Kirkland, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

010 makes it a simple crime for any person to drop, deposit, leave, or permit to be deposited on a street, sidewalk, or other portion of the public right-of-way any object, structure, construction material, equipment, or other natural or artificial thing that obstructs or tends to obstruct vehicles or pedestrians traveling on it. 050, or something otherwise authorized by city ordinance or specific city permission. The code does not stop at criminalizing the act: it separately declares any such deposit a public nuisance, which gives the city an independent civil remedy on top of, or instead of, a criminal citation.

12, Kirkland's general civil violation and citation chapter, so staff can issue either an ordinance violation citation or a notice of civil violation for the same conduct. When an obstruction poses a present danger to public safety, the city is authorized to order its immediate removal without waiting for a citation to run its course. Whoever caused the obstruction is personally liable to the city for the cost of removing it, meaning the property owner or contractor who left construction debris, equipment, or materials on a sidewalk can be billed directly for the cleanup rather than the city absorbing the expense. 12 procedures in addition to any other remedy available at law, and remedies under the chapter are cumulative rather than exclusive.