GENERALLY

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. III, ch. 645, art. V, div. 1

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-511 Improper construction to be removed by the city.

Sec. 645-511. - Improper construction to be removed by the city. Whenever any driveway or other construction of any type or character whatsoever has been constructed upon, or partially upon, the public right-of-way of any street or roadway within the jurisdiction of the city in such a manner that the construction interferes with drainage of surface water from land other than that served by the construction, whether public or private, or interferes with traffic upon the public roadway, the department of public works shall have authority to deal with the improper construction in the manner and in accordance with the following procedures: (1) Notice to owner and occupant. A notice shall be served upon the owner and the occupant of the premises served by the allegedly improper construction, which notice shall describe the improper construction and allow the owner or occupant at least twenty-one (21) days to contact the department of public works regarding such allegedly improper construction. If the owner or occupant does not contact the department of public works within such time, the department is authorized to remove forthwith any and all parts of such construction which are located within the public right-of-way. (2) Time for defense. If the owner or occupant of premises upon which a notice is served under subsection (1) shall contact the department of public works, he shall be given a reasonable time, not to exceed thirty (30) days from the time of the first contact, to show that such construction was lawful when built or installed. If the owner or occupant shall show that such construction was lawful when built, all correction of any problems caused by such construction shall be at the expense of the city. (3) Removal of construction. In the event the owner or occupant cannot show within the time period prescribed by subsection (2) that such construction was lawful when built or installed, he shall be given an additional period of thirty (30) days in which to correct the improper construction in accordance with specifications and requirements of the city. If the owner or occupant does not make such corrections within that time, the department of public works is authorized to remove forthwith, and without any further notice, any and all parts of such construction which are located within the public right-of-way. (Code 1975, § 28-193; G.O. 15, 2001, § 108)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-512 Public ways not to be used for private purposes; exceptions.

Sec. 645-512. - Public ways not to be used for private purposes; exceptions. (a) The streets, alleys, sidewalks, bridges and public places of the city shall be maintained open at all times for travel by vehicles and pedestrians and for all other proper public uses and purposes. No part thereof, or any spaces above or below such public ways, except as otherwise authorized by statute, this article or Code, or by any other city ordinance, shall be used for any private purpose or business. Except as may be so authorized, no use shall be permitted that affects the orderly appearance thereof, or obstructs or hinders public travel thereover, contrary to the public safety and welfare. (b) As provided in Chapter 986 of the Code, a temporary sign may be placed upon any street, alley, sidewalk, bridge, or public place, so long as the following conditions are met: (1) The temporary sign is associated with a civic sponsored special event; (2) The temporary sign has been approved by the civic sponsored special event sponsor; (3) The temporary sign complies with the operating requirements established in section 986-204 of the Code; and (4) A limited duration license has been issued in accordance with Chapter 986, article II of the Code. (c) The board of business and neighborhood services may adopt reasonable regulations regarding the materials, dimensions, and locations of these temporary signs. (Code 1975, § 28-194; G.O. 33, 2011, § 4; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-513 Prohibited obstructions generally.

Sec. 645-513. - Prohibited obstructions generally. It shall be unlawful for any person, without a permit therefor issued pursuant to this article or other provision of this Code, to obstruct or use for himself or anyone else any street, alley, boulevard, sidewalk, crosswalk or public place in the city, or any portion thereof, other than temporarily and as may be reasonably necessary for the proper use of the abutting premises owned or controlled by him, in any of the following respects: (1) By placing, piling, keeping or displaying, for any purpose, any goods, wares, merchandise or other things, and any stands, containers or structures used therefor, other than temporarily and in the course of removal on or along any street or public place abutting on premises owned or controlled by any person and used for his business. (2) By occupying temporarily more than four (4) feet of the outer edge of any sidewalk, fifteen (15) feet or more in width, or more than one-fourth (¼) of the width of narrower sidewalks, for the deposit of goods, wares, merchandise or other materials and things, in the course of receipt or delivery in connection with any business or use by a person in control of the abutting premises or for any other purpose. (3) By permitting any goods, wares, merchandise or other materials to remain for any purpose on or along either the inner or outer edges of any sidewalk for a longer time than required to remove them; and upon notice by a police officer or other city official to remove such goods, wares or merchandise, they shall be removed therefrom within six (6) hours. (4) By permitting, except when so authorized by the city, any box, barrel, bale or any other kind of goods, wares or merchandise to be placed on or to remain in the roadway of any street or alley immediately adjacent to the premises owned or occupied by any person, after notice or knowledge thereof, any longer than required to remove same with reasonable diligence, although he may not, directly or indirectly, have placed or caused such obstruction. (5) By placing or parking any finished or unfinished vehicle, left with a person for repair or service, in or on any street, alley, boulevard, sidewalk, crosswalk or public place contrary to traffic regulations or any other provisions of this Code, and permitting it to remain in violation of such regulations; or where such place is located within the central traffic district and is not so regulated, by so parking or placing it for any unreasonable period, which prima facie shall be any time longer than two (2) hours. (6) By stopping and standing any vehicle on or across any driveway or footwalk, or over any street, alley or boulevard, and so obstructing the same any longer than required to move such vehicle when able to do so. (7) In any other manner than as specified in this section or in any other provisions of this Code, unless so expressly permitted or authorized by the city. (Code 1975, § 28-195)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-514 Use of plots between sidewalk and curb.

Sec. 645-514. - Use of plots between sidewalk and curb. (a) The owner, agent, occupant or lessee of any premises, if first applying for and obtaining the approval of the division of construction and business services of the department of business and neighborhood services and the board of parks and recreation, may use the plot between the curb and sidewalk for grass or a tree row in front of such premises, lying anywhere between the curbline and the property line and not used by the city for the paved part of any sidewalk or street, and may beautify and improve all or any part of such plot of ground by sodding it, sowing grass seed therein, or by setting out or growing therein plants or flowers, as may be authorized and so long as no obstruction of the roadway or sidewalk results. (b) Any person desiring so to use and beautify the ground between the sidewalk and the curb shall make written application for a permit therefor to both the division and the board of parks and recreation, showing the character and extent of the use or enclosure and the manner of the proposed improvement; and if satisfied with the propriety thereof, such division and board may grant and issue such permit, but the approval of both the division and the board shall be required. (c) Whenever the plot subject to this section has been used, sown, sodded or beautified in accordance with the permit required by subsection (b), such person shall maintain it in good order, and no person, without authority from such boards, shall walk upon or across the plot, or pluck, cut or injure in any way any flower or plant thereon, or purposely remove, damage, cut, mark or injure in any way such plot or anything so planted or growing therein. (d) Such use of the ground and any permit therefor shall remain subject to the control of the division and the board of parks and recreation, as their respective jurisdiction authorizes, and such permit may be revoked at any time, after notice to the permittee fixing a time to vacate such space, and any continued use of the plot thereafter shall be unlawful. (e) When any plot of ground subject to this section is not used by obtaining a permit therefor, the person owning or controlling the premises, unless the city elects to do so, shall keep such plot free of a tall growth of weeds or rank vegetation and any grass growing or sown thereon shall be mowed at reasonable intervals by such person so as to maintain the plot in an orderly and sightly appearance and condition. (f) It shall be unlawful for any person to place rubbish, trash or wastes upon any plot subject to this section, or on any other part of the street, except as permitted and necessary to be so placed for collection thereof by the city; or for any person to operate any vehicle or ride or drive any animal upon or across such plot, or permit any animal, such as a horse, cow or similar large animal, to graze or walk upon any such plot or otherwise to damage or destroy it. (Code 1975, § 28-196; G.O. 15, 2001, § 109; G.O. 3, 2002, § 28; G.O. 63, 2009, § 72; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-515 Reserved.

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-516 Selling or auctioning goods in streets or public places.

Sec. 645-516. - Selling or auctioning goods in streets or public places. (a) No huckster, peddler, storekeeper, merchant or other person of a similar trade or business shall use or occupy any portion of any public place, park, boulevard, street or sidewalk, with anything placed thereon or stand or move about thereon, for the purpose of selling, offering for sale, displaying, advertising or disposing of any goods, wares or merchandise, or any other property, except as permitted by this Code for public or charitable purposes. (b) No auctioneer or other person shall conduct an auction, sell or offer to sell, or dispose of at auction, any goods, wares, merchandise or other thing of value on any public place or way; and it shall also be unlawful for any person to bid at any such auction. No assembly of persons as bidders or onlookers at any auction proscribed by this section shall be allowed or permitted at any time. (Code 1975, § 28-198)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-517 Hawking.

Sec. 645-517. - Hawking. No person shall sell, offer for sale, or advertise for sale or other disposition, any kind of goods or articles in the city on any street or public place by crying out, talking or hawking, or by any other loud and audible means, vocal or mechanical; however, nothing in this division shall apply to roving vendors of newspapers in the sale thereof nor to persons operating newspaper stands who have a permit issued pursuant to this division. (Code 1975, § 28-199)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-518 Stringing wires across public ways.

Sec. 645-518. - Stringing wires across public ways. It shall be unlawful for any person who is not a licensed electrician under this Code and who is not duly authorized to do so by the city to string any wires for use as radio or television aerial wires, or for any other private purpose or use, across any street, alley or other public place in the city. No person shall place any such wires for any purpose without having a permit therefor from the division of construction and business services of the department of business and neighborhood services, except while acting as an employee of and for any public utility that has a permit as required by this Code. (Code 1975, § 28-200; G.O. 15, 2001, § 110; G.O. 3, 2002, § 30; G.O. 63, 2009, § 73; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-519 Permit for placing banners, signs or structures on streets.

Sec. 645-519. - Permit for placing banners, signs or structures on streets. No person shall place or use any banner, sign or structure for any purpose whatever on any street in the city where such sign or structure obstructs or tends to obstruct the use of the street or sidewalk, nor shall any banner, sign, structure or other thing be placed upon or strung over or across any street without first obtaining a special permit for such limited and temporary use from the division of construction and business services, subject to its further orders thereon. (Code 1975, § 28-201; G.O. 15, 2001, § 110; G.O. 3, 2002, § 30; G.O. 63, 2009, § 73; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-520 Earthen materials.

Sec. 645-520. - Earthen materials. It shall be the duty of each person owning or occupying any premises adjoining a street or improved sidewalk, and doing any kind of work causing earth, dirt, materials or debris to be accumulated by or for him or her upon any portion of the street or sidewalk abutting such premises, to remove or cause the removal thereof within twenty-four (24) hours from the time of such accumulation, unless he or she obtains an extension of time therefor from the division of construction and business services of the department of business and neighborhood services. While such materials are allowed to remain at any such place, the person causing the obstruction shall provide proper barricades and lights therefor, as required for other such obstructions placed upon the public streets. (Code 1975, § 28-202; G.O. 15, 2001, § 110; G.O. 3, 2002, § 30; G.O. 63, 2009, § 73; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-521 Permit for bicycle or motorcycle racks on sidewalks.

Sec. 645-521. - Permit for bicycle or motorcycle racks on sidewalks. No person shall erect, place or maintain any bicycle or motorcycle rack on any sidewalk or in the space between the property line and the roadway of any street, without first obtaining a permit therefor from the division of construction and business services of the department of business and neighborhood services. The permit may be issued, without charge therefor, under such terms and conditions as the division deems advisable for the protection of the public and the interests of the city, and it shall be revocable by the division at any time. (Code 1975, § 28-203; G.O. 15, 2001, § 110; G.O. 3, 2002, § 30; G.O. 63, 2009, § 73; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-522 Fuel on street.

Sec. 645-522. - Fuel on street. It shall be unlawful for any person to place or deposit, or to allow to be placed or deposited, any coal, firewood or other fuel upon any street, sidewalk or alley of the city and permit it to remain thereon, except during a reasonable period for the delivery and unloading thereof, and all pieces of such coal, firewood or other fuel shall be promptly removed therefrom after delivery. (Code 1975, § 28-204)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-523 Lumber or timber.

Sec. 645-523. - Lumber or timber. No lumber, timber, logs, blocks or other articles constituting obstructions of any kind shall be placed or caused to be placed upon any street, sidewalk or alley of the city, except for a reasonable time required for the process of loading or unloading and delivery of the same to or by the person controlling the abutting premises. (Code 1975, § 28-205)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-524 Repairing vehicles on streets prohibited.

Sec. 645-524. - Repairing vehicles on streets prohibited. It shall be unlawful to use any street, public place or park at any time for the purpose of doing work or repairs upon vehicles, except for the change of tires when punctured and other emergency work necessary to move such vehicle with safety, whether such vehicles are properly parked or otherwise. (Code 1975, § 28-206)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-525 Children playing in streets.

Sec. 645-525. - Children playing in streets. It shall be unlawful for the parent, custodian or guardian of any child under twelve (12) years of age to permit or suffer such child to play in the roadway of any street, except a play street established pursuant to this division. (Code 1975, § 28-207)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-526 Certain streets designated for play purposes.

Sec. 645-526. - Certain streets designated for play purposes. (a) The board of public works, acting through the director of public works, may name and designate from time to time during the year various streets or portions thereof as play streets, or for special contests, or for fixed hours and limited periods as specified for sledding, tobogganing, roller and ice skating and various other games, contests and recreation for children, and shall control traffic or other interference thereon or may bar therefrom vehicular traffic or other interference during the periods of such use. Play streets shall be so designated and marked by signs and may be roped off or otherwise barricaded, or may be so indicated by police officers stationed thereon. (b) Play streets shall be selected from those streets that are not main or heavily used traffic arteries and which generally carry a small burden of traffic. Any provisions of this Code relating to vehicular traffic in any such areas may be suspended or changed by the board of public works in such areas while any street is being used for the purposes provided in subsection (a), and such board shall assign one (1) or more police officers or other competent persons to supervise the recreation and maintain order at such places. (c) Any person residing at any premises located upon such restricted portions of a street or any person having business to transact therewith, and all public emergency vehicles, shall have the right of egress and ingress from and to the premises by exercising due care and giving timely warning to anyone on the street. Any person operating or parking vehicles at such times and places shall obey the orders of the police officers thereat. (d) It shall be unlawful for any vehicle, other than those authorized by subsection (c), to drive upon or use a play street while it is being so used, or for any person to interfere with such area or with those so using it. (Code 1975, § 28-208; G.O. 15, 2001, § 111)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-527 Roller skating and ice skating games.

Sec. 645-527. - Roller skating and ice skating games. It shall be unlawful for any person to skate on roller or ice skates, or to play or engage in games with such skates on the roadway of any public street or place in the city; provided, however, this section shall not be construed to prohibit roller or ice skating or such games on sidewalks when and where pedestrian use thereof is not endangered, hampered or obstructed, and when done in such a manner or the sidewalk used to such an extent as not to cause a public nuisance, or when confined to the roadway or sidewalks of any street or place which has been temporarily designated and set aside by the city for use as a play street, as provided for by this division. (Code 1975, § 28-209)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-528 Use of toy vehicles.

Sec. 645-528. - Use of toy vehicles. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, who is riding in or by means of a skateboard, coaster, scooter, toy vehicle or any similar play device, to park, stand or use any such vehicle or device upon any roadway, except when and where such roadway is designated as a play street, or while he is crossing a street on a crosswalk, and when so crossing, such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. (b) It is hereby declared a public nuisance and, therefore, a violation of this Code to operate a skateboard, coaster, scooter, toy vehicle or any similar play device on the streets, sidewalks, ramps and parking areas within the territory bounded by and including: (1) College Avenue on the west, Compton Street on the east, 62nd Street on the south, and 65th Street on the north; (2) North Street on the north, South Street on the south, East Street on the east, and West Street on the west ("Downtown Mile Square"); (3) Pedestrian bridges and city right-of-way on either side of the canal, from the south right-of-way line of Eleventh Street to North Street, and from West Street to the White River ("Canal Walk Zone"); and (4) Massachusetts Avenue from the intersection of North Street and East Street to the intersection of College Avenue and Saint Clair Street. (c) A skateboard operated in violation of this section may be temporarily held to abate the nuisance. (d) The first violation in any calendar year shall be subject to admission of violation and payment of the designated civil penalty through the ordinance violations bureau in accordance with Chapter 103 of this Code. All second and subsequent violations in the calendar year are subject to the enforcement procedures and penalties provided in section 103-3 this Code. (e) An exception to subsection (b) exists for special events, parades, and similar activities where a right-of-way use or other applicable permit is in effect for the activity. (Code 1975, § 28-210; G.O. 58, 1997, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-529 Reserved.

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-530 Nonlicensed passenger vehicles prohibited.

Sec. 645-530. - Nonlicensed passenger vehicles prohibited. No person shall use the public ways for the transportation of persons for hire or compensation unless the vehicle used for such purpose is duly licensed by the city or by the Indiana Public Service Commission. (Code 1975, § 28-212)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 645-531 Permit for activity after district cooling system franchise agreement.

Sec. 645-531. - Permit for activity after district cooling system franchise agreement. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 645-512 or section 645-546, after a franchise agreement has been granted by the city-county council for a district cooling system and subject to article II of this chapter, the division of construction and business services of the department of business and neighborhood services, after consultation with the engineering division of the department of public works, may issue permits to the franchise holder for activity within the public rights-of-way located in the franchise district. (Code 1975, § 28-213; G.O. 15, 2001, § 112; G.O. 3, 2002, § 31; G.O. 63, 2009, § 74; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIIPUHEWE_CH645PURI-W_ARTVUSOCPUWA_DIV1GEFetched: 10/27/2026