Franklin County, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

18 governs the county road right-of-way. 040, no adjoining property owner may utilize any portion of the right-of-way without permission from the Board of County Commissioners, granted only through a right-of-way encroachment permit issued by the Public Works Department at 3416 Stearman Avenue in Pasco. 00 review fee that covers an on-site inspection; the county engineer then makes a recommendation, and the Public Works Director issues the final approval or denial under authority delegated by the Board. A ten-foot clear area measured from the edge of the roadway must stay free of all debris, fences, irrigation equipment, crops, and any other item that could interfere with roadway operation or drainage, and no encroachment of any kind is permitted there.

A separate, wider clear zone, calculated from posted speed and traffic volume under the WSDOT Design Manual, applies to fixed objects such as non-breakaway poles, signs, boulders, and retaining walls. 060 exempts a short list of minor items without a permit: nonwoody vegetation kept at 24 inches or under, temporary fencing standing no more than 120 days, gravel under three inches, mulch and turf that do not disrupt drainage, and road approaches built under a valid approach permit. 050(H) lets it notify the adjoining owner to remove it within a stated deadline; anything left past that deadline becomes unlawful property the county may confiscate, remove, or destroy without liability to the owner.