Hawaii County, HI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- HCC § 22-2.4(a)-(b)
- Prohibited act
- rendering a street impassable
- Also prohibited
- conduct risking harm on a street
- Civil fine
- up to $1,000, plus $1,000/day
- Enforcing officials
- Public Works director, chief of police
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Board of Appeals
Summary
HCC § 22-2.4 bars anyone from knowingly or recklessly rendering a County street or sidewalk impassable, or from creating an unreasonable risk of harm to people or property on it. This is the general obstruction rule, separate from the commercial-activity and encroachment-permit provisions in the same chapter.
(a) No person, without a legal privilege to do so, shall knowingly or recklessly render impassable, without unreasonable inconvenience or hazard, any County street, whether alone or with others. (b) No person shall knowingly or recklessly engage in conduct which creates an unreasonable risk or harm to any person or property on any County street.
Full Breakdown
4(a) makes it unlawful for any person without legal privilege to knowingly or recklessly render impassable, without unreasonable inconvenience or hazard, any County street, whether alone or with others; subsection (b) separately bars knowingly or recklessly engaging in conduct that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to any person or property on a County street. 3, all enforced by the Department of Public Works director or the chief of police. 4 needs no permit exception analysis: it is a blanket ban on blocking or endangering the public right-of-way, and it applies whether the obstruction is a parked trailer, stacked construction material, a temporary structure, or a group deliberately blocking a road.
The chief of police or the director's staff can act on a report of an impassable street, and the same Article 8 enforcement track used for every other Chapter 22 violation applies here.
Violations & Fines
A violation of HCC § 22-2.4 falls under the general Article 8 penalties: § 22-8.1 makes any failure to comply with the chapter a violation, and § 22-8.2 authorizes the director to serve a notice of violation and order, with a civil fine of up to $1,000 plus up to $1,000 per day the obstruction continues, appealable to the County Board of Appeals within thirty days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block a Hilo sidewalk with construction materials?
What is the penalty for obstructing a County street?
Does this rule cover more than physical objects?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
Compare Hawaii County to another location·View the Hawaii sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.