Martinez Municipal Code Ch. 10.46 Permit Parking Areas

The City Council may establish permit parking areas within the City of Martinez in order to alleviate, in certain areas and neighborhoods, motor vehicle congestion caused by long-term parking by nonresidents of those areas and neighborhoods; to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents of these certain areas; and to promote the integrity of these areas.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

Areas meeting and satisfying the objective criteria established in these procedures will be considered by the City Council for designation as a permit parking area. Permit parking areas may be designated by a City Council resolution in which motor vehicles displaying a valid parking permit may stand or be parked without limitation as to the parking time restrictions established by the resolution. Said resolution shall also state the applicable time limitation and the period of the day and days of the week for its application.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

A. An area shall be deemed eligible for consideration as a permit parking area if data from surveys and studies prepared at the direction of the City Traffic Engineer satisfy the objective criteria that the area is impacted by vehicles belonging to nonresidents for any extended period during the day or night, on weekends, or during holidays.

B. The eligibility criteria shall include the following:

1. The extent of the desire and need of the residents for permit parking;

2. The extent to which legal on-street parking spaces are occupied by motor vehicles during the period proposed for parking restriction;

3. The extent to which vehicles parking in the area during the period proposed for parking restriction are vehicles belonging to nonresidents rather than vehicles of residents;

4. The extent to which motor vehicles registered to persons residing in the area cannot be accommodated by the number of available off-street parking spaces;

5. Determination and identification of possible alternative parking locations for vehicles of nonresidents which are to be displaced in the proposed permit parking area; and

6. Determination that sufficient on-street parking may be made available for area residents with the proposed permit parking program.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

A. Upon receipt of a verified petition signed by at least fifty (50) per cent of the residents in the area proposed for designation, and which represents at least fifty (50) per cent of the residential units in the area proposed for designation, the City Traffic Engineer shall undertake such surveys or studies as are deemed necessary to determine whether an area is eligible for permit parking.

B. At the completion of surveys and studies a determination shall be made by the City Traffic Engineer as to the eligibility of the area under consideration for permit parking, the boundaries for the proposed permit parking area, the appropriate time limitation on parking, the period of the day, and days of the week for its application.

C. A written report shall be submitted by the City Traffic Engineer to the City Council, including recommendations.

D. The Parking Place Commission shall hold a public hearing on the recommendation of the City Traffic Engineer.

E. Public hearing notices shall be posted in the proposed area ten days prior to the hearing on the proposed designation of an area as residential permit parking area.

F. A written notice shall be mailed to the owners and/or tenants of the use or facility, if any, creating the need for permit parking identified in City Traffic Engineer's report ten days prior to the hearing Notice shall also be mailed to all owners of property fronting on the street(s) proposed for permit parking.

G. After the public hearing, the City Council may adopt with conditions or reject the resolution approving the designation of a certain area as a residential permit parking area based on the Parking Place Commission's recommendations.

H. The designation process and designation criteria shall also be utilized by the City Traffic Engineer and the City Council in determining whether to remove the designation of an area as a permit parking area.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983; Ord. 1206 C.S. § 1, 1993)

A. The Finance Director shall be responsible for the issuance of parking permits to persons residing or maintaining a business in a permit parking area. A permit shall be issued by the Director only upon receipt of a valid application.

B. The Director may not issue more than four (4) permits to any one address for residents at that address, unless the Director finds more than four (4) licensed drivers residing at or operating a business from that one address with more than four (4) vehicles registered to that address.

C. The Director shall either grant or deny a resident parking permit within ten (10) working days from the receipt of a valid application. If the Director denies a permit, the written reasons for the denial shall be provided to the applicant, in person or by mail, within the time period specified herein.

D. The permit shall be clearly displayed on the vehicle for which it has been issued as instructed.

E. The Director shall maintain a record of the number of parking permits issued to each address, the names of permit holders, the license numbers of vehicles for which a permit has been issued, documents checked to establish residency and vehicle ownership, and any other information as required.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

The Finance Director may revoke the parking permit(s) of any person known to the Director to no longer be eligible for a permit(s). The Director shall give written notice to the permit holder of said revocation and the reasons therefor. The owner shall not display the revoked or expired permit from the individual vehicle.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

A. The Finance Director may issue guest parking permits upon receipt of completed applications for guest permits.

B. The guest permit shall be of a different color than resident parking permits(s) and shall be valid for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) consecutive days.

C. The guest parking permit shall be displayed in the valid guest vehicle as required by the Finance Director.

D. The Director shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, a record of the number of guest parking permits issued to each address within a designated permit parking area.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

Any person who has been denied a permit(s) or had a permit(s) revoked by the Director may appeal that decision to the city council within ten (10) days after the decision of the Director has been given or sent to the appellant. An appeal shall be set forth on a form provided by the city clerk.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

A. Any emergency vehicle, including but not limited to an ambulance, fire engine, or police vehicle, which is under the control of an individual providing service to a property located in the permit parking area shall be permitted to stand or be parked on a street in the area without being limited by the time restrictions.

B. Any vehicle, including but not limited to a delivery, utility, or service vehicle, which is under the control of an individual providing service to property located on a street in the permit parking area shall be permitted to stand or be parked on a street in the area without being limited by the time restrictions. Identification of such vehicle as commercial, utility, or service vehicles shall be the responsibility of the driver of such vehicle.

C. Any vehicle which is identified as used by disabled or handicapped individuals meeting the requirements of Section 22511.5 of the California Vehicle Code, and displaying the handicap plates, shall be permitted to stand or be parked on a street in the area without being limited by the time restrictions.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

Upon the designation of an area as a permit parking area, the City Traffic Engineer shall cause appropriate signs to be erected in the area.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)

It shall be unlawful and constitute a violation of this chapter for any person to do, or cause to be done, any of the following:

A. To stand or park a motor vehicle, without a current permit properly displayed, on a street within the permit parking area for a period of time exceeding the specified limit during effective times and days of the permit parking as indicated on the traffic signs;

B. To falsely represent himself or herself as eligible for a parking permit or to furnish false information in an application for a permit;

C. To permit the use or display of, or to use or display, a valid parking permit issued under this chapter on a motor vehicle or in a manner other than that for which the permit was issued;

D. To copy, reproduce, or otherwise bring into existence a facsimile or counterfeit resident or guest parking permit;

E. To knowingly use or display a facsimile or counterfeit resident or guest parking permit in order to evade time limitations on parking applicable in the permit parking area;

F. To knowingly commit any act which is prohibited by the terms of this chapter.

(Ord. 988 C.S. § 1, 1983)