Chapter 10.04 — DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this title, unless it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is intended, certain terms used herein shall have the definitions ascribed to them in this chapter.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Alley" means a public or private vehicular way less than twenty-five feet in width affording a secondary means of vehicular access to abutting property.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Bicycle parking zone" means that space reserved exclusively for the parking of bicycles.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Business district" means all portions of the city of Palo Alto which are commercially zoned as provided in Title 18 of this code.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Community service officer" means a special police officer of the city authorized to direct traffic and to enforce all laws of the city and of the state applicable to the parking or towing of vehicles and all laws of the city and of the state applicable to bicycles and bicyclists and to enforce all traffic laws of the city and of the state applicable to traffic within bicycle lanes and bicycle paths.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

For the purpose of this title holidays and other special days shall be in accordance withChapter 2.08 of this code.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Loading zone" means that space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the active loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

(Ord. 5531 § 2 (part), 2021: Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

Whenever certain hours are named herein, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time, as may be in current use in this city.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Park" means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for a period of less than thirty seconds for the purpose of and while actually engaged in active loading or unloading passengers or materials.

(Ord. 5531 § 2 (part), 2021: Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Parking enforcement officer" means a special officer of the city authorized to direct traffic and to enforce all laws of the city and of the state applicable to the parking or towing of vehicles.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

“Parking enforcement contractor” means any duly qualified company that the city has entered into a contract with and that has been approved by the chief of police to provide enforcement of Chapter 10.50 relating to Palo Alto Municipal Code infractions only in parking zones. Enforcement includes both the issuance and processing of citations for RPP District parking violations.

(Ord. 5294 § 2, 2015)

"Parkway" means that portion of a street other than a roadway or a sidewalk.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Passenger loading zone" means the space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the active loading or unloading of passengers.

(Ord. 5531 § 2 (part), 2021: Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Pedestrian" means any person afoot.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Police officer" means every sworn member of the police department, police reserves or any employee of the city of Palo Alto authorized by the chief of police to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

The term "public parking facility" shall mean any public parking lot or parking structure owned or leased by the city in which parking by the general public is permitted.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Shared-use path" means a graded linear area or pathway, paved or unpaved, that is designated for the use of both pedestrians and bicyclists and is not part of a roadway.

(Ord. 5433 § 1, 2018)

"Stop" means complete cessation of movement.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Stop or stand" means any stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Taxi stand" means a public place alongside the curb of a street or elsewhere in the city of Palo Alto which has been designated by the city manager as reserved exclusively for the use of taxicabs.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances either singly or together while using any street for purposes of travel.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Traffic control devices" means all signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this title, heretofore or hereafter placed or erected under this title, as authorized by the Vehicle Code of the State of California or by the authority of this title.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Traffic lane" means that portion of any roadway, either marked or unmarked, being not less than eight and one-half feet in width.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)

"Transportation network company" means an organization, including, but not limited to, a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, sole proprietor, or any other entity, operating in California that provides prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled application or platform to connect passengers with drivers using a personal vehicle.

(Ord. 5531 § 3, 2021)

In addition to the definitions set forth above, all definitions of words and phrases set forth in the Vehicle Code of the State of California are hereby incorporated in this title as though set forth in full herein.

(Ord. 4558 § 2 (part), 1999)