadly to cover pipes, conduits, cables, water and gas mains, public utility facilities, poles, tracks, sidewalk cafes, ATMs, bus benches, shelters, bus stop signs and newspaper racks. Applications go through the permit center with required fees, and the city engineer can reject an incomplete or inaccurate application.
Sec. 30-37 requires anyone already operating an encroachment without a permit to either file an application or remove it at their own expense and restore the street to its prior condition; supplying water, gas or utility service through an unpermitted main or service pipe is separately unlawful. Sec. 30-40 lets the city require a bond, and Sec. 1 sets insurance-liability requirements. Sec. 30-47 declares a noncomplying encroachment a public nuisance, and Sec. 30-48 lets the city engineer summarily remove one that isn't removed, or isn't diligently being removed, within five days of notice and that interferes with street repair or improvement or the public's safe use.
Sec. 30-49 then lets the city recover its removal expenses and suit costs, plus $150 for each day the encroachment remains after the five-day notice period expires, and Sec. 30-50 makes the entire removal expense a lien on the owner's property, foreclosable by the city.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted or noncomplying encroachment is a declared public nuisance under Sec. 30-47 and may be summarily removed by the city engineer under Sec. 30-48 once five days have passed after notice without diligent removal. Sec. 30-49 lets the city recover its removal cost and suit expenses plus a $150-per-day penalty for each day the encroachment remains past the five-day notice window, and Sec. 30-50 turns the unpaid removal expense into a foreclosable lien on the owner's property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a sidewalk cafe in Salinas?
What happens if I install a pipe or structure in a Salinas street without a permit?
Can unpaid encroachment removal costs become a lien on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salinas
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