Pleasant Hill Municipal Code Art. I Generally

A. The provisions of this chapter prohibiting the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle apply at all times or at those times specified in this chapter 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 do not relieve a person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions of the Vehicle Code or the ordinances of this city prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(1991 code § 8-4.1)

No operator of a vehicle may stop, stand, park, or leave it standing in any of the following places except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or other authorized officer, or traffic sign or signal:

A. Within a divisional island unless authorized and clearly indicated with appropriate signs or markings;

B. On either side of a street between the projected property lines of a public walk, public steps, street, or thoroughfare terminating at such street, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

C. In any area where the city traffic engineer determines that the parking or stopping of a vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

D. In an area established by resolution of the council as a no parking area, when such area is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

E. Upon, along, or across a railway track in such manner as to hinder, delay, or obstruct the movement of a car traveling upon the track;

F. In an area where the parking or stopping of a vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property;

G. On a street where the use of the street is necessary for the cleaning, repair, or construction of the street or the installation of underground utilities, or where the use of the street is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic, or where the use of the street is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of the vehicle would interfere with such use or movement; provided, the signs giving notice of such no parking are placed at least 24 hours before the effective time of such no parking;

H. At a place within 20 feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the mid-block end of a safety zone, when that place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

I. At a place within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection in any business district when that place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface, except that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;

J. Within 20 feet of the approach to a traffic signal, boulevard stop sign, or official electric flashing device.

(1991 code § 8-4.2)

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

(1991 code § 8-4.3)

A. The city traffic engineer shall designate established no stopping zones by placing and maintaining signs indicating that stopping of vehicles is prohibited and indicating the hours and days when stopping is prohibited.

B. During the hours and on the days designated on the signs, it is unlawful for the operator of a vehicle to stop on a street established by resolution of the council as a no stopping zone.

(1991 code § 8-4.4)

A. The city traffic engineer may maintain by appropriate signs or by paint upon the curb surface all no stopping zones, no parking areas and restricted parking areas, as defined and described in this chapter.

B. When curb markings or signs are in place, no operator of a vehicle may stop, stand, or park the vehicle adjacent to a legible curb marking or sign in violation of this chapter.

(1991 code § 8-4.5)

The city traffic engineer shall designate restricted parking areas by placing and maintaining signs, parking meters or curb markings indicating that parking on certain streets during all or certain hours of the day is prohibited or indicating that parking is permitted for a limited time period. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings are in place, no operator of a vehicle may stop, stand, or park adjacent to the legible curb marking, sign or parking meter in violation of it.

(1991 code § 8-4.6; Ord. 692 §§ 1, 2, 1993; Ord. 767 § 1, 2002)

A. Subject to more restrictive limitations, a vehicle may be stopped or parked within 18 inches of the left-hand curb facing in the direction of traffic movement upon any one-way street unless signs are in place prohibiting such stopping or standing.

B. If a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction, no person may stand or park a vehicle upon the left-hand side of the one-way roadway unless signs are in place permitting such standing or parking.

C. The city traffic engineer may determine when standing or parking is prohibited upon the left-hand side of a one-way street or when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left-hand side of a one-way roadway of a highway having two or more separate roadways and shall erect signs giving notice thereof.

D. The requirement of parallel parking imposed by this section does not apply to a commercial vehicle actually engaged in loading or unloading freight or goods, and in this case the vehicle may be backed up to the curb if it does not extend beyond the centerline of the street and does not block traffic.

(1991 code § 8-4.7)

A. On streets established by resolution of the council as diagonal parking zones, when signs or pavement markings are in place indicating diagonal parking, it is unlawful for the operator of a vehicle to park it except:

1. At the angle to the curb indicated by signs or pavement markings allotting space to parked vehicles and entirely within the limits of the allotted space;

2. With the front wheel nearest the curb within six inches of the curb.

B. This section does not apply when a vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading passengers, freight or goods, in which event the provisions applicable to PHMC Chapter 10.25 shall be complied with.

(1991 code § 8-4.8)

A. In this section, limited curb parking space means an area open for lawful parking alongside of and adjacent to a curb and which area is not of sufficient length to permit two or more vehicles to freely move for parking therein at the same time.

B. A person seeking to park his or her vehicle in a limited curb parking space, whose vehicle arrives at the parking space before any other vehicle, and who proceeds beyond the space a distance not more than 10 feet for the purpose of backing his or her vehicle into it, has the right-of-way over another person driving or attempting to drive directly into the limited curb parking space or who in any manner obstructs the limited curb parking space. The driver of the other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to the driver who first arrived at the parking space.

(1991 code § 8-4.9)

A. The city traffic engineer may install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbings where authorized parking is permitted provided that parking meter zones shall be established by ordinance.

B. When parking space markings are placed on the street, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle may be stopped, left standing, or parked other than within a single space unless the size or shape of the vehicle makes compliance impossible.

(1991 code § 8-4.10)

A. Whenever the city manager determines that the orderly, efficient conduct of the city's business requires that parking or standing of vehicles on city property be prohibited, limited, or restricted, the city manager may order a sign to be placed indicating that the parking of vehicles is prohibited, limited or restricted.

B. When a sign authorized by this chapter is in place giving notice of the restriction, no person may park or stand a vehicle contrary to the directions of the sign.

C. The city may issue a citation to a person who violates the posted restrictions, or remove the vehicle if the sign gives notice of the removal, or both. (Veh. Code §§ 22651(n) and 21113).

(1991 code § 8-4.11; Ord. 781 § 1, 2004)

A. The city traffic engineer may place signs indicating no parking upon that side of a street adjacent to school property when such parking would in his or her opinion interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation.

B. When official signs are placed prohibiting parking upon that side of a street adjacent to school property, no person may park a vehicle in that place.

(1991 code § 8-4.12)

A. No person shall park a commercial vehicle or commercial equipment, having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more, in any residential area for longer than three hours subject to the following exceptions. Commercial vehicles may park in residential areas as long as reasonably necessary to load or unload, or service a residence.

B. For the purposes of this section, manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating means the weight in pounds of the chassis of the vehicle together with lubricants, water in radiator, and fuel in tank(s), plus the weight of the cab or driver's compartment, body, special chassis and body equipment and payload as authorized by the chassis manufacturer.

C. For the purposes of this section, commercial vehicle is defined as a vehicle designed, used and maintained primarily for the transportation for hire, compensation or profit, or a vehicle for the transportation of property. Pickup trucks and small utility vehicles are exempt from this section unless they are converted to stake side trucks and used exclusively for hauling. Some of the vehicles regulated under this chapter are: dump trucks, flatbed or stake-side trucks, semi-truck tractors, moving vans, delivery trucks, earth-moving equipment, tow trucks, tractors, equipment trailers and carriers, poles and pipe dollies.

(1991 code § 8-4.13; Ord. 631 § 1, 1989)

No person may park or leave standing a vehicle unattended on a street when upon a grade exceeding 3% without blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against the curb or by other means.

(1991 code § 8-4.16)

A. The city traffic engineer may place signs or markings indicating no parking upon a street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 20 feet, or upon one side of a street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 30 feet.

B. When official signs or markings prohibiting parking are placed upon narrow streets as authorized, no person may park a vehicle in violation of any such sign or marking.

(1991 code § 8-4.17)

A. No person may stand or park a vehicle, wagon, or pushcart from which goods, wares, merchandise, fruits, vegetables or foodstuffs are sold, displayed, solicited, offered for sale, bartered or exchanged, or a lunch wagon or eating car or vehicle, on any portion of a street except at the request of a bona fide purchaser for a period of time not to exceed 10 minutes at any one place. This does not apply to a person delivering articles upon order of, or by agreement with, a customer from a store or other fixed place of business or distribution.

B. No person may park or stand on a street a lunch wagon, eating cart or vehicle or pushcart from which articles of food are sold or offered for sale without first obtaining a written permit to do so from the city traffic engineer. The permit shall designate the specific location at which the cart may stand.

C. No person may park or stand a vehicle or wagon used or intended to be used in the transportation of property for hire on a street while awaiting patronage without a written permit to do so from the city traffic engineer. The permit shall designate the specific location where the vehicle may stand.

D. Whenever a permit is granted under this section and a particular location to park or stand is specified, no person may park or stand a vehicle, wagon, or pushcart on a location other than as designated in the permit. In the event that the holder of a permit is convicted of violating this section the city shall revoke the permit, and no permit may thereafter be issued to that person until six months elapse from the date of revocation.

(1991 code § 8-4.18)

When the city traffic engineer determines that the establishment of a bicycle parking zone is reasonably necessary or desirable for the regulation of traffic or to provide facilities for the temporary parking of bicycles or to safeguard life or property, he or she may set aside a space on the street not more than 36 feet in length for the parking of bicycles. When a bicycle parking zone is established, the city traffic engineer shall place signs giving notice that parking of other vehicles is prohibited. No person may stop, stand, or park any other vehicle in front of the zone while signs are in place.

(1991 code § 8-4.19)

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Editor's note: For further provisions regarding bicycles, see PHMC Chapter 10.30.

A. Whenever the city traffic engineer determines that an emergency traffic congestion is likely to result from the holding of public or private assemblage, gathering or function, or for other reason, the city traffic engineer may 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 city traffic engineer directs during the time temporary signs are in place. Such signs shall remain in place only during the existence of the emergency and the city traffic engineer shall have the signs removed promptly.

B. When signs authorized by this subsection are in place giving notice thereof, no person may operate, park, or stand a vehicle contrary to the directions and provisions of such signs.

(1991 code § 8-4.20)

Any officer or other authorized employee of the police department may have removed:

A. A vehicle parked or left standing upon a street for 72 or more consecutive hours.

B. A vehicle parked or left standing upon a street between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. when such parking or standing is prohibited by ordinance or resolution, and signs are posted giving notice of removal;

C. A vehicle parked or left standing upon a street where the use of the street is necessary for the cleaning, repair, or construction of the street or for the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles, or structures of unusual size, and parking would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement. However, signs giving notice that a vehicle may be removed must be placed at least 24 hours before the removal.

(1991 code § 8-4.21)