Irvine Municipal Code Ch. 5 Vehicular Traffic, Parking Regulations

Footnotes:

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Cross reference— Using or riding vehicles in public parks, § 3-4-108; parking regulations in parks, § 3-4-109; riding of bicycles, skateboards, or rollerskates in parks, § 3-4-110; bicycles, tit. 4, div. 7; reduction of air pollution from motor vehicles, tit. 4, div. 21; transporting of impounded animals, § 4-5-403; automobiles as nuisances, § 4-11-201 et seq.; soliciting transportation, lodging and food on highways, § 4-14-101.

A. Vehicle defined. The term "vehicle," as used in this chapter, shall include every animal-drawn or self-propelled vehicle, and any trash or garbage receptacle or container which possesses one or more wheel(s) and is capable of being pushed or pulled upon those wheels either by human effort or with the assistance of some motorized vehicle or device.

B. Vehicles not permitted on sidewalks. It is hereby declared unlawful for any person to drive any vehicle upon any sidewalk within the City, or obstruct any such sidewalk by the passage or conveyance of any vehicle.

C. Animals not permitted on sidewalks. It shall be and is hereby made unlawful for any person or persons to ride, lead, drive or propel any horse, or other beast of burden upon any sidewalk in this City, or to use, or obstruct any such sidewalk by the passage or conveyance of any such animal.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-601; Ord. No. 27, § 64.011, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 81-13, § 5, 11-24-81)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive a motor or other vehicle along, upon or over any County highway or bridge of the City, when such vehicle is equipped with tires, the outer circumference of which have a flat space or spaces thereon, which pound the surface of such highway or bridge.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-602; Ord. No. 27, § 64.012, 4-17-72)

A. The City Council may by resolution:

1. Designate certain streets or portions of streets as "No-Parking" areas.

2. Designate portions of streets as "Loading Zones."

3. Designate portions of streets as "Bus Stops."

4. Designate portions of streets as "Passenger Loading Zones."

5. Determine and select those streets and highways entering business or residence districts which shall be signposted.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-603; Ord. No. 27, § 64.021, 4-17-72)

It shall be the duty of the Director of Public Works of the City to designate:

A. Loading zones by painting the curb adjacent to such zones yellow. Where there are no curbs, the loading zone shall be designated by posting signs indicating that the area is a "Loading Zone."

B. Bus stop zones by painting the curb adjacent to such zones red, the areas of such bus stops to be determined by the Director of Public Works. Where there are no curbs, the bus stop shall be designated by posting a sign indicating that the area is a "Bus Stop."

C. No-parking zones by painting the curb adjacent to such zones red, or by a sign indicating that no parking is permitted. Where there are no curbs, no-parking zones will be designated by posting signs indicating that the area is a "No-Parking" zone.

D. Passenger loading zones by painting the curb adjacent to such zones white.

E. Time-limit restricted areas by painting the curb adjacent to such areas green and by posting a sign adjacent to the painted area specifying the designated time limit. As an alternative to a green curb and sign, or in areas where there are no curbs, the time-limit restricted area shall be defined by posting a sign with the designated time-limit restriction at each end of the zone.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-604; Ord. No. 27, § 64.023, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 84-28, § 2, 12-11-84; Ord. No. 85-16, § 1, 6-4-85)

(a) California Vehicle Code § 22357 provides that a local authority may, by ordinance, determine and declare that the speed limit on any portion of any street, other than a State highway, which would otherwise be subject to a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour shall be increased to a prima facie speed limit of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, or 65 miles per hour, if an engineering and traffic study indicates that such increase would facilitate the orderly movement of traffic and would be reasonable and safe.

(b) California Vehicle Code § 22358 provides that a local authority may, by ordinance, determine and declare, that the speed limit on any portion of any street, other than a State highway, which would otherwise be subject to a prima facie speed limit of 65 miles per hour shall be reduced to a prima facie speed limit of 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30 or 25 miles per hour, if an engineering and traffic study indicates that the prima facie speed limit of 65 miles per hour is faster than what is deemed reasonable and safe.

(c) When the City Council by ordinance has designated a prima facie speed limit on given street segment(s) other than applicable under the California Vehicle Code, the City Engineer is authorized and directed to erect, post, and maintain appropriate signs on these streets or portions thereof designating the prima facie speed limit pursuant to the provisions of this section. All signs shall be fabricated as specified by the California Department of Transportation, and erected and placed pursuant to the California Vehicle Code.

(d) Pursuant to this section, there is hereby established an official list entitled "City of Irvine Engineering and Traffic Surveys for Speed Limits" which sets forth: (1) the prima facie speeds and their corresponding street segment(s) determined and declared by City Council pursuant to the provisions of this section, and (2) the data summarizing the results of surveys conducted for the purpose of determining reasonable speeds on City of Irvine streets. The list shall be kept by the City Engineer, who shall also be responsible for recording on this list any amendments, deletions, or changes, as specified in subsequent ordinances designated by the City Council pursuant to the provisions of this section. Said list and the notation and the contents therein as they may from time-to-time be kept and amended pursuant to this section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and legality of the prima facie speeds on streets or portions thereof and the legality of the placing of the appropriate signing as herein above provided.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-611; Ord. No. 27, § 64.031, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 01-05, § 1, 4-24-01; Ord. No. 07-01, 1-23-07; Ord. No. 08-01, § 1, 1-8-08; Ord. No. 09-01, § 1, 1-27-09; Ord. No. 11-01, § 1, 4-27-11; Ord. No. 12-05, § 1, 3-27-12; Ord. No. 13-01, § 1, 3-26-13; Ord. No. 14-01, § 1, 3-25-14; Ord. No. 15-03, § 1, 6-9-15; Ord. No. 17-06, § 1, 9-12-17; Ord. No. 18-07, § 1, 7-10-18; Ord. No. 19-10, § 1, 7-23-19; Ord. No. 20-06, § 1, 7-28-20; Ord. No. 21-09, § 1, 10-26-21; Ord. No. 23-06, § 1, 3-14-23; Ord. No. 24-01, § 1(Exh. A), 1-23-24; Ord. No. 25-02, § 1(Exh. A), 3-25-25; Ord. No. 26-04, § 1(Exh. A), 2-10-26)

The Director of Public Works shall erect appropriate signs on the streets and highways set forth in this article in conformity with California Vehicle Code § 21403 and the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, giving notice of the prima facie speed limits established.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-611.1; Ord. No. 27, § 64.033, 4-17-72)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 01-05, adopted April 24, 2001, amended the Code by repealing former §§ 6-3-508—6-3-561, which pertained to speed limits for specific streets.

All major, primary and secondary streets and highways of the City as shown on the Master Plan of Arterial Highways, adopted by resolution of the County Board of Supervisors on May 31, 1956, as the same may have been or may be amended, and on file in the office of the County Clerk, are hereby declared to be through highways together with such other highways as the City Council may by resolution from time-to-time declare to be through highways.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-641; Ord. No. 27, § 64.041, 4-17-72)

The Director of Public Works is authorized to approve the installation of, removal of, and erect and maintain stop signs conforming to the requirements of Vehicle Code § 21400 of the State of California at such entrances to any or all of said highways and stop intersections as in his or her opinion are reasonably necessary for the protection and safety of the traveling public.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-642; Ord. No. 27, § 64.043, 4-17-72)

The following streets or portions of streets are designated as truck routes within the City of Irvine:

(Code 1976, § VI.F-651; Ord. No. 262, § 3, 5-13-80; Ord. No. 92-9, § 1, 7-14-92)

A. Vehicles in excess of 14,000 pounds gross weight. It shall be unlawful, when authorized signs are in place giving notice thereof, to drive, propel, or cause to be driven or propelled, any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight of 14,000 pounds on any of the following streets:

B. Vehicles in excess of 6,000 pounds gross weight. It shall be unlawful, when authorized signs are in place giving notice thereof, to drive, propel, or cause to be driven or propelled, any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight of 6,000 pounds on any of the following streets:

C. Exemptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any of the following:

1. Emergency vehicles;

2. Passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission;

3. Any vehicle owned by a public utility or operated under contract with a public utility, while necessarily in use in the maintenance, construction, installation, or repair of any public utility; or

4. Any vehicle coming from a truck route having ingress and egress by direct route to and from restricted streets, when necessary for the purpose of making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares, merchandise or solid waste, from or to any building or structure located on such restricted streets, or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure upon such restricted streets, for which a building permit has been previously obtained, or for the purpose of delivering street construction materials for street construction and repairs.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-652; Ord. No. 27, § 64.013, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 262, § 1, 5-13-80; Ord. No. 92-9, § 1, 7-14-92; Ord. No. 98-16, § 1, 11-10-98; Ord. No. 21-16, § 2, 11-23-21)

No street restriction shall be effective unless signs giving notice thereof are posted along such affected street. The Director of Public Works shall approve the installation of, removal of, and place and maintain signs giving notice of truck routes, as designated in Section 6-3-565, and restricted streets, as designated in Section 6-3-567.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-653; Ord. No. 27, § 64.013, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 262, § 4, 5-13-80; Ord. No. 92-9, § 1, 7-14-92)

A. Permit. In accordance with California Vehicle Code §§ 35780 through 35784, upon an application in writing, and if the applicant shows good cause, the Director of Public Works may, in his or her discretion, issue a permit in writing authorizing the operation of a vehicle, notwithstanding the provisions of this article. The permit may be for such lengths of time, up to a period of 12 months, and for such number of operations, limited or unlimited, as the Director may deem advisable.

B. Fee. The fee for each permit issued under the provisions of this section shall be established by resolution of the City Council, which may be amended from time-to-time.

C. Security. The Director of Public Works may require such undertaking of security as may be deemed necessary to protect the streets of the City from any injury resulting from such operation.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-655; Ord. No. 27, § 64.053, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 92-9, § 1, 7-14-92)

A. Manpower minimum. It shall be unlawful for any building or structure 20 feet or more in width to be moved over, upon, along, or across any highway, street, alley, or way, unless the contractor so moving the same shall have not less than five persons engaged in said moving operations comprised as follows: No. 1, a foreman, No. 2, a truck driver, No. 3, a person on the building to handle wire clearances, Nos. 4 and 5, two flagmen, one to be at least 300 feet ahead of the building or structure; the other flagman shall follow said building or structure at a distance sufficient to give adequate warning to approaching traffic. Said flagmen shall carry the signals required by law.

B. Relocation permit required. When any building is to be moved, the permit shall not be issued unless a relocation permit, issued pursuant to Division 9 of Title 5, has been obtained for the operation.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-658; Ord. No. 27, § 64.054, 4-17-72; Ord. No. 92-9, § 1, 7-14-92)

Editor's note— Formerly the provisions of this section derived from Ord. No. 249.

It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motor vehicle to stop or park said vehicle immediately adjacent to or opposite any curbing in the City which has been designated as a "Bus Stop" or, where there are no curbings, within any area which has been signposted as a "Bus Stop," for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or freight; provided that no stop for the loading or unloading of passengers or freight shall be made for more than five minutes.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-672; Ord. No. 27, § 64.022(e), 4-17-72)

It is shall be unlawful to park any motor vehicle immediately adjacent to or opposite any curb which has been painted red or bears a sign indicating that no parking is permitted or, where there are no curbings, within any area which has been signposted as a "No-Parking" and/or "No Stopping" area.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-673; Ord. No. 27, § 64.022(f), 4-17-72; Ord. No. 85-16, § 2, 6-4-85)

It shall be unlawful to park, stop or leave sitting for a period of time longer than 72 consecutive hours upon any public street or highway in the City any vehicle, tractor, truck, any piece of farm machinery or special purpose machine, any trash or garbage collection receptacle or bin, and any type of trailer, except trailer coaches which are restricted as provided in Section 6-3-576 herein.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-674; Ord. No. 27, § 64.022(g), 4-17-72; Ord. No. 81-13, § 6, 11-24-81)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 24-21, § 2(Exh. A), adopted November 26, 2024, repealed § 6-3-575, which pertained to unlawful to sleep in vehicle and derived from Code 1976, § VI.F-675; Ord. No. 80, § 64.011.1, 10-23-73.

It shall be unlawful for any person to camp overnight or to park a trailer coach or camp car overnight upon any public highway, including any part of the right-of-way thereof.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-676; Ord. No. 27, § 64.022(h), 4-17-72)

It shall be unlawful to park, stop or leave sitting for a period of time longer than 12 consecutive hours upon any public street or highway in the City, any vehicle not in a condition to be lawfully operated on the public highways.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-677; Ord. No. 27, § 64.022(i), 4-17-72)

(a) No operator of any motor vehicle, and no person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park such vehicle upon any street in the City that is designated as to days and times for street sweeping during the time period parking is prohibited for street sweeping.

(b) The Transportation Commission is hereby authorized to determine the locations of signs designating the hours during which, and day or days of the month on which, parking is prohibited in order to permit City or contracted equipment to sweep the streets; and the Public Works Director shall place and maintain, or cause to be placed and maintained, signs giving notice thereof along the affected streets.

(Ord. No. 22-04, § 2, 4-12-22)

Whenever the City Council by resolution shall have established an area as a "no-parking area" in this article provided, the City Council may, at the same time or thereafter, by resolution, determine that any one or more of the circumstances described in Vehicle Code Section 22651 of the State of California exist as to such area, determine that any one or more of the circumstances described in Vehicle Code Section 22651 of the State of California exist as to such area, and may designate such area as a "tow away zone." Whenever the City Council shall have designated any area as a "tow away zone" it shall be the duty of the Director of Public Works to cause signs to be posted, giving notice that any vehicle parked in such "tow away zone" may be removed.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-679; Ord. No. 27, § 64.024, 4-17-72)

It shall be unlawful to repair, dismantle, overhaul or perform any mechanical work upon a vehicle, trailer, camp car or trailer coach on any part of any public street or highway in the City except to replace or otherwise repair a tire or to make emergency repairs to enable such vehicle to be removed to a proper place.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-680; Ord. No. 27, § 64.025, 4-17-72)

It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motor vehicle to park, or leave standing, such vehicle for a longer period than specified within any area which has been designated as a time-limit restricted parking area.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-681; Ord. No. 84-28, § 2, 12-11-84)

No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle in an area within the public right-of-way which has marked parking stalls unless such vehicle is wholly within a single marked parking stall. Nor shall any person park any vehicle in:

A. A parallel parking stall, unless the vehicle is parked in the direction of travel of the roadway section immediately adjacent to the parking stall; or

B. A diagonal parking stall, unless the front end of the vehicle is within 12 inches of the curbside portion of the stall.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-682; Ord. No. 92-10, § 1, 7-14-92)

This article shall apply to all public land owned, operated or maintained by the City.

(Code 1976, § VI.F-691; Ord. No. 27, § 25.051, 4-17-72)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 24-21, § 2(Exh. A), adopted November 26, 2024, repealed § 6-3-585, which pertained to unauthorized camping and derived from Code 1976, § VI.F-692; Ord. No. 27, § 25.052, 4-17-72.