Police,
or volunteer citizens,
job title, “Ambassador”
give a 7am heads-up:
“Seattle Municipal Code:
Title 15—STREET AND SIDEWALK USE
Subtitle 1—Street Use Ordinance
Chapter 15.48— Miscellaneous Acts
“SMC 15.48.040 Sitting or lying down on public sidewalks
in downtown and neighborhood commercial zones.
“A. Prohibition. No person shall sit or lie down upon a public
sidewalk, or upon a blanket, chair, stool, or any other object
placed upon a public sidewalk, during the hours between
seven (7:00) a.m. and nine (9:00) p.m. in the following zones:
“1. The Downtown Zone,
defined as the area bounded by
the Puget Sound waterfront on the west,
South Jackson Street on the south,
Interstate 5 on the east,
and Denny Way and Broad Street on the north.
“2. Neighborhood Commercial Zones,
defined as areas zoned as Pioneer Square Mixed (PSM),
International District Mixed (IDM), Commercial 1 (C1),
Commercial 2 (C2), Neighborhood Commercial 1 (NC1),
Neighborhood Commercial 2 (NC2), NC3.
“B. Exceptions. The prohibition in subsection A
shall not apply to any person:
”1. Sitting or lying down on a public sidewalk
due to a medical emergency;
“2. Who, as the result of a disability,
utilizes a wheelchair, walker,
or similar device to move about
the public sidewalk;
“3. Operating or patronizing a commercial
establishment conducted on the public sidewalk
pursuant to a street use permit; or a person
participating in or attending a parade, festival,performance, rally, demonstration, meeting,
or similar event conducted on the public sidewalk
pursuant to a street use or other applicable permit.
“4. Sitting on a chair or bench
located on the public sidewalk
which is supplied by a public agency
or by the abuting private property owner;
“5. Sitting on a public sidewalk
within a bus stop zone
while waiting for public
or private transportation’
“C. No person shall be cited under this section unless
the person engages in conduct prohibited by this section
after having been notified by a law enforcement officer
that the conduct violates this section.
“Nothing in any of these exceptions shall be construed
to permit any conduct which is prohibited by
SMC Section 112A.12.015 – Pedestrian interference.
“A. The following definitions apply to this section:
“1. ‘Aggressively beg’ means to beg with the intent
to intimidate another person into giving money or goods.
“2. ‘Intimidate’ means engage in conduct which would
make a reasonable person fearful or feel compelled.
“3. ‘Beg’ means to ask for money or goods as a charity,
whether by words, bodily language, signs, or other means.
“4. ‘Obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic’ means to walk,
stand, sit, lie, or place an object in such a manner as to block
passage by another person or a vehicle, or to require
another person or a driver of a vehicle to take evasive action
to avoid physical contact. Acts authorized as an exercise
of one’s constitutional right to picket, or to legally protest,
and acts authorized by a permit issued pursuant to the
Street Use Ordinance, Chapter 15.02 through 15.50 of the
Seattle Municipal Code, shall not constitute obstruction
of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
“5. ‘Public place’ means an area generally visible to public view
and includes alleys, bridges, buildings, driveways, parking lots,
parks, plazas, sidewalks and streets open to the general public,
including those that serve food or drink or provide entertainment,
and the doorways and entrances to buildings or dwellings
and the ground enclosing them.
“B. A person is guilty of pedestrian interference if,
in a public place, he or she intentionally:
“1. Obstructs pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or
“2 Aggressively begs.
“C. Pedestrian interference is a misdemeanor.
“Recently approved legislation may not “Search for proposed legislation that refers to this section. “Search for recently approved legislaiion referencing this section. “Search for proposed legislation that refers to this section. ”For research assistance, contact the Seattle City Clerk’s Office “For interpretation or explanation of a particular SMC section,
yet be reflected in Seattle Municipal Code.
New legislation may amend this;
See the legislative history at the bottom of each section
to determine if new legislation has been incorporated.
(searches for Council Bills introduced since 2011
and not yet passed.
Searches for legislation approved within the past six months,
which may not yet be incorporated into the SMC.
See the legislative history for each section to confirm whether an
ordinance is reflected.
(searches for Council Bills introduced since 2011
and not yet passed.
at (206) 684-8344, or by e-mail, cleerk@seattle.gov
please contact the relevant City department.”