Hemet Municipal Code Div. 1 Generally

The provisions of this article regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a city department or public facility while necessarily in use for construction or maintenance work upon the streets of the city, or any vehicle owned by the United States while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11400)

Whenever any provision of this article or other ordinance or resolution of the city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a through street or any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, or any intersection at which vehicles are required to yield the right-of-way, or any railroad grade crossing at which vehicles are required to stop, the chief of police shall erect and maintain stop signs and yield right-of-way signs as follows. A stop sign shall be erected on each street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated and at those entrances of other intersections where a stop is required and at any railroad grade crossing so designated, and a yield right-of-way sign shall be erected at those entrances of intersections where motorists are required to yield the right-of-way. Every such sign shall conform with and shall be placed as provided in Vehicle Code §§ 21353 and 21354.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11401)

The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or into the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11402)

(a) The provisions of this article prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply except when it is necessary to stop to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with directions of a police officer or official traffic control device.

(b) The provisions of this article imposing a time limit on standing or parking shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restricted provisions of the Vehicle Code of the state or of this article prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11403)

No person shall leave a motor vehicle, except a commercial motor vehicle, unattended on any street, alley, used car lot or unattended parking lot without first stopping the engine and removing and taking the ignition key from the vehicle; provided, however, that any violation of this section shall not mitigate the offense of stealing any motor vehicle, nor shall this section or any violation thereof be admissible as evidence affecting recovery in any civil action for theft of such motor vehicle, or the insurance thereon, or have any bearing in any civil action. Whenever any police officer shall find any such motor vehicle standing in violation of this section, such police officer is authorized to remove the keys therefrom and deliver the keys to the police station.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11404)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within any parkway, overhanging a sidewalk, overhanging a curb, or any other public right-of-way.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11405; Ord. No. 1471, § 1, 3-23-93)

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Commercial vehicle means a vehicle of a type required to be registered under the state Vehicle Code used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation or profit or designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

(2) Truck tractor as defined by California Vehicle Code section 655.

(3) Residential district means any area in the city zoned for residential purposes, including the R-P zone.

(4) Downtown district means any area in the city zoned D-1, D-2, or D-3.

(b) Parking prohibited in residential districts. It is unlawful for any commercial vehicle or truck tractor as defined by this Code to park or stand on any street or portion thereof in a residential district, except where specifically permitted by posted city signs, provided that this section shall not be effective with respect to any commercial vehicle making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise from or to any building or structure located on the restricted streets or highways or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure upon the restricted streets or highways for which a building permit has previously been obtained.

(c) Overnight parking prohibited. Commercial vehicles and truck tractors are prohibited from parking on city streets and alleys between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., except in posted areas.

(d) Commercial vehicles and truck tractors are prohibited from parking in any downtown zone.

(Ord. No. 1357; Code 1984, § 11406; Ord. No. 1686, § 3, 7-8-03)

Cross reference— Parking of vehicles in residential zones, § 78-151 et seq.

(a) Generally. No person shall park a vehicle upon any vacant lot or upon any city property, including but not limited to any public right-of-way, municipal parking lot or future building site, for the purpose of:

(1) Storage.

(2) Display of such vehicle for sale or hire.

(3) Overnight shelter.

(4) Servicing, repairing or otherwise working on such vehicle, except repairs necessitated by an emergency.

(b) Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the following:

(1) Storage of new or used vehicles by a dealer.

(2) Towing impound yards in accordance with section 90-973.

(c) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Storage means the keeping or accumulation of goods for future use.

(2) Vacant lot means unimproved, unoccupied property.

(3) Overnight shelter means a structure or vehicle providing coverage for humans or animals for a temporary period of time.

(Ord. No. 1343; Code 1984, § 11407)

(a) Subject to other and more restrictive limitations, a vehicle may be stopped or parked within 18 inches of the lefthand curb facing the direction of traffic movement upon any one-way street unless signs are erected prohibiting such stopping or standing.

(b) The chief of police is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the lefthand side of any one-way street or alley.

(c) The requirement of parallel parking in this section shall not apply in the event any commercial vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading freight or goods, in which case that vehicle may be backed up to the curb, provided that such vehicle does not extend beyond the centerline of the street and does not block traffic thereby.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11408)

(a) Whenever any provision of this article or other ordinance or resolution of the city designates and describes any street or portion thereof upon which angle parking shall be permitted, the chief of police shall mark or sign such street, indicating the angle at which vehicles shall be parked.

(b) When signs or markings are in place indicating angle parking, as provided in this section, no person shall park or stand a vehicle other than at the angle to the curb or edge of the roadway indicated by such signs or markings.

(Code 1984, § 11409)

(a) The chief of police is authorized to place signs or markings indicating no parking upon any street or portion thereof adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in his opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous condition.

(b) When official signs or markings are installed indicating no parking upon a street or portion thereof adjacent to any school property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.

(Ord. No. 45; Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11410)

In order to eliminate dangerous traffic hazards at any place where the chief of police may determine such to be necessary, he shall place an appropriate sign or mark, and when so signed or marked no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any such place.

(Ord. No. 45; Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11411)

(a) The chief of police is authorized to determine and to mark by signs or curb markings loading zones and passenger loading zones as follows:

(1) At any place in the business district.

(2) Elsewhere in front of or adjacent to any place of business, school, park, building, hall or place used for the purpose of public assembly.

(b) In no event shall more than one-half of the total curb length in any block be reserved for loading zone purposes.

(c) Wherever curb marking is used, loading zones shall be indicated by a yellow paint line stencilled with black letters reading "LOADING ZONE" upon the top of all curbs within such zones.

(d) Whenever curb marking is used, passenger loading zones shall be indicated by a white line stencilled with black letters reading "PASSENGER LOADING ZONE" upon the top of all curbs in such zones.

(Ord. No. 47; Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11412)

(a) Permission granted pursuant to this article to stop or stand a vehicle for purposes of loading or unloading of materials shall apply only to commercial vehicles, and shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefor, and in no event for more than 20 minutes.

(b) Permission granted for the loading or unloading of materials shall apply only to commercial deliveries, and to the delivery or pickup of express and parcel post packages and United States mail.

(c) Permission granted pursuant to this article to stop or park for purposes of loading or unloading passengers shall include the loading or unloading of personal baggage, but shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefor, and in no event for more than three minutes.

(d) The provisions of this section shall be enforced so as to accommodate necessary and reasonable loading or unloading, but without permitting abuse of the privileges granted by this section.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11413)

No person shall stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, on the roadway side of any vehicle stopped, parked or standing at the curb edge of a street, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control device.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11414)

(a) No person shall stop, park or leave standing any commercial vehicle for the purpose of loading, delivering or unloading of freight or materials in the central traffic zone between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., unless such vehicle is parked so that both righthand wheels are parallel with and within 18 inches of the curb, or unless such vehicle is legally parked in an angle parking space.

(b) The chief of police shall, in case of undue hardship such as extremely large commercial vehicles or commercial vehicles at the terminal of a long haul, permit such vehicles to park, load or unload in the central traffic district, even though curb space may not be readily available therefor.

(Code 1984, § 11415)

(a) The chief of police is hereby authorized to designate and mark the following curb markings to indicate parking or standing regulations, and such curb markings shall have the meanings as set forth in this section:

(1) Red means no stopping, standing or parking at any time except as permitted by the Vehicle Code of the state, and except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus zone.

(2) Yellow means no stopping, standing or parking at any time between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day, except Sundays and holidays, for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials, provided that the loading or unloading of passengers shall not consume more than three minutes and the loading or unloading of materials shall not consume more than 20 minutes.

(3) White means no stopping, standing or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading of passengers, which shall not exceed three minutes, and such restrictions shall apply at all times.

(4) Green means no standing or parking for longer than the time specified on the curb marking or sign, which shall be up to but not exceeding 30 minutes, in effect between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day, except Sundays and holidays.

(b) When the chief of police has caused signs or curb markings to be placed, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle adjacent to any such legible sign or curb marking in violation of any of the provisions of this section.

(Ord. No. 992; Code 1984, § 11416; Ord. No. 1556, § 1, 2-11-97)

When official signs prohibiting such parking are in place, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle for any purpose other than loading or unloading of materials in any alley. Such parking shall not exceed 20 minutes. In no event shall the driver of such vehicle leave less than one traffic lane for unobstructed passage.

(Code 1984, § 11417)

(a) The city council shall, by ordinance or resolution, designate those streets or portions of streets upon which parking shall be limited to one hour or two hours, and the chief of police shall designate such streets or portions of streets by appropriate signs.

(b) When authorized signs are in place giving notice of such prohibition or limitation, no person shall stop, stand or park any vehicle in violation of such sign.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11418)

(a) The chief of police is authorized to install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbings and in municipally owned or operated parking lots where authorized parking is permitted.

(b) When such parking space markings are placed in the highway and in city-operated parking lots, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped, left standing or parked other than within a single space, unless the size or shape of such vehicle makes compliance impossible.

(Code 1984, § 11419)

(a) Whenever the chief of police determines that an emergency traffic congestion is likely to result from the holding of public or private assemblages, the chief of police shall have power and authority to authorize temporary signs, devices or barricades to be erected or posted indicating that the operation, parking or standing of vehicles is prohibited on such streets and alleys as the chief of police shall direct during the time such temporary signs are in place. Such signs, devices or barricades shall remain in place only during the existence of such emergency, and the chief of police shall cause such signs to be removed promptly thereafter.

(b) When signs, devices or barricades authorized by the provisions of this section are in place giving notice thereof, no person shall operate, park or stand any vehicle contrary to the directions and provisions of such signs.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11420)

No person shall park, cause to be parked or allow to be parked, on any street or city-operated parking lot, a motor vehicle or any service vehicle left under his control or in his possession for service or repair, except along the side of the street adjacent to and directly in front of his place of business.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11421)

(a) Whenever the city manager determines that the orderly, efficient conduct of the city's business requires that parking or standing of vehicles on city property owned or controlled by the city be prohibited, limited or restricted, the chief of police shall have the power and authority to order signs to be erected or posted or curb markings to be placed indicating that the parking of vehicles is thus prohibited, limited or restricted.

(b) When signs or curb markings authorized by the provisions of this section are in place giving notice thereof, no person shall park or stand any vehicle contrary to the directions or provisions of such signs or curb markings.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11422)

(a) No person shall operate or stand or park any vehicle on any street or in any parking lot owned or controlled by the city in such a manner as to obstruct the free use of such street or parking lot.

(b) It is unlawful for any person to use any municipally owned or controlled parking lot for commercial purposes, for storage, for displaying vehicles or other property for resale or for any other purpose other than for temporary parking of motor vehicles, except upon special permission granted by the chief of police for emergency purposes between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 449; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11423)

(a) The chief of police is authorized to designate and establish bicycle parking spaces for use at such places and during such times as he may deem suitable and necessary. The chief of police may also authorize the placing of bicycle parking racks in spaces so designated.

(b) When official signs or markings restricting parking to bicycles only are in place, bicycles shall be parked only in such places, and it is unlawful for any person to park or stand any vehicle other than a bicycle or other two-wheeled vehicle in such space.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11424)

Cross reference— Bicycles, scooters, roller skates, etc., § 78-181 et seq.

(a) The city is authorized to determine the location of and to mark taxistands.

(b) Such taxistands shall be indicated by signs or a white line stencilled with the words "TAXI ONLY" upon the tops of all curbs and places specified for taxicabs only.

(c) No driver of any taxicab shall park or stand the taxicab upon any public highway in the central traffic district for any period of time longer than is necessary to discharge or receive passengers then occupying or then waiting for such taxicab, provided that a taxicab may be parked in a taxistand established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(d) When official signs or markings designating such taxistands are in place, no person other than the driver of a taxicab shall park or stand any vehicle in any taxistand.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11425)

Cross reference— Taxicabs, § 86-31 et seq.

(a) The chief of police is authorized to establish bus zones for the loading and unloading of buses or common carriers of passengers and to determine the location thereof, subject to the limitations set forth in this section.

(b) The term "bus," as used in this section, means any motor bus, motor coach or passenger stage used as a common carrier of passengers.

(c) No bus zone shall exceed 80 feet in length; except that, when satisfactory evidence has been presented to the chief of police showing the necessity therefor, the chief of police may extend bus zones not to exceed a total length of 130 feet.

(d) Bus zones shall normally be established on the far side of an intersection.

(e) Such bus zones shall be indicated by signs or a red line stencilled with white letters reading "BUS ZONE" upon the top of all curbs within such zone.

(f) No bus shall stand in any bus zone longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

(g) No person shall stop, stand or park any vehicle except a bus in any bus zone.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11426)

The method of giving notice of citation for parking and standing violations of this division of this Code and the California Vehicle Code shall be as specified in Section 40202 of the California Vehicle Code or any successor provision thereto. Violations of article IV including this division and division 2 shall be processed as civil penalties in accordance with California Vehicle Code Sections 40200 et seq., or any successor provision thereto.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11428; Ord. No. 1686, § 4, 7-8-03)

It is unlawful for any person to leave standing any truck, tank truck or trailer arranged or designed for the transporting of flammable gases or liquids, or explosives of any kind or description, unattended on any street in the city, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the day following, unless such vehicle is in service between such hours.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11429)

(a) Definition. The term "public parking area," as used in this section, means an open area other than a street or alley used for the temporary parking of more than four automobiles and available for public use, whether free, for compensation or as an accommodation for clients or customers.

(b) Standards. It is unlawful for any person to construct, reconstruct, surface treat, revise, install or improve a public parking area unless the construction, reconstruction, surface treatment, revision, installation or improvement of the area conforms to the specifications adopted by the city council and on file with the city building department.

(c) Penalty. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable as provided in section 1-8.

(Ord. No. 446; Ord. No. 828; Code 1984, §§ 11430—11432)

Cross reference— Streets and sidewalks, ch. 66; zoning, ch. 90.

(a) It shall be unlawful to park a vehicle upon any street or alley of the city for any period exceeding 72 consecutive hours.

(b) Any vehicle parked contrary to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to removal in the manner provided by and subject to the requirements set forth in the Vehicle Code of the state.

(Ord. No. 1416; Code 1984, § 11439)

Cross reference— Abandoned vehicles, § 30-51 et seq.

In addition to any other persons authorized by state law, and, except as otherwise provided in this code, only those persons employed by the city as police officers, police cadets, traffic control officers and code enforcement officers are hereby authorized and directed to issue citations to any and all persons violating any of the provisions of the California Vehicle Code and article IV of this chapter of this Code relating to parking and standing of vehicles in the city and any such citation shall be deemed to be a civil complaint charging violations of this chapter and requiring payment of the penalty set forth therein.

(Ord. No. 1686, § 5, 7-8-03)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary and in accordance with California Vehicle Code Sections 40200 et seq., or any successor provision thereto, civil penalties for violation of parking and standing of vehicles provisions of this code, the California Vehicle Code or any other state or federal statutes or codes relating to parking and standing of vehicles, including surcharges imposed by law and penalties for unpaid parking penalty assessments, shall be established by resolution of the city council. Any surcharges imposed by law shall be added to the penalties established by or in accordance with this section. Additional penalties shall be added for all parking and standing penalty assessments due and unpaid within the time periods provided on the notice of parking violation, in accordance with California Vehicle Code Sections 40200 et seq., or any successor provision thereto. Unpaid parking penalties shall be collected in accordance with Vehicle Code Section 40220, or any successor provision thereto.

Payment of any civil penalty herein shall not relieve a person from the responsibility for correcting the violation.

The civil penalties provided herein are in addition to any other remedy, which may be provided by law or equity relating to the enforcement of ordinances.

(Ord. No. 1686 § 6, 7-8-03)