Martinez Municipal Code Ch. 10.44 Stopping, Standing and Parking

A. The provisions of this chapter prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times herein specified, except when it is necessary to stop a vehicle to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device.

B. The provisions of this chapter imposing a time limit on standing or parking, shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions of the Vehicle Code or the ordinances of this city prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(Prior code § 3209)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within any parkway.

(Prior code § 3209.1)

A. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to maintain, by appropriate signs or by paint upon the curb surface, all no-stopping zones, no-parking areas and restricted parking areas, as defined and described in this chapter and title.

B. When the curb markings or signs are in place, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park such vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking or sign in violation of any of the provisions of this title.

(Prior code § 3209.2)

No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand, park or leave standing such vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or other authorized officer, traffic sign or signal:

A. Within any divisional island unless authorized and clearly indicated with appropriate signs or markings;

B. On either side of any street between the projected property lines of any public walk, public steps, street or thoroughfare terminating at such street, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

C. In any area where the City Traffic Engineer determines that the parking or stopping of a vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or endanger life or property when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

D. In any area established by resolution of the Council as a no parking area, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

E. Upon, along or across any railway track in such manner as to hinder, delay or obstruct the movement of any car traveling upon such track;

F. In any area where the parking or stopping of any vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property;.

G. On any street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway, or the installation of underground utilities, or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic, or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement provided that signs giving notice of such no parking are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the effective time of such no parking;

H. At any place within 20 feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the midblock end of a safety zone, when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

I. At any place within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection in any business district when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface except that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;

J. Within 20 feet of the approach to any traffic signal, boulevard stop sign or official electric flashing device.

(Prior code § 3209.3)

No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of 72 hours.

(Prior code § 3209.4)

No operator of any vehicle shall park the vehicle upon any street in this city for the principal purpose of advertising or displaying it for sale, unless authorized by resolution of the Council.

(Prior code § 3209.5)

No person shall construct or cause to be constructed, repair or cause to be repaired, grease or cause to be greased, dismantle or cause to be dismantled any vehicle or any part thereof upon any public street in this city. Temporary emergency repairs may be made upon a public street.

(Prior code § 3209.6)

No person shall wash or cause to be washed, polish or cause to be polished any vehicle or any part thereof upon any public street in this city, when a charge is made for such service.

(Prior code § 3209.7)

A. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon that side of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in his opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation.

B. When official signs are erected prohibiting parking upon that side of a street adjacent to any school property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.

(Prior code § 3209.8)

Refer to chapter 10.60 Commercial Vehicles.

(Ord. 950 C.S. § 1, 1981; Ord. 1105 C.S. § 1, 1987)

A. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to place signs or markings indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 20 feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs or markings when the width of the roadway does not exceed 30 feet.

B. When official signs or markings prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign or marking.

(Prior code § 3209.9)

No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle unattended on a highway when upon any grade exceeding three percent (3%) without blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against the curb or by other means.

(Prior code § 3209.10)

A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall stand or park any vehicle, wagon or pushcart from which goods, wares, merchandise, fruits, vegetables or foodstuffs are sold, displayed, solicited or offered for sale or bartered or exchanged, or any lunch wagon or eating car or vehicle, on any portion of any street within this City except that such vehicles, wagons or pushcarts may stand or park only at the request of a bona fide purchaser for a period of time not to exceed ten minutes at any one place. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to persons delivering such articles upon order of, or by agreement with a customer from a store or other fixed place of business or distribution.

B. No person shall park or stand on any street any lunch wagon, eating cart or vehicle, or pushcart from which tamales, peanuts, popcorn, candy, ice cream or other articles of food are sold or offered for sale without first obtaining a written permit to do so from the City Traffic Engineer which shall designate the specific location in which such cart shall stand.

C. No person shall park or stand any vehicle or wagon used or intended to be used in the transportation of property for hire on any street while awaiting patronage for such vehicle or wagon without first obtaining a written permit to do so from the City Traffic Engineer which shall designate the specific location where such vehicle may stand.

D. Whenever any permit is granted under the provisions of this section and a particular location to park or stand is specified therein, no person shall park or stand any vehicle, wagon or pushcart on any location other than as designated in such permit. In the event that the holder of such permit is convicted in any court of competent jurisdiction for violating any of the provisions of this section, such permit shall be forthwith revoked by the City Traffic Engineer upon the filing of the record of such conviction with such officer, and no permit shall thereafter be issued to such person until six months have elapsed from the date of such revocation.

(Prior code § 3209.11)

A. Whenever the City Traffic Engineer determines that an emergency traffic congestion is likely to result from the holding of public or private assemblages, gatherings or functions, or for other reasons, the City Traffic Engineer shall have power and authority to order temporary signs to be erected or posted indicating that the operation, parking or standing of vehicles is prohibited on such streets and alleys as the City Traffic Engineer shall direct during the time such temporary signs are in place. Such signs shall remain in place only during the existence of such emergency and the City Traffic Engineer shall cause such signs to be removed promptly thereafter.

B. When signs 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 of such signs.

(Prior code § 3209.12)

A. The city Traffic Engineer may create vision safety parking zones on any street, driveway or other area that requires unobstructed visibility to facilitate safe pedestrian or vehicle entry into or across a street.

B. Vision safety parking zones may be implemented which limit the size of vehicles in parking spaces or by use of other accepted engineering methods to provide visibility for safe entry onto or across any street.

C. When the signs are in place, it shall be unlawful and shall constitute an infraction for any operator of a vehicle to park a vehicle in violation of the sign or in violation of any provision of the Martinez Municipal code.

(Ord. 888 C.S. § 1, 1978)

A. Whenever the city Traffic Engineer determines that the orderly, efficient conduct of the city's business requires that parking or standing of vehicles on city property be prohibited, limited or restricted, the city Traffic Engineer shall have the power and authority to order signs to be erected or posted indicating that the parking of vehicles is thus prohibited, limited or restricted.

B. When signs 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.

(Prior code § 3209.15)

A. No person shall drive, park or operate a motor vehicle upon land or premises where the owner or person occupying or having possession of, or agents thereof, have posted on such property or premises a notice in substantially the following form, and where the permission therein referred to shall not have been granted:

B. The notice shall appear on a sign which shall have dimensions of at least 30 inches by 24 inches. The words of the notice shall fully occupy the signboard herein described.

C. The owner of the property so posted shall report to the Police Department of the City violations of the Ordinance codified herein.

D. It is unlawful for any person without permission of the owner or person entitled to the possession thereof to park any motor vehicle in or upon any private property so as to interfere with the use thereof.

(Prior code § 3209.16)

When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Traffic Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays, for a period of time longer than fifteen minutes.

(Prior code § 3210.1; Ord. 1125 C.S. § 1, 1989)

A. Green curb marking means no standing or parking for a period of time longer than twenty minutes at any time between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays, or as determined by the City Engineer.

B. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking or sign or parking meter in violation thereof.

(Prior code § 3210; Ord. 1179 C.S., 1992)

When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Traffic Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for a period of time no longer than thirty minutes.

(Prior code § 3210.4.1; Ord. 759 C.S. § 1, 1973)

When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Traffic Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sunday and holidays for a period of time longer than one hour.

(Prior code § 3210.2)

When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Traffic Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for a period of time longer than two hours.

(Prior code § 3210.3)

When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the City Traffic Engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for a period of time longer than ten hours.

(Prior code § 3210.4)

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

B. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left-hand side of such one-way roadway unless signs are in place permitting such standing or parking.

C. The city Traffic Engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the left-hand side of any one-way street, or when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left-hand side of any one-way roadway or a highway having two or more separate roadways, and shall erect signs giving notice thereof.

D. The requirement of parallel parking imposed by 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 such 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.

(Prior code § 3210.5)

A. On any of the streets or portions of streets established by resolution of the council as diagonal parking zones, when signs or pavement markings are in place indicating such diagonal parking, it is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park the vehicle except:

1. At the angle to curb indicated by signs or pavement markings allotting space to parked vehicles and entirely within the limits of the allotted space;

2. With the front wheel nearest the curb within 6 inches of the curb.

B. The provisions of this section shall not apply when such vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading passengers, freight or goods, in which event the provisions applicable in Section 10.44.240 of this chapter shall be complied with.

(Prior code § 3210.6)

A. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbing where authorized parking is permitted.

B. When such parking space markings are placed on the highway, subject to other limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped, left standing or parked other than within a designated single space as marked, unless the size or shape of such vehicle makes compliance impossible.

(Prior code § 3210.7; Ord. 951 C.S. § 1, 1981)

A. The City Traffic Engineer shall designate established no-stopping zones by placing and maintaining appropriate signs indicating that the stopping of vehicles is prohibited and indicating the hours and day when stopping is prohibited.

B. During the hours and on the days designated on the signs, it is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop the vehicle on any of the streets or parts of streets established by resolution of the Council as no-stopping zones.

(Prior code § 3210.8)

A. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on any street between the hours of 3:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. of any day when appropriate signs are in place, provided that this section shall not apply to any vehicle of any regularly licensed physician when actually engaged in making professional calls.

B. For commercial vehicles refer to Section 15.60.030.

(Prior code § 3210.9; Ord. 925 C.S. 1980; Ord. 1105 C.S. § 2, 1987)

A. The City Traffic Engineer shall establish taxicab stands and determine the location thereof.

B. The curb surface within each taxicab stand shall be painted white and marked "Taxicab Stand" in red lettering, or shall be designated by signs of a type and size approved by the City Traffic Engineer.

C. No operator of any vehicle, other than a taxicab or automobile for hire, shall park the vehicle in such taxicab stand.

D. The owner or operator of a taxicab shall pay a fee to be established by resolution, from time to time, for each taxicab stand assigned to his taxicab.

(Prior code § 3210.10; Ord. 855 C.S. § 1, 1977)

A. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to establish in any City parking district, with the approval of the Parking Place Commission, reserved parking spaces within City parking lots.

B. No persons who do not possess and display a valid City parking card, decal or tag shall be allowed to park in the reserved parking spaces.

C. The City Traffic Engineer shall clearly define, by appropriate signs and markings, the reserved parking spaces in each parking lot.

(Prior code § 3210.11)

A. Blue indicates parking limited exclusively to vehicles of physically handicapped persons.

B. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to designate parking spaces for the exclusive use of vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 of the Vehicle Code, or disabled veterans as specified in Section 9105 of the Vehicle Code, and in addition, may designate stalls of spaces in an off-street parking facility owned or operated by the City or private person for the exclusive use of vehicles which display distinguishing license plates or placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 of the Vehicle Code or to disabled veterans as specified in Section 9105 of the Vehicle Code.

In the case of on-street parking spaces, the parking space shall be indicated by blue paint on the curb or edge of the paved portion of the street adjacent to the space. In addition to the blue paint, the space may also be indicated by signs or other suitable means.

In the case of off-street parking facilities, these stalls or spaces shall be designated by posting immediately adjacent to, and visible from, each stall or space, a sign consisting of a profile view of a wheelchair with occupant in white on a blue background, and by painting a white "Handicap Symbol" in each stall. Design of parking space widths, signs, and paint markings shall be in accordance with standards approved by the City Traffic Engineer.

Any vehicle parked in violation of an off-street parking facility physically handicapped stall or space may be towed from said stall or space pursuant to the provisions of Vehicle Code Section 22511.8.

C. It is unlawful and punishable as an infraction for the operator of any vehicle to stop, stand or park a vehicle adjacent to any legible curb marking described in Section 10.44.310B, or for the operator of any vehicle not displaying a distinguishing license plate issued to disabled persons pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 9105 to stop, stand, park or leave standing such vehicle in any parking space property designated for the exclusive use of physically handicapped persons pursuant to Section 10.44.310B.

(Ord. 921 C.S., 1980)