Piedmont Municipal Code Art. IV Obstruction of Streets and Sidewalks

Whenever any person shall erect or repair any building or other structure within the City and shall cause or permit any building materials, rubbish or other thing to be placed on any public street, lane, alley or sidewalk or other places in the City where people are accustomed to walk or ride and whenever any person shall be engaged in constructing any sewer or laying any gas, water or other pipe or conduit or making any excavation in and through any of the streets, lanes, alleys, highways and sidewalks or other places in the City where people are accustomed to walk or ride, whether such work is authorized by the City or its agents or others, it shall be the duty of every such person to protect, with a sufficient number of lights, the materials, rubbish, goods, wares, merchandise, machinery, apparatus, heaps, excavations and other things caused or permitted by them to be or remain in or at any of the places in this section mentioned and in such manner as to enable the same to be distinctly seen by all passers-by and to maintain such lights from dusk until daylight during every night which any obstruction of the character in the section mentioned is allowed to remain in or at any such place, and every person who shall neglect the duty imposed by this section shall, in addition to the penalty imposed by Section 1.7, be liable for all damages to persons and to property growing out of such neglect. (Ord. 206 N.S., 01/1959)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed anywhere upon any sidewalk or roadway, anything which shall obstruct, restrict or prevent the use of any portion of such sidewalk or roadway; provided, that this section shall not apply to the articles or things listed in section 18.23. (Ord. 199 N.S., 09/1958)

SEC. 18.23 EXCEPTIONS TO SECTION 18.22

The following uses are permitted exceptions from the provisions of Section 18.22:

(a) Temporary placement of goods, wares, merchandise or containers may be allowed on the sidewalk while in the actual course of receipt, delivery or removal, provided that such placement does not interfere with the normal use of the sidewalk by pedestrians.

(b) Materials used in the construction or repair of any building or structure may be placed, together with the necessary pedestrian walkways, barricades and warning signs, when applicable approval and permits have been obtained from the proper City departments.

(c) Trees, shrubs and flowers with the necessary barricades, when planted or maintained either by the City or by private parties under rules and regulations of the park department or authority of the Council expressed by resolution or ordinance.

Streets & Sidewalks (d) Poles, fire and police boxes, lampposts, parking, street directional or warning signs, drinking fountains, hydrants, flagpoles or standards, decorations for public events, sidewalk clocks, barber poles, refuse cans, book return receptacles, barriers and any other similar installation; provided, however, that any such installation belongs to the City or is authorized by this Code or other ordinance or resolution of the Council.

(e) Benches at such locations and in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the chief of police.

(f) Mailboxes and newspaper boxes that are placed in such locations that do not interfere with the normal use of the sidewalk by pedestrians.

(g) Any object for a temporary noncommercial use at such locations and such times as may be permitted by the police department under the following rules and regulations:

l. Any person desiring such permission shall make application therefor to the police department specifying the object or thing to be used, the proposed time and place and the purpose for which it is intended to be used, and such other information as may be required by the police department.

If there are no prior applications for such time and place and the use of such object or thing at such time or place will not create a traffic or safety hazard, the permit may be issued.

(h) Sidewalk vending, which shall be permitted and regulated pursuant to chapter 13. (Ord. 199 N.S., 09/1958; Ord. 757 N.S.; 10/2020)

VENDORS

Vehicles used for vending shall not stop or stand on any public street for than five minutes at any one time without a vehicle vending permit issued by the Chief of Police. Fees imposed for issuance of a vehicle vending permit may be established by resolution of the City Council. (Ord. 199 N.S., 09/1958; Ord. 757 N.S.; 10/2020)

Anything placed or permitted to remain upon any sidewalk or roadway in violation of Section 18.22 is hereby declared to constitute a nuisance and the police department is hereby authorized and empowered to abate such nuisance by removing the same to the office of the police department or the corporation yard of the City. (Ord. 199 N.S., 09/1958)

Streets & Sidewalks