Scranton, PA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- City Code Ch. 412, Streets and Sidewalks
- Merchandise ban
- § 412-3, citywide
- Building encroachment ban
- § 412-6
- Sidewalk cafe permit fee
- $25, § 412-60
- Default penalty
- Up to $300, § 1-16
- Vending machine ban zone
- Central business district, § 412-4
Summary
Scranton City Code § 412-3 makes it unlawful to place or leave any merchandise, wares, boxes, crates or barrels on a city street, sidewalk or highway, and § 412-6 separately bars any building that encroaches onto the sidewalk line. Sidewalk cafes and parklets need a Bureau of Code Enforcement permit instead.
Placing or leaving any article of traffic or merchandise or any wares or any case or box containing the same or any packing boxes or barrel on streets, sidewalks or highways is prohibited. ... Erecting any building or part thereof or the continuance of any building upon any street, highway or public place or the erection of any structure, which obscures the prospect between any inside of the sidewalk line, lawfully established, and the public street is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4719898; v25 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 412, Streets and Sidewalks, dates to Ch. 29 of the 1979 Code. , on streets and sidewalks prohibited, bars 'placing or leaving any article of traffic or merchandise or any wares or any case or box containing the same or any packing boxes or barrel on streets, sidewalks or highways' anywhere in the city, with no exception for how briefly the item sits there. ' A related, narrower rule at § 412-4 bans coin-operated dispensing machines, other than newspaper boxes, on any sidewalk or highway inside the central business district, carrying its own $300 penalty under Ord.
No. 27-1984. The Code does carve out one lawful obstruction: Article XI, Sidewalk Cafes and Parklets (§§ 412-58 to 412-62, added 2023 by Ord. No. 72-2023), lets a business place tables, chairs and canopies on the sidewalk right-of-way if it first obtains a $25 Bureau of Code Enforcement permit, stays current on city taxes and fees, and leaves the minimum ADA-compliant pedestrian walkway clear; the City reserves the right under § 412-62 to order any such furniture removed for traffic, utility work or emergency reasons.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 412 sets no dedicated penalty for §§ 412-3 or 412-6, so the citywide default in § 1-16, General penalty, controls: a fine of not more than $300 for one offense, recoverable with costs, plus imprisonment of not more than 90 days if the fine and costs go unpaid. Operating an unpermitted sidewalk cafe or parklet is separately unlawful under § 412-59A, and the Bureau of Code Enforcement can revoke or refuse a permit for noncompliance under § 412-59C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Scranton store put a display rack or boxes out on the sidewalk?
Can a Scranton building extend over or block a sidewalk?
How does a restaurant get permission for outdoor sidewalk seating in Scranton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scranton
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