Chapter 10.68 — RESTRICTED USE OF CERTAIN STREETS

No person shall operate or drive any vehicle used for advertising purposes or any advertising vehicle equipped with a sound-amplifying or loudspeaking device upon any street or alley at any time within the central traffic district.

(Ord. 36 § 13.1, 1974)

No person shall drive an animal-drawn vehicle into or within the central traffic district between the hours of four-thirty p.m. and six p.m. of any day. (Ord. 36 § 13.2, 1974)

• A. Whenever any resolution of the city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a street, the use of which is permitted by any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons, the city traffic engineer is authorized to designate such street or streets by appropriate signs as truck routes for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons.

• B. When any such truck route or routes are established and designated by appropriate signs, the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons shall drive on such route or routes and none other, except that nothing in this section shall prohibit the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight of three tons coming from a truck route having ingress and egress by direct route to and from restricted streets when necessary for the purpose of making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise from or to any building or structure located on such restricted streets, 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 such restricted streets for which a building permit has previously been obtained.

• C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission, or to any vehicle owned by a public utility while necessarily in use in the construction, installation or repair of any public utility.

• D. Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the council are declared to be truck routes for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight of three tons.

• (Ord. 36 § 13.3, 1974)

• A. Whenever any resolution of the city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a street, the use of which is prohibited by any commercial vehicle, the city traffic engineer shall erect and maintain appropriate signs on those streets affected by such ordinance.

• B. Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the council are declared to be

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City of Palm Desert, CA § 10.68.050

PALM DESERT CODE

§ 10.68.060

streets, the use of which is prohibited by any commercial vehicle. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission.

• (Ord. 36 § 13.4, 1974)

• A. Signs and Markings on Vehicles. All taxicabs operated under the provisions of this section, when situated or operated upon the streets of the city, shall have a sign attached to or printed upon such vehicle reading "Taxi" or "Cab," and if desired such signs as may designate the trade name under which such vehicle is operated; provided, however, that it shall be unlawful for the operator of any such vehicle for hire operated under the provisions of this section to permit any other signs, either painted or attached to such vehicle, to be displayed thereon except as permitted or required by this chapter.

• B. Advertising Material Permitted on Certain Vehicles. The operators of taxicabs shall be permitted to display advertising material on taxicabs and make a charge for such space, provided that such advertising matter shall be displayed only by one of the following methods:

  1. In the rear window of such taxicab.

     • a. All rear window advertising shall be digital output graphic printed on high performance perforated vinyl and shall not exceed the size of the existing rear window,

     • b. Rear window advertising shall not interfere with the vision of the driver operating the vehicle;

  2. In an A-shape frame or holder on the roof of such taxicab which may be illuminated to display the advertising material contained herein. Such frame or holder and any permanent sign contained therein shall be noise-free and shall not protrude over the front or back edges of the taxicab roofline which is the point where the roof, windshield and rear windows of the vehicle are joined:

     • a. If an ad carrier replaces the top light of a taxicab, the ad carrier shall have two amber cheater lights that illuminate when the taximeter is turned on,

     • b. The name of the taxi company shall be printed in letters at least two inches in size on both ends of the ad carrier,

     • c. The ad carriers shall illuminate when the headlights are turned on,

     • d. Signs which have changing messages, rotate, move, flash, reflect, blink, or appear to do any of the foregoing shall be prohibited,

     • e. An emergency display light (bandit light) shall be installed on the ad carrier and shall illuminate green in color so as not to confuse it as a meter light,

     • f. The ad carrier shall not exceed fifty-six inches in length, nineteen inches in width, and seventeen inches in height extending from the roof of the taxi,

     • g. The ad carriers' base mount shall be attached by bolts or rivets securing the ad

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City of Palm Desert, CA

VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

§ 10.68.060

§ 10.68.060

carrier, preventing the ad carrier from becoming dislodged,

• h. Ad carriers may use either a fluorescent light or incandescent lamp,

• i. The ad poster shall be a digital output graphic on translucent vinyl,

• j. The cover of the ad carrier shall be made of the industry standard plastic as used in taxi top lights.

• C. Taxi signs may become subject to any franchise or other subsequently adopted ordinance that is applicable, including any new fees.

• D. Compliance with Section—Nuisance—Abatement.

  1. Upon discovering the existence of a taxicab sign that does not comply with the above stated limitations, the director of building and safety shall have the authority to order the immediate abatement and removal thereof. The director of building and safety, or his or her authorized representative, shall notify the owner thereof, or the owner's representative, in person or by mailing an abatement notice to the owner's last known address. Such notice shall state the time limit, if any, granted for removal of the sign and a statement that the owner may request a hearing to appeal the abatement and removal by submitting a written request.

  2. Any hearing to appeal an abatement order which is requested shall be conducted within thirty days of the receipt of the request by the city council. The failure of either the owner or his or her agent to request a hearing shall waive the right to a hearing. At the hearing, the city council shall determine whether good cause was shown for the abatement of the sign. The written decision of the city council shall be deemed the final administrative determination.

• (Ord. 1080 § 2, 2004)

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City of Palm Desert, CA

VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

§ 10.72.010

§ 10.72.020

CHAPTER 10.72 PEDESTRIANS