Mesa, AZ Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

Mesa City Code Title 9, Chapter 2, Obstruction of Streets, makes it unlawful under Section 9-2-1 for any person to obstruct or encumber a street, alley, or right-of-way with personal property, trash, or rubbish. Section 9-2-2 carves out an exception for pedestrian and vehicular traffic and for necessary moving of property, and it also allows obstruction connected with construction, alteration, or repair work once a permit is obtained from the Development Services Manager. Section 9-2-3 separately governs permanent-style encroachments: it is unlawful to cause or maintain any encumbrance of the public right-of-way with a foundation, wall, fence, post, or other structure, or any cohesive ground-surfacing material, without first obtaining a written Right-of-Way Encroachment Permit from the City Engineer.

The City Engineer may issue the permit only after finding the encroachment will not impair public use or access to public facilities, and every permit is bounded by the terms, conditions, and time period the City Engineer sets, the City Engineer can revoke it at any time. Before a permit issues, the applicant must sign an undertaking holding the City harmless from any liability tied to the encroachment and must agree in writing to remove the encroachment and restore the property on request. Section 9-2-4 exempts three narrow categories from the encroachment permit requirement: authorized traffic-control structures and signs, vehicle driveway surfacing properly aligned with curb openings, and pedestrian walkway surfacing less than five feet wide perpendicular to the right-of-way.