East Palo Alto Municipal Code Ch. 10.04 Vehicle Parking

The ordinance codified in this chapter is adopted pursuant to the authority set forth in Chapter 9 of Division 11 of the California Vehicle Code (commencing with Section 22500).

(Ord. 142 § 1, 1992)

A. "Vehicle" as used in this chapter means a device by which a person or property may be propelled, moved or drawn upon a road or street, except a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. The term includes both a motor vehicle, which is self-propelled, and a non-motorized vehicle, such as a trailer or camper.

B. "Oversized vehicle" as used in this chapter means a vehicle that exceeds in any of the following dimensions: seven feet or eighty-four (84) inches in width, eight feet or ninety-six (96) inches in height, or twenty-three (23) feet or 276 inches in length. Minor appendages such as exterior mirrors and antennas shall not be included in the measurement of an oversized vehicle. Where a vehicle includes a separate attached trailer on a wheel base, the vehicle and trailer will be treated at separate vehicles for the purpose of this chapter. Any trailer load shall be included in the dimensions of the trailer.

(Ord. 142 § 2, 1992; Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-5-2019)

A. Any public streets or portions thereof within the city may be designated as limited parking zones or no parking zones by resolution of the city council. Any street or portion thereof which, has been designated by ordinance or resolution as a restricted parking zone may additionally be designated, by the same or separate resolution of the city council, as a tow-away zone.

B. Whenever parking is limited or prohibited by ordinance or resolution of the city council, the restriction shall become effective upon installation by the director of public works of appropriate street signs and/or markings giving notice of the restriction. The limited parking zone or no parking zone shall additionally become a tow-away zone upon installation of appropriate tow-away signs and/or markings in addition to or in conjunction with the limited parking or no parking signs.

C. Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.04.060, no person shall at any time stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, in a no parking zone, nor shall any person stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, in violation of the time or other limit as may be established for a limited parking zone.

(Ord. 142 § 3, 1992)

A. No person shall stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, on any public street within the city during the time of the day in which the street is scheduled to be swept, as indicated by street signs posted in accordance with Section 22507.6 of the Vehicle Code. All streets during the specified street sweeping hours are designated as tow-away zones and shall be sign posted as such.

B. Authority is delegated to the director of public works to establish a schedule for the regular sweeping of streets within the city, and in connection therewith, to determine the day of the week and time of day during which parking will be prohibited on each street included within the schedule. The city council may, at any time, review the schedule and make such alterations, additions or changes as the council deems appropriate.

(Ord. 142 § 4, 1992)

The director of public works shall have authority to designate any streets, or portions thereof, as no parking zones and to post signs, markings or other traffic control devices giving appropriate notice of the prohibition against parking in such zones in the following cases:

A. Emergencies. A no parking zone may be designated whenever the director of public works determines that prohibition against parking in such zone is required by reason of an existing hazard which impairs the safe movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or access for emergency vehicles. The designation shall automatically expire after sixty (60) days unless sooner terminated by the director of public works upon removal of the hazard, or unless extended by a temporary or permanent regulation adopted by the city council pursuant to Section 10.04.030.

B. Construction Area. A no parking zone may be designated whenever the director of public works determines that prohibition against parking in such zone is required for the safe and lawful conduct of temporary construction activities, on public or private property. The restriction shall be removed when the construction work is completed, or prior to such completion if no longer required for traffic safety.

(Ord. 142 § 5, 1992)

Parking restrictions adopted by ordinance or resolution of the city council shall not apply to any vehicle of a law enforcement department or fire department, or any public or private ambulance, or any public utility vehicle, where such vehicle is being operated in the performance of official duties, nor shall such restrictions apply to any vehicle of a city department or public utility or an authorized private contractor while engaged in construction or repair work being performed upon any public street or parking area.

(Ord. 142 § 6, 1992)

The violation of any parking restriction adopted by ordinance or resolution of the city council shall constitute an infraction offense.

(Ord. 142 § 7, 1992)

No person, firm or corporation, nor any agent or employee thereof, shall stop, leave standing or park for the period of more than one hour any commercial vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon a street, road, highway or thoroughfare, or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the purpose of vehicular travel, located in any residential zone in the city except when such vehicle is in actual use for the transaction of any lawful business in such zone or is temporarily disabled.

(Prior code § 7-4.203)

It is unlawful for any person driving, or in control of, or in charge of, a motor vehicle to permit it to stand unattended on any city street, road, avenue, way, place or other thoroughfare and highway and portions thereof on any business or residential district within the city, when upon any grade exceeding three percent without effectively blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against a vertical curb or by other means.

(Prior code § 7-4.204)

The portions of city streets, roads, avenues, ways, places or other thoroughfares and highways and portions thereof hereinafter described in this section are angle parking zones. The city engineer shall mark such city streets indicating the angle at which vehicles shall be parked. When markings are in place as provided in this section no person shall park or stand a vehicle other than within such markings and at the angle to the curb or edge of the roadway indicated by such markings.

(Prior code § 7-4.401)

It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle in a stall or space designated for physically handicapped persons, if, immediately adjacent to and visible from such stall or space there is posted a sign consisting of a profile view of a wheelchair with occupant in white on a blue background unless the vehicle displays either a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 CVC or to disabled veterans, as specified in Section 9105 CVC.

(Prior code § 7-4.601)

A. It is unlawful for any person who owns or has possession, custody, or control of any vehicle, including a boat or trailer, to park or leave such vehicle upon any street, alley, highway, publicly-owned or publicly-leased parking lot, or under vehicular jurisdiction of the City of East Palo Alto for more than a consecutive period of seventy-two (72) hours. Any such vehicle parked or left for such period shall be deemed to have been abandoned by the registered owner. To comply with this section, vehicles must be moved at least one thousand (1,000) feet (approximately two-tenths ( 2/10 ) of a mile). Pushing or moving a vehicle a short distance or attempting to rub away the tire markings placed by an authorized city employee will not be considered compliance with this section.

B. Any member of the police department authorized by the chief of police may remove, or cause to be removed, a vehicle in violation of the seventy-two (72) hour limit from the street, alley, highway, or publicly-owned or publicly-leased parking lot in the manner and subject to the requirements of Sections 22650 et seq., of the Vehicle Code of the State of California and subject to the provisions of this section.

C. Whenever a member of the police department removes a vehicle pursuant to this section and causes it to be stored as permitted by the California Vehicle Code, the chief of police or his designee shall comply with the requirements of Section 22852 of the California Vehicle Code relating to post-storage notice and hearing for registered owners and legal owners of record.

D. The registered owner of the vehicle shall be liable for the cost of all towing and storage fees.

(Ord. No. 342, § 1, 6-7-2011)

A. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to park, or cause to be parked, an oversized vehicle or trailer unconnected to a motor vehicle on any public street or road under jurisdiction of the City of East Palo Alto between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Exceptions to parking during these hours include: 1) emergency vehicles; 2) vehicles responding to calls for emergency services and repairs; 3) wheelchair accessible vans; and 4) construction vehicles parked along the street frontage of a property where permitted construction work is occurring.

B. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to park, or cause to be parked, at any time an oversized vehicle within seventy-five (75) feet from the centerline of an intersecting public street where signs or markings are installed pursuant to Section 22507 of the California Vehicle Code. The director of public works may sign or mark an intersection to prohibit oversized vehicle parking based on findings that include, but are not limited to, the following factors: severity of sight visibility impairment, vehicle speed and volume, accident statistics, proximity to schools and parks, or pedestrian and bicycle safety.

C. Any member of the police department authorized by the chief of police may remove, or cause to be removed, a vehicle in violation of the parking restriction from the street in the manner and subject to the requirements of Section 22650 et seq., of the California Vehicle Code and subject to the provisions of this section.

D. Whenever a member of the police department removes a vehicle pursuant to this section and causes it to be stored as permitted by the California Vehicle Code, the chief of police or his designee shall comply with requirements of Section 22852 of the California Vehicle Code relating to post-storage notice and hearing for registered owners and legal owners of record.

E. The registered owner of the vehicle shall be liable for the cost of all towing and storage fees.

(Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-5-2019)