San Ramon, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section C6-4 makes it unlawful, without first obtaining a written permit, to encroach on a right-of-way, alter it, leave an obstruction or impediment on it, cut or trim trees or set a fire on it, place a pipeline or fixture on it, move an oversized or overweight object across it, or place a structure or excavation that endangers its normal use. Section C6-10 puts the city engineer in charge of issuing every permit and requires a completed application naming the applicant, any contractor and its license number, plus enough detail to fix the location, dimensions and start and completion dates of the work.

Section C6-14 gives a permittee 90 days from issuance to begin the authorized work or the permit lapses, while a permit for a continuing or temporary encroachment runs for one year unless the city engineer states otherwise or ends it with 30 days' written notice. Section C6-19 leaves fees to a schedule the city council adopts by resolution, collected in advance along with charges for field investigation and inspection. Section C6-20 requires a cash deposit, certified check or cashier's check, sized by the city engineer, to cover restoring the right-of-way to its former condition, and Section C6-16 makes every permit nontransferable, binding only the person or entity that actually built or maintains the encroachment.

If the city engineer refuses a permit, Section C6-7 lets the applicant appeal to the city council, which must grant it under Section C6-8 if refusal would substantially damage the applicant, no other reasonable method exists, and the grant will not be materially detrimental to public safety or welfare.