Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Ch. 3.24 Parking Meters

For purposes of this chapter, certain words and phrases used herein are defined as follows:

A. "Vehicle" shall mean any device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported upon a highway, except a device which is operated upon rails or tracks.

B. "Street" shall mean any public street, avenue, road, boulevard, highway or other public place located in the City and established for the use of vehicles.

C. "City owned, leased and/or operated parking lot" shall mean any public area which is owned, leased or operated by the City for the purpose of providing vehicular parking facilities.

D. "Operator" shall mean every person who shall operate a vehicle as the owner thereof or as agent, employee or permittee of the owner.

(§ 1, Ord. 807)

The violation of any of the provisions of Title 3, Chapter 24 of this Code is subject to a civil penalty, pursuant to Section 40200 et seq. of the Vehicle Code and exceptions thereunder.

(§ 1, Ord. 1763, eff. September 17, 1987; Ord. No. 1879, Amended, 07/01/93)

All streets and City owned, leased and/or operated parking lots included within the following areas within the City are hereby designated, named and declared to be parking meter zones as follows:

A. Parking Meter Zone I. That certain district which lies between the northerly line of 15th Street on the north; the easterly line of Ardmore Avenue on the east; the southerly line of 6th Street on the south; and The Strand on the west.

B. Parking Meter Zone II. That certain district which lies between the northerly line of 23rd Street on the north; the easterly line of Alma Avenue on the east; the southerly line of 21st Street on the south; and to The Strand on the west.

C. Parking Meter Zone III. That certain district herein described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the northerly projection of the westerly line of Grandview Avenue and the northerly City boundary; thence southerly along said projection to its point of intersection with the southerly line of Rosecrans Avenue; thence westerly along said southerly line of Rosecrans Avenue to its point of intersection with the easterly line of Alma Avenue; thence southerly along said easterly line of Alma Avenue to its point of intersection with the southerly line of 32nd Street; thence westerly along said southerly line of 32nd Street to its point of intersection with the easterly line of The Strand; thence northerly along said easterly line of The Strand to its point of intersection with the northerly City boundary; thence in a general easterly direction along said northerly boundary to the point of beginning.

D. Parking Meter Zone IV. That certain district which lies between the westerly line of Aviation Boulevard on the east; the southerly line of Manhattan Beach Boulevard on the south; the easterly line of Harkness Street on the west; and the northerly line of Manhattan Beach Boulevard on the north.

E. The City may determine that parking in established "Parking Meter Zones" may be better facilitated by the dispensing of permits for which a fee has been paid. Whenever a permit dispensing vending machine has been installed and appropriate signs and instructions noticed in the affected areas, all regulations of this Chapter or any other law or regulation of the City shall be applicable.

In the event parking meters are established as provided in this chapter along the curb adjacent to any parking space in such zones, the provisions of this chapter shall govern parking in such parking space; provided, however, that in the event no parking meters are installed in any parking space within said parking meter zones, the maximum time for parking in any such space shall be that which is permitted or provided for under the provisions of this Code or any other law or regulation of the City.

(§ 2, Ord. 807 as amended by 1, Ord. 1260, eff. December 16, 1971; § 1, Ord. 1932, eff. August 4, 1995)

A. Specifications. Parking meters may be installed in all or any part of the parking meter zones. Each parking meter shall be of such type as to display a graduated time dial, a signal or indicator to show the available parking time, and a red indicator signal (bearing the legend "Violation" or "Expired") to indicate when there is no unexpired time on the meter.

B. On-Street Parking Meter Rates. One of the coin and coin time combinations provided by this subsection shall be clearly indicated on each parking meter; provided, however, that the City Manager, with the approval of the Council, from time to time may change the coin and coin time combination of any parking meter from any coin and coin time combination to any other coin and coin time combination in such places in parking meter zones as may be determined by the City Manager, with the approval of the Council, to be necessary to the regulation, control and inspection of parking vehicles to provide for the best interests of the City and the citizens thereof, as established by the City's Fee Schedule Resolution.

C. Meter Placement. Meters shall be placed upon the curb or in back of a bumper rail alongside of and next to parking spaces.

D. Parking Spaces. Parking spaces shall be of sufficient size to accommodate an automobile and shall indicate parallel or diagonal parking by painted lines on the pavement.

E. Off-Street Parking Meter Rates. With respect to parking spaces in off-street parking lots either owned or leased by the City, one of the coin and coin time combinations provided by this subsection shall be clearly indicated on each parking meter; provided, however, that the City Manager, with the approval of the Council, from time to time may change the coin and coin time combination of any parking meter from any coin and coin time combination listed to any other coin and coin time combination in such places in parking meter zones as may be determined by the City Manager, with the approval of the Council, to be necessary to the regulation, control and inspection of parking vehicles to provide for the best interests of the City and the citizens thereof, as established by the City's Fee Schedule Resolution.

(§ 3, Ord. 807, as amended by Ord. 1141, § 1, eff. December 6, 1968; § 1, Ord. 1256, eff. November 4, 1971; § 1, Ord. 1760, eff. September 3, 1987; § 7, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997)

Whenever any vehicle is parked in any space for which use is controlled by a parking meter or timed permits, the owner, operator, manager or driver of the vehicle, upon entering the space shall immediately deposit the proper coin or currency of the United States of America into the appropriate meter or permit vending machine. The parking space may then be used by the vehicle during the parking limit provided by the meter for the coin deposited or until the time imprinted on the face of the permit expires. Permits must be properly displayed on the dashboard so that the expiration information is clearly visible through the windshield on the driver's or left side of the vehicle.

(§ 4, Ord. 807; as amended by § 2, Ord. 1932, eff. August 4, 1995; § 1, Ord. 1949, eff. June 20, 1996)

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any vehicle to be parked overtime or beyond the lawful period of time as provided in this chapter or to remain parked in any parking space while a signal showing legal parking is not displayed by the adjacent parking meter. Parking shall be restricted to the maximum time allowable by the deposit of the proper coin or combination of coins for each meter or for such maximum period of time as shall be posted on a sign on such meter. Parking in excess of the time limit indicated on the sign posted on such meter shall be a violation of the provisions of this chapter.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or allow any vehicle to remain parked in any parking space for which use is controlled by timed permits and for which a valid timed permit has not been purchased.

C. It shall be unlawful to permit or allow any vehicle to remain parked or left standing in or at the same location, parking space or parking meter zone for a period longer than the posted time limit whether or not coins are deposited or a valid timed permit is displayed.

D. In order to clarify the provisions set forth in subsection (C) of this section, and to assist in the interpretation thereof, the Council hereby declares that it has in mind the correction of abuse of the parking regulations whereby vehicles have been permitted by persons parking the same to cause such vehicles to stand in the same location, parking space, or parking meter zone for successive parking periods upon the payment of the coin deposit as is required in the particular area. This practice, the Council feels, adversely affects the interests and interferes with the general convenience, comfort, and welfare of the public in that this practice does not afford all citizens reasonable access to the parking spaces available in the highly commercial districts. In order to give all persons equal opportunity, the Council finds it in the best interests of the public and the citizens of this community to adopt this regulation providing that in any twenty-four (24) hour period one parking space shall only be used by the same vehicle for the maximum time provided in said area as indicated by the sign posted on said parking meter.

It shall be unlawful to permit or suffer any vehicle to remain parked or left standing in or at the same location, parking space or parking meter zone for a longer period than is designated by the time period set forth on the sign posted on said parking meter whether or not coins are deposited for periods beyond that stated upon the sign posted upon said parking meter itself. The Chief of Police, or any duly constituted or authorized police or parking control officer, is hereby directed to issue, or cause to be issued a notice of parking violation for each such violation. The Chief of Police, or any authorized police or parking control officer is further directed to cite, or cause to be cited, each and every period during which such violations exists according to the time limit as posted.

(§ 1, Ord. 940, eff. June 20, 1963, as amended by § 1, Ord. 1721, eff. February 6, 1986; § 3, Ord. 1932, eff. August 4, 1995; § 2, Ord. 1949, eff. June 20, 1996)

The provisions of this chapter relating to the operation of parking meters shall be effective only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. each day of the week, including Sundays and holidays except for those meters or designated lots where specific times of enforcement are posted.

(§ 6, Ord. 807, as amended by § 2, Ord. 1721, eff. February 6, 1986; § 2, Ord. 1760, eff. September 3, 1987)

It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited in any parking meter any slug, device or metallic substitute for a one cent (1¢), five cent (5¢), ten cent (10¢) or twenty-five cent (25¢) coin of the United States of America or to deface, injure, tamper with, open or wilfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter.

(§ 7, Ord. 807)

Repealed § 8, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997

All revenue generated from on-street and off-street public parking spaces including but not limited to parking meters, merchant parking permits and leased public parking spaces shall be deposited in a separate fund herein known as the parking fund, except funds generated by parking spaces in areas that are restricted by contractual agreements with the State of California, the County of Los Angeles, any other public agency and/or restricted by legislative action.

These funds shall only be used for parking related expenses, as determined appropriate by the City Council, including but not limited to all indirect and direct costs associated with the creation, maintenance and operation of the parking lots and other parking areas, repair and replacement of parking meters, and installation and maintenance of official traffic signs, signals and other official traffic control devices.

Beginning in fiscal year 1997/98 and continuing for two subsequent fiscal years, the parking fund shall make reimbursement payments to the Parking and Business Improvement Districts A (Downtown) and B (North End) in amounts approved by the City Council. At the end of fiscal year 1999/00, the parking fund shall have reimbursed Parking and Business Improvement District A a total amount equal to one million twenty-one thousand three dollars ($1,021,003.00) and Parking and Business Improvement District B a total amount equal to one hundred ninety-eight thousand five hundred ninety dollars ($198,590.00).

(§§ 10, 11, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997)

Repealed § 9, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997

A. Installation of Meters. The City is authorized to install, or cause to be installed, off-street parking meters on publicly owned off-street parking facilities hereby established or hereafter created by the City in such numbers as may be designated by the City and on such publicly owned off-street parking facilities as may be determined by the City to be necessary to regulate, control and inspect the parking of vehicles therein. Off-street meters installed on off-street parking facilities shall be placed in the area immediately adjacent to off-street parking meter spaces.

B. Parking Space Lines. The City shall cause distinct lines or markings to be painted or placed, replaced and maintained, upon the publicly owned parking facility adjacent to each off-street parking meter for the purpose of designating the off-street parking meter space for which said meter is to be used. Said lines or markings shall be so painted or placed as to permit parking in the manner directed by the City Council.

C. Parking Within Lines. It shall be unlawful when such lines or markings are in place for any person to park, stop or stand any vehicle other than completely within the confines or limits of such off-street parking meter space.

D. Parking Time Determination. The maximum legal parking time for each publicly owned off-street parking facility shall be determined from time to time by the City Council. Said determination shall be based upon good traffic engineering plans, traffic investigations and surveys made from time to time.

E. Parking Hours. Provisions of this section requiring deposit of coins in parking meters shall apply only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. of each day, except in cases where the City Council finds that special traffic conditions or physical circumstances exist which require deposit of coins in off-street parking meters at other times, or other hours, in which cases such times or hours shall be indicated by signs or on the parking meters. The City Manager or the City Manager's designee, in his/her own discretion from time to time, may prohibit parking in any publicly owned off-street parking facility during times of emergency by appropriate "No Parking" signs to be posted.

F. Meter Indicator. Every off-street parking meter shall be set to display, upon the deposit therein of coins of the United States of America, a sign indicating periods of time for which said coins have been deposited, and the off-street parking meter shall continue to display said sign for the time of deposit of said coins until the expiration of the time for which said coins have been deposited.

G. Expiration of Parking Time. Each off-street parking meter shall be so arranged that upon expiration of the deposit it will indicate by proper signal that the lawful parking time has expired.

H. Notice of Parking Time Limit. Each off-street parking meter shall indicate the legal parking time which has been or may be established for that publicly owned off-street parking facility.

I. Deposit of Coin. When the operator of a vehicle parks such vehicle in an off-street parking meter space on a publicly owned off-street facility, the operator shall immediately deposit or cause to be deposited in the off-street parking meter adjacent to such off-street parking space lawful money of the United States of America at the rate which shall be set by resolution of the City Council.

J. Attachments to and Leaning Against Meters Unlawfully. It shall be unlawful for any person to attach anything or to allow anything to lean against an off-street parking meter or an off-street parking meter standard.

K. Use of Substitute Coin Unlawful. It shall be unlawful to deposit or cause to be deposited in any off-street parking meter any defaced or bent coin, or any slug, device, metallic or other substitute for any coins of the United States of America, or for any person to deface, injure, tamper with, open or willfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any off-street parking meter, or to place any foreign matter or substance in said off-street parking meter or any part thereof.

L. Extension of Meter Time Unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited in an off-street parking meter any coin for the purpose of extending the parking time of any vehicle beyond the legal parking time which has been established by the City Council for the off-street parking space adjacent to which said off-street parking meter is placed.

M. Parking Without Deposit Of Coin Unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any person to park, or to cause, allow, permit, or suffer to be parked, a vehicle in any off-street parking meter space without immediately depositing or causing to be deposited a coin in the parking meter as provided in this chapter.

N. Unlawful Parking in Off-Street Parking Spaces—Emergency Vehicles Excepted. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any vehicle to remain in any off-street parking meter space for more than the time indicated by proper signs placed on such off-street parking meter indicating the maximum parking time allowed in such off-street parking meter space, or during any time the off-street parking meter is indicating that the time has elapsed for which coins of the United States of America have been deposited in said off-street parking meter. It shall also be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any unauthorized vehicle to remain in a parking stall which has theretofore been issued a special permit, including a parking stall marked "merchant," pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.24.140 of this chapter in such unmetered off-street parking space. The Police Department, upon the request of the person holding such special permit, or upon its own determination, may cause the removal of the unauthorized vehicle parked on such property to the nearest public garage if there is displayed in plain view on the parking lot at or near such unmetered space a sign upon which the words, "Parking by Special Permit Only, Unauthorized Vehicles Subject to Tow Away, the Manhattan Beach Police Department, 545-4566, Sec. 3.24.110 (N), MBMC" appear in plainly legible letters, no less than three inches (3″) high, and the cost of removal of such unauthorized vehicle shall be borne by the registered owner of such vehicle: provided, however, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any vehicle of the Police or Fire Departments, any public ambulance, any public utility vehicle, or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this subsection is operated in the manner specified in the Vehicle Code of the State in response to an emergency call.

O. Parking in Off-Street Parking Spaces by Permit Only. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any vehicle to remain in any off-street parking meter space in off-street public parking spaces from the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. (Sunday and holidays excepted) unless a special permit shall be first had and obtained from the Director of Finance upon the payment of the fee required under Section 3.24.140 of this chapter. The provisions of this subsection shall be effective only after the public parking lots shall have been conspicuously posted with signs reading as follows: "No Parking from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. (Sundays and Holidays excepted) Except by Permit Obtained from the Director of Finance, City Hall, Sec. 3.24.110 (D), MBMC."

(§ 10, Ord. 807, as amended by § 1, Ord. 822, § 1. Ord. 966, eff. July 3, 1964, § 1, Ord. 1098, eff. February 1, 1968, § 2, Ord. 1144, eff. December 6, 1968, §§ 1, 2, Ord. 1174, eff. May 22, 1969, § 3, Ord. 1760, eff. September 3, 1987, § 1, Ord. 1827, eff. September 20, 1990, and § 11, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997)

It shall be the duty of each police/parking enforcement officer to take the number of any meter at which any vehicle is overparked, as provided in this chapter, and the State vehicle license of such vehicle and to issue, in writing, a notice of parking violation for illegal parking in substantially the same form and subject to the same procedure provided for by the laws of the City and the laws of the State applicable to traffic violations within the City.

Operator(s) or owner(s) of a vehicle to whom a notice of parking violation has been issued, and has not paid said parking violation, will be mailed a Notice of Delinquent Parking Violation and, twenty-one (21) calendar days after the mailing of the notice of delinquent parking violation, may pay the City of Manhattan Beach as a penalty for, and in full satisfaction of such violation the total parking penalty as established by City resolution. Such payment may be made in person or by mailing said sum to the Parking Cashier at Manhattan Beach City Hall, 1400 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, California, within said period of twenty-one (21) days. An affidavit of non-liability must be returned to the City of Manhattan Beach within thirty (30) calendar days of the mailing of the Notice of Delinquent Parking Violation, or within fourteen (14) days from the mailing date of the Notice of Delinquent Parking Violation, be filed. The failure of such owner or operator to make such payment within twenty-one (21) calendar days after the mailing date of the notice of delinquent parking violation (or request an appeal (administrative investigation) within fourteen (14) days after the mailing date of the notice of delinquent parking violation, or complete an affidavit of non-liability within thirty (30) days after the mailing date of the notice of delinquent parking violation) shall render such owner or operator subject to the following consequences:

1. The penalty will be increased and additional costs and fees may be imposed; and

2. Owner/Operator vehicle may be subject to immobilization or impoundment; and

3. The Department of Motor Vehicles may withhold the renewal of owner/operator vehicle registration; or

4. The owner or operator may be subject to civil collection procedures.

(§ 13, Ord. 807; § 2, Ord. 1098, eff. February 1, 1968, as amended by § 1, Ord. 1210, eff. August 6, 1970; § 1, Ord. 1676, eff. May 31, 1984, § 1, Ord. 1744, eff. April 2, 1987; Ord. No. 1879, Amended, 07/01/93; Ord. No. 1895, Amended, 01/20/94; § 1, Ord. 1947, eff. June 6, 1996)

The City Council finds that by reason of the proximity of this parking lot or lots to public buildings, which lots were constructed and improved by general fund and/or parking meter fund and are not part and parcel of any parking district within the corporate limits of the city, that the following special rules and regulations are applicable but the provisions of Sections 3.24.060, 3.24.160 and other provisions of this code not in conflict with this section shall remain in full force and effect.

A. South Civic Center parking lot and Thirty-Eighth Street parking lot.

(§ 2, Ord. 1256, eff. November 4, 1971)

1. The provisions of this section shall be effective twenty-four (24) hours a day each day of the week, including Sundays and holidays;

2. In any twenty-four (24) hour period one metered parking space shall only be used by the same vehicle for the maximum period of time of two (2) hours at any one time;

3. It shall be unlawful to permit or suffer any vehicle to remain parked or left standing in or at the same location, parking space, or parking meter zone for a longer period than is designated by the time period set forth on the sign posted on such parking meter, whether or not coins are deposited for periods beyond those stated upon the sign posted upon the parking meter itself;

4. The Council reserves the right to designate any parking spaces within the lot or lots for unlimited parking, if so posted, for lease on a monthly basis at a rate to be determined by Council.

(§ 1, Ord, 1072, eff. July 6, 1967, and § 1, Ord. 1150, eff. January 2, 1969)

It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any vehicle to remain in a non-metered off-street parking space in any public parking lot between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. seven (7) days per week unless a special permit shall be first had and obtained from the Director of Finance upon the payment of the sum established by City Council, payable in advance.

(§ 11, Ord. 1966, eff. July 31, 1997)

Repealed, § 1, Ord. 1270, eff. April 20, 1972

It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit, or suffer any vehicle to remain in any publicly-owned or controlled off-street parking lot at any time without immediately depositing, or causing to be deposited, a coin in the parking meter, if such be installed, and, if not so metered, without a special permit being first had and obtained from the Director of Finance upon payment in advance for unlimited parking of a monthly sum to be determined by resolution of the City Council.

(§ 3, Ord. 1150, eff. January 2, 1969 as amended by § 1, Ord. 1178, eff. July 3, 1969)

The City is authorized to issue merchant parking permits to owners and employees of businesses located in Parking and Business Improvement District Area B and the Downtown Business Improvement District. The fee for such permits shall be set by resolution of the City Council. The permits shall authorize parking, without payment of any further meter or lot fee in metered or designated spaces in locations specified in written rules and regulations established by a Permit Administrator who shall be appointed by the City Manager. Each permittee shall, upon issuance of the permit, receive a copy of these rules and regulations which shall govern the use of the permit. Violation of the rules and regulations set by the Permit Administrator shall be an infraction. The permits shall be issued for a specified term. Each permit shall be non-transferable. Permits may not be duplicated by the permittee or any other person. Use of a permit by anyone other than an employee of the business for which the permit is issued or of a duplicated or counterfeit permit shall be punishable as a misdemeanor both as to the party using the transferred, counterfeit or duplicated permit and as to the permittee. Such use shall also result in the immediate termination of all rights under the permit and of the right of both the user and permittee to obtain future permits under this program. Use of an expired permit shall be treated as parking without a permit and the user shall be subject to the appropriate penalties for illegal parking as provided for in this chapter.

(§ 2, Ord. 2009, eff. December 2, 1999, as amended by § 2, Ord. 2015, eff. July 20, 2000)

Any person whose permit or permits have been revoked under Section 3.24.170 of this chapter may file an appeal with the Parking and Public Improvements Commission. The appeal must be filed in writing with the City Clerk within fifteen (15) business days after the date of the notice of revocation. The Parking and Public Improvements Commission shall hold a public hearing at which it may decide to deny the appeal and uphold the revocation, to rescind the revocation and restore the permits, to conditionally restore the permits, or to restore the permits and levy an administrative fine, in lieu of revocation, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or such other action as the Commission shall deem just and equitable under the circumstances. The decision of the Parking and Public Improvements Commission shall be reviewed and must be confirmed by the City Council whose decision shall be final.

(§ 3, Ord. 2015, eff. July 20, 2000)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, where merchant parking permits have been permitted by the City to be used to satisfy mandatory parking requirements imposed under Title 10 of this code or by any land use entitlement granted by the City for a specific property such permits may, at the discretion of the Permit Administrator, be issued directly to the permittee's tenants on the property for which the parking requirements are being satisfied or may be issued to the permittee with the knowledge and approval that said permits shall be provided to the permittee's tenants on the property for which the parking requirements are being satisfied for their use. Said tenants shall be held responsible for the use or misuse of permits so issued and for compliance with the rules and regulations of the program.

(§ 3, Ord. 2015, eff. July 20, 2000)