Chapter 11.68 — TOW-AWAY ZONES

The city may, by resolution, designate streets wherein no parking shall be permitted, and declare in the resolution

that the streets so designated shall be located in tow-away zones, and any vehicle parked in violation of such

resolution may be directed to be towed away by any police oTcer of this city in accordance with the provisions of

this chapter. (Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)

Upon the adoption of the resolution as authorized in Section 11.68.010, the city traTc engineer is authorized and

directed to place signs of not less than two in each block of the street aUected, which signs shall conform to the

signing adopted by the state and state substantially as follows: "No standing, stopping or parking (between the

hours of and ), (at any time). Violators will be towed away." (Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

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Any duly authorized and acting police oTcer is authorized to remove or cause to be removed a vehicle from a

street in this city when such vehicle violates any of the provisions of Section 11.40.030 under the following

circumstances:

A. When any vehicle is left unattended upon any bridge, viaduct or causeway or in any tube or tunnel where the

vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traTc;

B. When any vehicle is left standing upon a highway in such a position as to obstruct the normal movement of

traTc;

C. When any vehicle is found upon a highway and report has previously been made that the vehicle has been

stolen or complaint has been Rled and a warrant thereon issued charged that the vehicle has been embezzled;

D. When any vehicle is illegally parked so as to block the entrance to a private driveway and it is impractical to

move such vehicle from in front of the driveway to another point on the highway;

E. When any vehicle is illegally parked so as to prevent access by RreRghting equipment to a Rre hydrant and it

is impracticable to move such vehicle from in front of the Rre hydrant to another point on the highway;

F. When the person or persons in charge of a vehicle upon a highway are, by reason of physical injuries or

illness, incapacitated to such an extent as to be unable to provide for its custody or removal.

(Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)

No vehicle shall be removed from the street or other place under the provisions of this chapter except upon the

order of a police oTcer acting in accordance with the law; provided, however, that a police oTcer may, when so

requested by the owner or operator of a motor vehicle that is inoperative, on or oU the highway, or other place,

but not in violation of law, transmit the owner’s or operator’s request for two car services to a towing company

designated by the chief of police. (Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)

Whenever a police oTcer causes the removal of a vehicle from a street, as authorized in this chapter, and the

police oTcer knows, or is able to ascertain from the registration records of the department of motor vehicle, the

name and address of the owner thereof, such oTcer shall immediately give, or cause to be given, notice in writing

to such owner of the fact of such removal, the grounds thereof, and of the place to which such vehicle has been

removed. A copy of such notice shall be given to the towing company in charge of the facility wherein the vehicle is

stored. When the police oTcer, removing a vehicle from a street as herein provided, does not know and is not able

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

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to ascertain the name of the owner or for any other reason is unable to give the notice to the owner as

hereinbefore provided, and in the event the vehicle is not returned to that owner within a period of seventy-two

hours, then and in that event, the oTcer shall immediately send, or cause to be sent, written report of such

removal by mail to the department of motor vehicles at Sacramento and shall Rle a copy of such notice with the

towing company and the facility in which the vehicle may be stored. Such report shall include a complete

description of the vehicle, the date, time and place from which removed, the grounds for such removal and the

name of the facility where the vehicle is stored. (Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)

Whenever any vehicle has been removed to a parking facility under the provisions of this chapter and the operator

of such parking facility has received the notice or notices from the arresting oTcer as provided in this chapter, the

operator shall have a lien, dependent upon possession, for his compensation for towage and for caring for and

keeping safe the vehicle for a period not exceeding ninety days. (Ord. 1663 NCS §1, 1986.)