Simi Valley, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

202 states that where City and State rules conflict, whichever is more restrictive controls. 106 defines "encroachment" broadly: any obstruction, tower, pole, pipe, fence, wire, cable, conduit, stand, building, or other structure or object placed on, in, along, under, over, or across a street, with a carve-out for ordinary maintenance of an already-permitted encroachment and for adding cables or wires to existing utility pole lines. 205 lists fourteen categories of work that require a permit from the Director of Public Services before anyone does them, including placing or leaving "any impediment to travel upon any street" under subsection (g), erecting or maintaining a post, sign, banner, pole, fence, guard rail, wall, or loading platform in the right-of-way under subsection (h), planting or removing a tree or shrub within a right-of-way under subsection (i), and using the right-of-way for commercial photography under subsection (k).

217 spells out the specific, objective grounds on which the Director can deny a permit: a missing contractor's license, business tax certificate, or CAL-OSHA permit for deep trenching; inadequate liability insurance; an engineering design that doesn't meet City standards; or an encroachment that would cause a "serious delay," defined as 15 minutes or more during morning or evening peak traffic hours. 248 separately bars any encroachment from being "maintained across any sidewalk area or shoulder of a public street" at all, and requires visibility aids like reflectors where an encroachment could impair a driver's sight line.

243 also lets the City order removal or relocation of any encroachment, permitted or not, on a finding that it threatens public health, safety, or welfare.