Morgan Hill Municipal Code Ch. 10.60 Truck Route and Parking Ordinance

The ordinance codified in this chapter is enacted pursuant to the California Vehicle Code, Division 11, Chapters 9 and 10, commencing with Section 22500 and Division 15, Chapter 5, Article 4 commencing with Section 35700.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)

The following definitions are based on the state of California Vehicle Code and are to be used in administering this chapter. All other definitions as contained in the state of California Vehicle Code are included by reference:

"Commercial vehicle" means a vehicle of a type required to be registered under the California Vehicle Code and used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation or profit, or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

"Semitrailer" means a vehicle designed for carrying persons or property used in conjunction with a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon, or is carried by another vehicle.

"Trailer" means a vehicle designed for carrying persons or property on its own structure and being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon any other vehicle.

"Truck tractor" means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing another vehicle and not so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load so drawn.

"Vehicle" means a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway. Trailers, semitrailers and truck tractors are considered vehicles.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)

A. The following streets and portions of streets are designated and established as commercial vehicle truck routes:

1. Monterey Highway from the southerly city limits to Tennant Avenue and from the northerly city limits to Cochrane Road.

2. Cochrane Road from SR101 to Monterey Highway.

3. Tennant Avenue from SR101 to Monterey Highway.

B. Appropriate signs shall be erected indicating the streets affected. Such signs shall read "TRUCK ROUTE" in letters not less than four inches in height and shall be erected at all intersections of truck routes and at all intersections of designated routes with the boundary lines of the city.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)

When truck routes are established pursuant to this chapter and designated by appropriate signs, the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of eleven thousand pounds (five and one-half tons) shall drive said vehicle only on such routes and none other except for the following:

A. Commercial vehicles coming from a truck route having ingress and egress by direct route to and from a restricted street when necessary for the purpose of providing a direct service requiring the utilization of such vehicles or making pickups and deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise from or to any building or structure located on the restricted street or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure upon the restricted street for which a building permit has previously been obtained;

B. Any vehicle owned by a public utility or a licensed contractor while necessarily in use in the construction, installation or repair of any public utility;

C. Vehicles as may be reasonably necessary:

1. For the purpose of transporting farm or ranch supplies, produce, or animals to and from ranches or farms situated along a street otherwise forbidden to be used by such vehicles, and

2. For the purpose of transporting a trailer used for recreation or noncommercial purposes and/or boat to and from locations along a street otherwise forbidden to be used by such vehicles.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)

In order to maintain the quiet residential neighborhood atmosphere within the community and in the interest of public safety and welfare (per California Vehicle Code Section 390) commercial vehicles having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of eleven thousand pounds (five and one-half tons) or more, are prohibited from parking on any street or portion thereof not designated as a truck route, except with respect to making pickups or deliveries from or to any building or structure, or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any building or structure located off the designated truck route. This section shall not be effective with respect to any city street until appropriate signs have been erected by the city in accordance with the California Vehicle Code, at the entryways to the city along the truck routes indicating the vehicles' weight limitations and parking prohibitions discussed herein.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)

A person shall not park any trailer or semitrailer upon any highway, street, alley, public way or public place unless the trailer or semitrailer is, at all times while so parked, attached to a vehicle capable of moving the trailer or semitrailer in a normal manner upon the highway, street, alley, public way or public place. This section shall not apply to trailers or semitrailers in the process of being loaded or unloaded, nor shall it apply to any trailer or semitrailer which is disabled in such a manner and to such an extent that it is impossible to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving the disabled trailer or semitrailer on that portion of the highway, street, alley, public way or public place ordinarily used for vehicular parking. A disabled trailer or semitrailer shall not be temporarily parked along a public right-of-way for more than twenty-four hours.

(Ord. 1387 N.S. § 2 (part), 1998)