Tigard, OR Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Obstruction rule
- § 6.02.310, keep sidewalk free of debris and objects
- Encroachment permit
- Required from the city engineer (§ 15.16.010)
- Permit appeal
- To the city hearings officer within 15 days
- Abandoned property
- Unattended in right-of-way more than five hours
- Snow and ice
- Removal is part of the owner's maintenance duty
- Penalty
- Class 1 civil infraction, up to $250 per day
Summary
In the City of Tigard, Oregon, the responsible party for a property must keep the abutting public street, sidewalk or pedestrian easement free of earth, rock, debris and other obstructing objects (§ 6.02.310). Placing an encroachment in the right-of-way requires a permit from the city engineer (§ 6.02.340), and abandoned personal property there is a nuisance.
A responsible party shall keep a public street or sidewalk abutting their property, or a public pedestrian easement over their property, free from earth, rock and other debris and other objects that may obstruct or render the street, sidewalk, or pathway unsafe for its intended use. ... Except as provided in Chapter 15.16, it is unlawful for any person to erect, or cause to be erected, any encroachment in, over, or upon any right-of-way, or public property without having first obtained a permit from the city engineer authorizing such action. ... A. Abandoned personal property in the right-of-way is declared to be a public nuisance in violation of this title.
Full Breakdown
Sidewalk obstruction in the City of Tigard, Oregon (Washington County) is handled in several places. Section 6.02.310 puts the duty on the responsible party for a property: keep the abutting public street or sidewalk, or a public pedestrian easement over the property, free from earth, rock and other debris and other objects that obstruct or render the street, sidewalk or pathway unsafe. Under § 6.02.320, owners of property with public sidewalks or pedestrian easements must keep them in repair and not let them become or remain dangerous or unsafe.
Maintenance includes removal of snow and ice, an owner who neglects it is fully liable to any person injured, and the city is exempt from liability for its negligent failure to maintain them. Section 6.02.330 makes maintenance of sidewalks, curbs and planter strips the continuing obligation of the adjacent property owner. Fixed objects are encroachments. Under § 6.02.340 and § 15.16.010, no one can erect an encroachment in, over or upon a right-of-way or public property without a permit from the city engineer. The application needs a description, a scale drawing and, if the applicant is not the owner of the benefitted property, the owner as co-applicant, and the fee is set by city council resolution.
Under § 15.16.015, an encroachment is any privately owned structure, furnishing such as a café table or tent, hardscape, container, construction materials or equipment in the right-of-way. Mailboxes and temporary or A-frame signs allowed by the Sign Code are exempt (§ 15.16.020). An applicant or affected owner can appeal a permit decision to the city hearings officer within 15 days (§ 15.16.040). Loose items are covered by § 6.03.020, which makes abandoned personal property in the right-of-way a nuisance. Property left unattended there for more than five hours, or placed so it is a hazard or obstruction to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, counts as abandoned (§ 6.01.020), and the city manager can confiscate it without prior notice (§ 6.03.030).
Violations & Fines
Obstructing a sidewalk or leaving an unpermitted encroachment violates Title 6 and is a Class 1 civil infraction, with a civil penalty or administrative fee not exceeding $250 per day (§ 1.16.640) and each day counted separately (§ 6.01.040). The responsible party also pays the city's costs of disposing of abandoned personal property (§ 6.03.020(B)). A second similar violation within 24 months doubles the maximum, and a third or later quadruples it (§ 1.16.650).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a planter or table in the Tigard right-of-way?
Who clears snow and ice from a Tigard sidewalk?
Can the city remove items left on a sidewalk?
Can I appeal a denied encroachment permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tigard
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Obstruction Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Washington County handle obstruction rules.