Murrieta Municipal Code Ch. 10.48 Off-Road Vehicles

A. Subject to the exemptions provided in Section 10.48.020, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a vehicle, as defined under Section 670 of the Vehicle Code, including but not limited to, a motor vehicle as defined in Section 415 of said code, or any electric propelled vehicle or scooter on land or property owned by or occupied by another person, unless he or she has in his or her immediate possession, as of the time of such operation or driving of such vehicle, written permission from the owner of such land, his or her agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof, and displays such written permission to a peace officer or code enforcement officer upon request therefor.

B. Subject to the exemptions provided in Section 10.48.020, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate an off-highway motor vehicle, as defined under Section 38010 (a) and 38012 (a) of the Vehicle Code, on any public highway, street, road or alley in the city, or on any roadway which is privately owned by a single property owner, property owner association or homeowner association in violation of posting.

C. No person shall cause, allow or permit any motorized or electric vehicle as described in Subsection A, operated or controlled by him or her to park or stand on land or property owned by or occupied by another person, or on governmental property, or on a public utility property, unless he or she has in his or her possession written permission from the owner of such land, his or her agent, or the person in lawful occupancy or possession thereof.

D. No person shall drive or operate, or cause, allow or permit any motorized or electric vehicle as described in Subsection A, in a city park, private or homeowner association owned park in violation of posting, designated green belt or open space land, or upon any walking, hiking or riding trail, fire protection road or horse trail or upon the grounds of any school, or on any governmental property, or on the property of a public utility company. (Ord. 311 § 2, 2004)

This chapter shall not apply to:

A. Any person who, at the time of his or her operation of a vehicle, has lawful business with the owner of the land or his or her agent or the person in lawful occupancy or possession thereof.

B. A person who is driving or operating a vehicle on public or privately owned land which is expressly set apart by the owner or lawful occupant thereof for the use of such vehicle pursuant to any permit or license issued by the city under its zoning regulations or other enabling code.

C. The operation of any vehicle being used at the time of such operation for agricultural purposes, grading or construction purposes, governmental purposes, or golf carts on golf courses.

D. The operation of emergency vehicles, as defined under Section 165 of the Vehicle Code, when such operation is for the purposes or by the persons enumerated in said section.

(Ord. 311 § 3, 2004)

Nothing in this chapter shall abrogate or interfere with the right of any duly authorized governmental agency to regulate, permit or prohibit the operation and use of vehicles on property owned by the governmental agency or a public utility under its control and jurisdiction, or any of its subcontractors.

(Ord. 311 § 4, 2004)

A. No person shall operate, or allow the operation of any motor vehicle (including any motorcycle, trail bike, dune buggy, motorized or electric scooter, or jeep) or the motor thereof within fifty (50) feet of the exterior boundaries of any residential property, or any public right-of-way within seventy-five (75) feet of an animal stable or livestock pen or riding arena on an adjacent neighboring property, except where reasonably necessary upon his or her own property, or property of others over which a lawful easement right is owned for purposes of ingress or egress, or if such operation is directly related to a lawfully operated motorcycle sale and service business with the city.

B. No person shall build or cause, permit or allow to be built any dirt track berms, jumps or ramps higher than (4) four vertical feet from the natural topography of the property, or visible from the front or street-side of the property, or capable of being in public view.

C. No person shall operate, or allow the operation of any motor vehicle as described in Section 10.48.010A., (including any motorcycle, trail bike, dune buggy, motorized or electric scooter, or jeep) or the motor thereof with equipment on the vehicle (or in such a manner) the volume of the dust, exhaust, vibration, sound, or motor is audible to the extent that such noise volume is so loud, repetitive, raucous or jarring as to disturb the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or person.

D. This section does not apply to any act prohibited by Section 372 of the Penal Code, or prohibited expressly permitted by state statute.

(Ord. 311 § 5, 2004)

A. Any motor vehicle operated pursuant to 10.48.010 shall be equipped with standard factory installed muffler or its equivalent as prescribed by and in accordance with Section 27150 of the Vehicle Code of the State of California. Without limitation upon the foregoing, the muffler shall not have a cutoff, bypass or similar device or any baffle plates removed therefrom, nor shall the muffler be modified in any way so as to increase the decibel level of the operation of the motor vehicle from that resulting from standard factory installed equipments.

(Ord. 311 § 6, 2004)

It is unlawful for any person to do any assembly, disassembly, or repair work of any kind upon any off-road or motorized vehicle, if such repair work causes a nuisance to any persons by reasons of noise, smoke, dust, vibration, attractive nuisance to children, hazard from explosion, the creation of unsightly neighborhood conditions or other causes.

(Ord. 311 § 7, 2004)