Pedestrian safety and visibility buffer.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 40-32
in effectSec. 40-32. - Pedestrian safety and visibility buffer.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person without an approved application to build, construct, plant, place, or otherwise cause a visual obstruction within the pedestrian safety and visibility buffer adjacent to a driveway where vehicular traffic exits onto a public street and crosses a sidewalk required by article XXII of this chapter. Objects or improvements below 24 inches or above eight feet as measured from the sidewalk surface shall not be considered a visual obstruction.
(b) The pedestrian safety and visibility buffer shall encompass a rectangular area extending from edges of the exit driveway in both directions along the sidewalk. The two primary dimensions of this triangular area, as measured from intersection of the exit driveway edge and the point of the required sidewalk farthest from public street, shall be:
(1) 14 feet along the length of the sidewalk, and
(2) 6 feet along the edge of the exit driveway perpendicular to the sidewalk.
Exhibits 40-32-1 and 40-32-2 depict the pedestrian safety and visibility buffer on streets with two-way and one-way traffic, respectively.
Exhibit 40-32-1—Two-way Driveway
[image omitted; see the official code]
Exhibit 40-32-2—One-way Driveway
[image omitted; see the official code]
(c) The city engineer is authorized to modify the pedestrian safety and visibility buffer area required by this section when, upon review of written documentation provided by the individual or entity requesting the modification, the city engineer concludes that the standards of this section are technically or otherwise infeasible due to the presence of existing permitted physical conditions.
(d) A permitted object or improvement that would otherwise be considered a visual obstruction under subsection (a) of this section that existed prior to October 1, 2020 shall not be considered a violation of this section.
(Ord. No. 2020-684, § 2(Exh. A), 8-5-2020)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH40STSI_ARTIINGE_S40-32PESAVIBUFetched: 10/26/2026