Lake Forest Municipal Code Ch. 12.16 Stopping, Standing and Parking

Except as hereinafter provided, regulations and penalties pertaining to the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles shall be established by ordinance or resolution of the City Council.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007; Ord. 368, 7/2/2024)

The Director is hereby authorized to place appropriate signs or markings prohibiting or restricting stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on City streets and highways for purposes and conditions as set forth herein:

A. Bus stop zones for loading and unloading passengers at a bus stop or for loading and unloading children at a school bus stop for distances subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

B. Loading zones for the purpose of loading and unloading passengers or materials for a distance subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

C. Passenger loading zone for the purpose of loading and unloading passengers for a distance subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

D. School Zones.

1. From either side of any marked school pedestrian crosswalk for a distance subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

2. Prohibiting parking or restricting parking during specific hours of the day on that side of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking, in the opinion of the Director, interferes with pedestrian, bicycle or vehicle traffic, or creates a traffic safety concern.

E. Crosswalks from either side of any marked pedestrian crosswalk.

F. Highway Intersections from its intersection with any other highway for purpose of turn lanes or sight distance and visibility for a distance subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

G. Driveway adjacent to either side of a driveway entrance to any highway for purpose of sight distance and visibility for a distance subject to the Director's reasonable determination.

H. Temporary "No-Parking" Zones. Temporary "No Parking" on any City street where the use of such street or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the highway or the installation of underground utilities; or where the use of the street or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic; or where the use of the street or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size and the parking of such vehicles would prohibit or interfere with such use of movement; provided that signs giving notice that such vehicles may be removed are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the effective time of such no parking.

I. Railroad Crossing to prohibit stopping from the centerline of a railroad track crossing on any highway.

J. Restricting stopping, standing, or parking during specific hours of the day for streets, highways or portions thereof during the times designated by the City Council for street sweeping.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007; Ord. 302 § 42, 2018; Ord. 366, 2/6/2024)

The Director shall index and maintain an inventory of all parking restrictions established by the Director under the authority of this chapter and furnish a copy thereof to the City Clerk for retention by that office.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007)

A. Loading Zones.

1. It is unlawful for the operator of the any motor vehicle to park or stop the same in any loading zone for any purpose other than unloading or loading of passengers or materials, provided that no stop for the loading or unloading of passengers shall be made for more than five minutes, or provided that no stop for the loading or unloading of materials shall be made for more than 20 minutes.

2. It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motor vehicle other than a bus or school bus to stop or park said vehicle in a "bus stop" zone.

B. Maximum Parking Time Limit. It is unlawful to park or stop a vehicle for a period of time longer than 72 consecutive hours upon any City street. A vehicle shall be deemed to have been parked or left standing for more than 72 hours unless during the 72 hour period the vehicle has been moved at least 100 feet from the position it occupied at the start of the period, or the odometer on the vehicle exhibits a change of at least 1/10 of one mile during the 72 hour period.

C. Recreational Vehicle. It is unlawful for any person to camp overnight in a recreational vehicle upon any City street, including any part of the right-of-way thereof. It shall also be unlawful for any person to cause the stopping, standing, or parking of any recreational vehicle in any part of the Business and Industrial Zone, as defined in Section 12.04.030(Q), except during an emergency (e.g., repairing a flat fire).

D. No-Parking Zones. It is unlawful for any person to park in a designated "No-Parking," "No-Stopping," or any time-specific no-parking or no-stopping zone when signs or markings are placed giving notice of such prohibition.

E. Vehicle Not in Condition to be Lawfully Operated. Notwithstanding subsection B above, it is 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 of Lake Forest any vehicle not in a condition to be lawfully operated on the public highways.

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

G. Trailers and Nonmotorized Vehicles. No person shall at any time park or leave standing a nonmotorized vehicle or camper, regardless of width or length, when it has been detached from its motor vehicle on any public street or highway in the City of Lake Forest except for purposes of loading or unloading and for a period not to exceed two hours.

H. Bicycle Lanes. No person shall park or leave standing a vehicle on a designated on-road bicycle lane anywhere on the City arterial highway system, providing signs identifying such a lane and prohibiting parking are posted.

I. Street Sweeping. It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park a vehicle on sign-posted streets, highways or portions thereof during the times designated for street sweeping, except for any vehicle considered exempt under the Street Sweeping Parking Restriction Policy.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007; Ord. 201 § 4, 2009; Ord. 366, 2/6/2024)

The removal of vehicles from a City highway, pursuant to the provisions of the Vehicle Code, Section 22650 et seq., is authorized under the following circumstances:

A. When a vehicle is parked or left standing for 72 or more consecutive hours.

B. Whenever any vehicle is parked or left standing on a highway or portion thereof where such parking has been prohibited by this Code. No vehicle may be removed unless signs are posted giving notice of such removal.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007)

Whenever a "No-Parking Area" has been established in accordance with the provisions of this Code, the City Council may by resolution determine that any one or more of the circumstances described in Section 22651 of the Vehicle Code exist in such area, and may designate such area as a "Tow-Away Zone." Whenever the City Council has designated a "Tow-Away Zone" it shall be the duty of the Director to cause signs to be posted, giving notice that any vehicle parked in such "Tow-Away Zone" may be removed.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007)

A. Except as provided in subsection B, no vehicle shall be stopped, parked, or left standing upon any public street or highway if the vehicle: (1) is in excess of 22 feet in length; (2) has more than two axles; (3) is a commercial vehicle, as defined by subsection C, greater than seven feet in height; (4) has a weight in excess of 10,000 pounds; (5) has a width in excess of 90 inches as measured at the widest portion of the body, not including mirrors or other extensions; (6) is a trailer, semi-trailer, or trailer coach as defined in the Vehicle Code or similar vehicles; or (7) is an item of farm machinery or special-purpose machine.

B. The prohibitions contained in this section shall not apply to: (1) vehicles making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares, services, or merchandise to or from any building or structure immediately adjacent to the property on which such building or structure is situated; (2) any ambulance, paramedic, or public safety vehicle involved in an emergency; (3) any vehicle being repaired under emergency conditions, as defined in subsection C; (4) any vehicle belonging to Federal, State, or local authorities while conducting official business; (5) recreational vehicles, as defined by this Code, excluding recreational vehicles that are being used for commercial purposes as defined in subsection (C)(1), parked in a residential area as defined in subsection C for a maximum of 72 hours; (6) vehicles temporarily parked for the purpose of, and while actually engaged in, loading or unloading persons or property; and (7) commercial vending vehicles actively engaged in mobile food vending or other commercial vending and operating lawfully under Chapter 5.18 of this Code.

C. For purposes of this section:

1. "Commercial vehicle" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 260 of the California Vehicle Code. Pick-up trucks, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 471, shall not be considered "commercial vehicles" unless: (a) goods, wares, or property of a commercial nature loaded thereon extends above the manufacturer's box; (b) the standard bed of the vehicle has been replaced with a utility or stake bed over 80 inches in width; or (c) the vehicle has been modified to include a rack extending over the length of the vehicle's bed and currently has goods or wares of a commercial nature stored thereon.

2. "Residential area" shall have the same meaning as "residence district" streets, as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 515.

3. "Emergency conditions" shall mean the need for sudden and unexpected repairs occurring during transport of the vehicle.

(Ord. 171 § 1, 2007; Ord. 179 § 1, 2007; Ord. 294 § 3, 2017; Ord. 302 § 43, 2018; Ord. 330 § 3, 2020; Ord. 358 § 7, 2022; Ord. 374, 2/4/2025)

A. The City Council may adopt a resolution, pursuant to the provisions of the Residential Parking Management Policy, designating an area as permit parking only.

B. Except as otherwise provided by the Residential Parking Management Policy, it is unlawful for any person to stand or park any vehicle on any street or portion thereof that has been designated as permit parking only, unless a valid permit to park has been issued by the City and is displayed on the vehicle. The decal shall be displayed in clear view as further indicated in the permit issuance instructions.

C. It is unlawful for any person to sell, rent, copy or lease, for any value or consideration, any parking permit or guest parking permit, except as provided by the Residential Parking Management Policy.

D. It is unlawful for any person to move solid waste containers in a manner that precludes collection of solid waste, obstructs driveways or other rights-of-way, or otherwise interferes with vehicular traffic in order to park on a street or portion thereof designated as permit parking only.

E. Each permit issued pursuant to the Residential Parking Management Policy shall be subject to all the conditions and restrictions applicable to the residential permit parking district for which it was issued.

F. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any authorized emergency vehicle as defined in the California Vehicle Code when such vehicle is responding to an emergency, or to the vehicle of a licensed physician who is responding to an emergency provided that vehicle displays an insigne approved by the California Department of Motor Vehicles indicating that the vehicle is owned by a licensed physician.

G. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to authorize vehicle parking at any location or at any time otherwise prohibited by any other provision of law.

H. The Director is hereby authorized to place appropriate signs and/or markings adjacent to or at the beginning and end of the street segment in the permit parking district that describes the permit parking restrictions applicable to the permit parking district.

I. Sheriff’s officers, City Code enforcement officers and other persons authorized by State law are hereby authorized and directed to issue citations to any person who violates Section 12.16.080 of this chapter, and such citation shall be deemed to be a civil complaint charging violations of this chapter and title and requiring payment of the penalty set forth therein. The method of giving notice of citation for unattended vehicles shall be as specified in Section 40202 of the California Vehicle Code or any successor provision thereto. Violations of this section shall be processed as civil penalties in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 40200 et seq., or any successor provision thereto.

J. A parking permit shall be subject to revocation in accordance with the provisions of the Residential Parking Management Policy, as well as the conditions and restrictions applicable to the residential permit parking district for which it was issued.

(Ord. 366, 2/6/2024)