Greensboro, NC Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

City Code § 18-44(c) makes it unlawful for an individual to block or impede the use of a public street or highway, public sidewalk, public passageway, or the entrance or exit to a building. 'Block' is defined in § 18-44(b)(1) as preventing at least 36 linear and contiguous inches of clear access to freely pass through a sidewalk, street, or building entrance or exit. Subsection (e) separately bars blocking or impeding a building's entrance or exit served by a public sidewalk or street unless the owner or tenant has granted permission, which can be shown verbally or in writing.

When an object does block a sidewalk or passageway, § 18-44(d) authorizes a law enforcement officer or designee to promptly dispose of it where practicable, rather than requiring a lengthy notice-and-cure process. The section carries a list of exceptions distinct from the core ban: it doesn't apply to exchanging objects into or out of a lawfully parked or stopped vehicle under (h), to first responders or emergency response under (i), to anyone holding a permit issued under Chapter 26 (which covers the city's temporary right-of-way encroachment and sidewalk cafe permits) under (j), or to a medical emergency under (l).

The ordinance also does not reach streets, sidewalks or passageways for which the North Carolina Board of Transportation, not the city, holds authority and control, per subsection (m). § 14-4, as set out in § 18-44(n). § 160A-296 to keep its streets and sidewalks open for travel and free from unnecessary obstructions.