Washington County, MN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Obstruction Permit, Sec. 1.09 Subd. 1(d)
- Penalty
- $500 per occurrence/site/mile/day
- Issuing authority
- Washington County Engineer / Public Works
- Coverage
- County road right-of-way, incl. sidewalks
- Appeal
- Written request to County Board, Sec. 1.31
- Scope
- Unincorporated areas and townships
Summary
Placing any object in a Washington County road right-of-way, including public sidewalks and trails, so it hinders free and open passage requires an Obstruction Permit from the County Engineer first. The rule sits in the county's Right of Way Management Ordinance No. 188 and covers county road corridors, not city-maintained streets.
Subd. 1(d). Obstruction Permit. An Obstruction Permit shall be obtained from the County before a person may obstruct any part of a County right of way when the applicant's proposed activity will hinder free and open passage over the specified portion of the right of way. The applicant shall also obtain a Right of Way Permit or Access Permit, as determined by the Engineer, in addition to any Obstruction Permit. The County may institute differing fees for differing severities and durations of obstructions.
Full Breakdown
Ordinance No. 188, "Ordinance for the Management of County Highway Right of Way," defines "Obstruct" as placing any tangible object in a public right of way so as to hinder free and open passage over that or any part of the right of way, and its Sec. 09, Subd. 1(d) makes an Obstruction Permit mandatory before a person obstructs any part of a County right of way when the proposed activity will hinder free and open passage. Because "Public Right of Way" is defined in Sec.
03 to include public sidewalks and trails alongside roadways, obstructing a county sidewalk falls under this same permitting scheme. The Engineer may also require a Right of Way Permit or Access Permit in addition to the Obstruction Permit, and the County may set differing fees for differing severities and durations of obstruction under Sec. 09 and Sec. 12. Permit fees are set by the Washington County Board to recover management, degradation, mapping, and obstruction costs (Sec. 12, Subd. 1); fees generally must be paid before a permit issues unless the County allows 30-day billing (Sec.
12, Subd. 4). Because the ordinance governs "County Road right of way," it applies chiefly in the county's townships and unincorporated areas; incorporated cities such as Stillwater, Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove, and Forest Lake administer obstruction rules for their own municipal sidewalks and streets separately. A denied, revoked, or fee-disputed permit can be appealed in writing to the County Board, which must act at its next regularly scheduled meeting (Sec. 31).
Violations & Fines
Sec. 1.34 sets the penalty for violating the Right of Way Management Ordinance, including obstructing without a permit, at $500 per occurrence, per site, per mile, per day, as long as the violation continues, unless another penalty or fine is specifically designated elsewhere in the ordinance. The County Engineer can also revoke an issued permit for breach of its conditions under Sec. 1.23, after which paid permit fees are non-refundable per Sec. 1.12, Subd. 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this permit apply inside Stillwater or Woodbury?
What counts as an obstruction under the county ordinance?
What happens if I obstruct county right-of-way without a permit?
Can I appeal if the County denies my Obstruction Permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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