Nevada City Municipal Code Ch. 10.28 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 state Vehicle Code or the ordinances of this city, prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(Ord. 274 § 46, 1954)

The chief of police shall appropriately sign or mark the following places and when so signed or marked no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any of said places:

A. At any place within fifteen feet of an intersection in any business district except that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;

B. Within fifteen feet of the approach to any traffic signal, boulevard stop sign or official electric flashing device;

C. At any place where the city council by resolution determines that it is necessary in order to eliminate dangerous traffic hazards.

(Ord. 274 § 55, 1954)

The city council, in order to eliminate dangerous traffic hazards, shall designate by resolution:

A. Those streets or parts of streets which are through streets;

B. Those entrances of other intersections where a stop is required.

(Ord. 274 § 34, 1954)

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a through street, or any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, the chief of police shall erect and maintain stop signs as follows: A stop sign shall be erected on each and every street intersecting such through street, or portion thereof so designated, and at those entrances of other intersections where a stop is required. Each sign shall conform with and be placed as provided in California Vehicle Code Section 21352 et seq.

(Ord. 90-4 § 8, 1990: Ord. 274 § 35, 1954)

A. Whenever the chief of police shall determine 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 chief of police 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 chief of police 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 chief of police 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 and provisions of such signs.

(Ord. 274 § 56, 1954)

When signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle at any time upon the streets, or portions of streets, which the city council by resolution shall designate as streets upon which parking is prohibited at all times.

(Ord. 274 § 64, 1954)

A. No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street, alley or property owned by Nevada City, including municipal off-street parking lots, for more than a consecutive seventy-two-hour period.

B. In the event a vehicle is parked or left standing in violation of subsection A of this section, any member of the police department authorized by the chief of police may remove the vehicle from any street, alley, municipal off-street parking lot or city property. The chief of police shall have authority to post signs upon all alleys, municipal off-street parking lots and city-owned property warning of such removal. The signs shall be not less than seventeen inches by twenty-two inches in size with letters not less than one inch in height.

(Ord. 85-1 § 2, 1985: Ord. 274 § 48, 1954)

A. The council shall by resolution establish restricted parking zones, including therein such streets, portions of streets or city-owned or leased land as parking conditions require, and the chief of police shall designate such zones by appropriate signs or curb markings.

B. When authorized signs or curb markings are in place, or when parking meters are installed pursuant to Sections 10.28.090 through 10.28.240 of this chapter, giving notice of a limited parking time, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park any vehicle between the hours of nine a.m. and six p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for a period of time longer than the time limit specified on such signs, curb markings or parking meters.

(Ord. 328 § 1, 1966: Ord. 274 § 63, 1954)

"Parking meter" means any mechanical device which, when the mechanism thereof is set in motion, indicates unexpired parking time for the vehicle parked adjacent thereto.

(Ord. 274 § 76, 1954)

"Parking meter zones" means portions of streets or city-owned or leased land upon which the parking of vehicles is regulated with the aid of parking meters.

(Ord. 274 § 78, 1954)

"Parking meter space" means a parking space of sufficient size to permit the parking of one vehicle only adjacent to a parking meter within a parking meter zone.

(Ord. 274 § 77, 1954)

A. Whenever the council, by resolution, has established parking meter zones, the chief of police shall designate parking meter spaces by white lines upon the surface of the roadway or pavement.

B. When markings are in place designating spaces, as herein provided, no person shall park a vehicle except entirely within such parking spaces.

C. Whenever the parking of vehicles is required within parallel parking spaces, a vehicle, or combination of connected vehicles, exceeding the dimensions of such a space may also occupy one or more adjoining spaces, provided, that all other provisions of this title applicable to each such space must be observed.

(Ord. 274 § 79, 1954)

The council shall, by resolution, establish parking meter zones, including therein such streets, portions of streets or city-owned or leased land as parking conditions require.

(Ord. 274 § 80, 1954)

The chief of police shall cause to be installed adjacent to each designated parking meter space such parking meter as shall have been approved by the council. Each such meter shall be so designated that the deposit of a coin or coins will set the mechanism of the meter in motion, or permit the mechanism to be set in motion, so that the meter will show the unexpired parking time applicable to the parking meter space adjacent to the meter, and said meter when the parking time has expired shall so indicate by a visible sign.

(Ord. 274 § 81, 1954)

The denomination of the coin or coins that shall be deposited in parking meters, the parking time allowed following deposit of such coins, the hours during which such deposits are required, and the directions which shall appear on the parking meters shall be such as may be prescribed by the council by resolution.

(Ord. 274 § 82, 1954)

No person shall park any vehicle in any parking space, except as otherwise permitted by this title, without immediately depositing in the parking meter adjacent to the space such lawful coin or coins of the United States as are required by such meter and as designated by directions on the meter, and when required by the directions on the meter, setting in operation the timing mechanism thereof in accordance with the directions, unless the parking meter indicates at the time the vehicle is parked that an unexpired portion remains of the period for which a coin or coins has been previously deposited.

(Ord. 274 § 83, 1954)

No person, except as otherwise provided by this title, shall permit any vehicle parked by him to remain parked in any parking meter space during any time when the parking meter adjacent to the space indicates that no portion remains of the period for which the last previous coin or coins had been deposited, or beyond the time limited for parking in such space by virtue of the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 274 § 84, 1954)

A vehicle may be parked and remain parked in a parking meter space without the deposit of any coin in the parking meter adjacent thereto during hours other than those designated by resolution of the council as hours during which such deposits are required.

(Ord. 274 § 85, 1954)

Any person unintentionally violating any provision of Section 10.28.160 or 10.28.170 of this chapter, by reason of a mechanical failure of a parking meter not caused by such person, may be acquitted of the violation upon establishing such facts by a preponderance of the evidence.

(Ord. 274 § 86, 1954)

No person shall deface, injure, tamper with, open or wilfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter except by authority of the chief of police, or the city council.

(Ord. 274 § 87, 1954)

No person shall deposit or attempt to deposit in any parking meter any slug or other substitute for a coin of the United States.

(Ord. 274 § 88, 1954)

The chief of police shall be responsible for the installation, servicing, maintenance and repair of all parking meters.

(Ord. 274 § 89, 1954)

The chief of police shall be responsible for the collections of all coins deposited in parking meters.

(Ord. 274 § 90, 1954)

No section of this chapter shall be construed as permitting any parking in violation of any other provision of this title.

(Ord. 274 § 91, 1954)

No person shall park a vehicle in a private driveway or on private property without the direct or implied consent of the owner or person in lawful possession of such driveway or property.

(Ord. 274 § 66, 1954)

No person shall park any commercial vehicle more than twelve hours on the streets in any residential district, except:

A. While loading or unloading property, and time in addition to such twelve-hour period is necessary to complete such work; or

B. When such vehicle is parked in connection with, and in aid of, the performance of a service to or on a property in the block in which such vehicle is parked, and time in addition to such twelve-hour period is reasonably necessary to complete such service.

(Ord. 274 § 65, 1954)

A. Whenever the chief of police determines that the orderly and efficient conduct of the city's business requires that parking or standing of vehicles on city property be prohibited, limited or restricted the chief of police 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.

(Ord. 274 § 67, 1954)

A. The chief of police 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 indicating no parking upon that side of a street adjacent to any school property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.

(Ord. 274 § 52, 1954)

A. The chief of police is authorized to place signs or markings indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed twenty feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs or markings when the width of the roadway does not exceed thirty 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.

(Ord. 274 § 53, 1954)

No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle unattended on a highway or upon any grade exceeding three percent within any business or residence district without blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against the curb or by other means.

(Ord. 274 § 54, 1954)

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

(Ord. 274 § 47, 1954)

A. The city council designates that certain parking spaces be marked for the exclusive use of vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 or 22511.9 of the California Vehicle Code to be used by physically disabled persons.

B. The chief of police is authorized to indicate such spaces by applying 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, in the discretion of the chief of police, may also be indicated by signs or other suitable means.

C. The exact number and location of the spaces shall be determined by resolution of the city council.

D. It shall be an infraction for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle in a space designated for physically disabled persons unless the vehicle displays either one of the distinguishing license plates or placards issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 or 22511.9 of the California Vehicle Code. Each infraction is punishable by a fine not to exceed the sum of fifty dollars.

(Ord. 84-7 §§ 1—4, 1984)

No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of:

A. Displaying such vehicle for sale;

B. Washing, greasing or repairing such vehicle except repairs necessitated by an emergency.

(Ord. 274 § 49, 1954)

A. Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this city designates and describes any street or portion thereof upon which angle parking shall be permitted, the chief of police shall mark or sign such street indicating the angle at which vehicles shall be parked.

B. When signs or markings are in place indicating angle parking as herein provided, no person shall park or stand a vehicle other than at the angle to the curb or edge of the roadway indicated by such signs or markings.

C. Angle parking shall be permitted upon those streets or parts of streets which the city council shall designate by resolution.

(Ord. 274 § 50, 1954)

A. The chief of police 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 in the highway, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped, left standing or parked other than within single space unless the size or shape of such vehicle makes compliance impossible.

(Ord. 274 § 68, 1954)

A. The chief of police is authorized subject to the provisions and limitations of this title, to place, and when required herein shall place, the following curb markings to indicate parking or standing regulations, and the curb markings shall have the meanings herein set forth.

1. Red means no stopping, standing or parking at any time except as permitted by the Vehicle Code and except that a bus or a horse-drawn stage may stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus or horse-drawn stage zone. A horse-drawn stage means any horse-drawn vehicle used as a common carrier of passengers.

2. Yellow means no stopping, standing or parking at any time between nine a.m. and six p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials, provided that the loading or unloading of passengers shall not consume more than three minutes nor the unloading of materials more than twenty minutes.

3. White means no stopping, standing or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading of passengers which shall not exceed three minutes and such restrictions shall apply between nine a.m. and six p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays and except as follows:

a. When such zone is in front of a hotel the restrictions shall apply at all times,

b. When such zone is in front of a theater the restrictions shall apply at all times except when the theater is closed;

4. Green means no standing or parking for longer than twenty minutes at any time between nine a.m. and six p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays.

B. When the chief of police as authorized under this chapter has caused curb markings to be placed, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking in violation of any of the provisions of this section.

(Ord. 274 § 58, 1954)

Municipal off-street parking lots are established in the city, and all of the provisions of this title shall be applicable thereto. Such off-street parking lots are those areas so designated by resolution of the council of the city.

(Ord. 274 § 92, 1954)

The method of regulation and control of parking or standing of vehicles in municipal off-street parking lots shall be determined by the city council, and may be by parking meters, attendants or any other appropriate means.

(Ord. 274 § 93, 1954)

The provisions of this chapter relating to the operation of parking meters or other parking devices on municipal off-street parking lots shall be effective during the hours and on the days established by resolution of the council of the city and as so designated by appropriate signs or markings.

(Ord. 274 § 94, 1954)

Immediately before entering any off-street parking lot the operator of a vehicle shall deposit or cause to be deposited in the card vending machine, or other device, installed at the entrance to such parking lot and shall receive from the card-vending machine or other device, a card bearing the date of issuance. Such date card shall be placed, maintained, and displayed in a conspicuous place on the front seat of the vehicle and, while so displayed, shall entitle the vehicle to be parked in the lot during that day. It is unlawful to transfer any date or parking card to any vehicle or to use such card for any vehicle other than the vehicle for which it was issued.

(Ord. 274 § 95, 1954)

It is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to permit the vehicle to remain parked in any off-street parking lot beyond the date specified in the date card or in violation of Section 10.28.400 of this chapter.

(Ord. 274 § 96, 1954)

A. It is unlawful for any person to enter any municipal off-street parking lot over any area or driveway or the portion between any curb returns which is not marked with the word "entrance'' or otherwise indicated by arrows, signs or words that it is a driveway or place for the entering of such parking lot.

B. It is unlawful for any person to move any vehicle from any such parking lot into any public way over any area except an area marked with the word "exit" or otherwise indicated by arrows, signs or words that it is a driveway or place for the leaving of such parking lot.

(Ord. 274 § 97, 1954)

It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any vehicle having a gross weight in excess of five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine pounds in any municipal off-street parking lot.

(Ord. 274 § 98, 1954)

It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any vehicle having an overall length in excess of twenty-one feet in any municipal off-street parking lot.

(Ord. 274 § 99, 1954)

It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any house or truck trailer in any municipal off-street parking lot.

(Ord. 274 § 100, 1954)

It is unlawful for any person to move any vehicle on any municipal off-street parking lot at any speed exceeding ten miles per hour.

(Ord. 274 § 101, 1954)

For any violation of any provisions of this chapter, the police department of the city is empowered to issue notice to appear or citations in the usual form and manner as provided in the Vehicle Code of the state.

(Ord. 274 § 102, 1954)

A. The police department is empowered to remove any vehicle that is stopped, standing or parked in any municipal off-street parking lot in violation of Sections 10.28.430, 10.28.440 and 10.28.450 of this chapter. The signs shall not be less than seventeen inches by twenty-two inches in size with letters not less than one inch in height.

B. The owner or person in lawful possession of any private parking lot may not remove any vehicle pursuant to Section 22658(a) of the Vehicle Code without first posting signs in conformance with Section 22658 and said signs shall be not less than seventeen inches by twenty-two inches in size with letters not less than one inch in height.

(Ord. 85-1 §§ 3, 4, 1985: Ord. 274 § 103, 1954)

A. Permission herein granted to stop or stand a vehicle for purposes of loading or unloading of materials shall apply only to commercial vehicles and shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefor, and in no event for more than twenty minutes.

B. The loading or unloading of materials shall apply only to commercial deliveries, also the delivery or pickup of express and parcel post packages and United States mail.

C. Permission herein granted to stop or park for purposes of loading or unloading of passengers shall include the loading or unloading of personal baggage but shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefor and in no event for more than three minutes.

D. Within the total time limits above specified, the provisions of this section shall be enforced so as to accommodate necessary and reasonable loading or unloading but without permitting abuse of the privileges hereby granted.

(Ord. 274 § 59, 1954)

A. The word "bus," as used in this chapter, shall mean any motor bus, motor coach or passenger stage used as a common carrier of passengers.

B. The chief of police is authorized to establish bus zones opposite curb space for the loading and unloading of buses or common carriers of passengers and to determine the location thereof subject to the directives and limitations set forth in this chapter.

C. The chief of police shall paint a red line stencil with white letters "No Standing," together with the words "Bus Zone" upon the top or side of all curbs and places specified as a bus zone.

D. No person shall stop, stand or park any vehicle except a bus in a bus zone.

(Ord. 274 § 62, 1954)

The chief of police is authorized to issue special permits to allow the backing of a vehicle to the curb for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise or materials subject to the terms and conditions of such permit. Such permits may be issued either to the owner or lessee of real property or to the owner of the vehicle and shall grant to such person the privilege; as therein stated and authorized herein, and it is unlawful for any permittee or other person to violate any of the special terms or conditions of any such permit.

(Ord. 274 § 51, 1954)

A. The chief of police is authorized to determine and to mark loading zones and passenger loading zones as follows:

1. At any place in the business district;

2. Elsewhere in front of the entrance to any place of business or in front of any hall or place used for the purpose of public assembly;

B. In no event shall more than one-half of the total curb length in any block be reserved for loading zone purposes.

C. Loading zones shall be indicated by a yellow paint line stenciled with black letters, "Loading Only," upon the top of all curbs within such zones.

D. Passenger loading zones shall be indicated by a white line stenciled with black letters, "Passenger Loading Only," upon the top of all curbs in said zones.

(Ord. 274 § 57, 1954)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any yellow loading zone for any purpose other than loading or unloading passengers or materials for such time as is permitted in Section 10.28.490 of this chapter.

(Ord. 274 § 60, 1954)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any passenger loading zone for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers for such time as is specified in Section 10.28.490 of this chapter.

(Ord. 274 § 61, 1954)

A. The council shall, by resolution, establish taxicab stands and determine the locations thereto.

B. The chief of police shall paint a white line stenciled with the words "For Taxicabs Only," upon the tops of all curbs and places specified for taxicabs only.

C. No owner or driver of any taxicab shall park or stand the same upon any public highway in the city for any period of time longer than is necessary to discharge or receive passengers then occupying or then waiting for such taxicab; provided, that a taxicab may be parked in a taxicab stand established pursuant to subdivision A of this section.

(Ord. 274 § 72, 1954)

Any violation of this title shall be an infraction and punishable by a fine set forth in a bail schedule to be adopted by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 91-05 § 1, 1991; Ord. No. 2010-04, 12-8-2010; Ord. No. 2023-01, § 2, 2-25-2023)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2023-01, § 2, adopted February 25, 2023, repealed § 10.28.610, which pertained to vehicle code violation and derived from Ord. No. 2007-03 § 1, adopted 2007; Ord. No. 91-05 § 2, adopted 1991; and Ord. No. 2010-04, adopted December 8, 2010.

Nevada City Bail (2007) Exhibit A (revised effective 12/07/10)

(Ord. No. 2010-04, 12-8-2010)