Earlier editions: 2026-09
Title 10 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
Portola Valley Municipal Code Ch. 10.40 Stopping, Standing and Parking—regulations Generally
Portola Valley Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Portola Valley
Cite as: Portola Valley Municipal Code Chapter 10.40 · Text as of 2026-10-04
10.40.010 - Applicability—Exceptions.¶
The provisions of this chapter prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall 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.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.0 (a)), 1969)
10.40.020 - Applicability—More restrictive provisions.¶
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 Vehicle Code or the ordinances of this town prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.0 (b)), 1969)
10.40.030 - No stopping and no parking zones—Signing.¶
A. The town traffic engineer is authorized to 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 the curb markings or signs are in place no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park such vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking or sign in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.2), 1969)
10.40.040 - No parking areas.¶
No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand, park, or leave standing such vehicle 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 any divisional island unless authorized and clearly indicated with appropriate signs or markings;
B. On either side of any street between the projected property lines of any 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 town 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 any 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 any railway track in such manner as to hinder, delay, or obstruct the movement of any car traveling upon such track;
F. In any area where the parking or stopping of any vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property;
G. On any street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice of such no parking are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the effective time of such no parking;
H. At any place within twenty feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the mid-block end of a safety zone, when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;
I. At any place within twenty feet of a crosswalk at an intersection in any central traffic district which may be designated by the town or in any business district when such 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 twenty feet of the approach to any traffic signal, boulevard stop sign, or official electric flashing device.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.3), 1969)
10.40.050 - Storage of vehicles on streets prohibited.¶
No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of seventy-two hours.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.4), 1969)
10.40.060 - Parking on streets for demonstration.¶
No operator of any vehicle shall park the vehicle upon any street in this town for the principal purpose of advertising or displaying it for sale, unless authorized by resolution of the council.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.5), 1969)
10.40.070 - Repairing or greasing vehicles on public streets.¶
No person shall construct or cause to be constructed, repair or cause to be repaired, grease or cause to be greased, dismantle or cause to be dismantled any vehicle or any part thereof upon any public street in this town. Temporary emergency repairs may be made upon a public street.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.6), 1969)
10.40.080 - Washing or polishing vehicles on public streets.¶
No person shall wash or cause to be washed, polish or cause to be polished, any vehicle or any part thereof upon any public street in this town, when a charge is made for such service.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.7), 1969)
10.40.090 - Parking adjacent to schools—Signing.¶
A. The town traffic engineer is authorized to erect signs or curb markings 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 prohibiting parking upon that side of a street adjacent to any school property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.8), 1969)
10.40.100 - Parking on narrow streets—Signing.¶
A. The town traffic engineer 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 in this section, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign or marking.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.9), 1969)
10.40.110 - Parking on grades.¶
No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle unattended on a highway when 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. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.10), 1969)
10.40.120 - Vendors or peddlers' carts—Parking restricted.¶
Except as otherwise provided in this section and Sections 10.40.130 through 10.40.150, no person shall stand or park any vehicle, wagon or pushcart from which goods, wares, merchandise, fruits, vegetables or foodstuffs are sold, displayed, solicited or offered for sale or bartered or exchanged, or any lunchwagon or eating car or vehicle, on any portion of any street within this town except that such vehicles, wagons or pushcarts may stand or park only at the request of a bona fide purchaser for a period of time not to exceed ten minutes at any one place. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons delivering such articles upon order of, or by agreement with a customer from a store or other fixed place of business or distribution.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.11 (a)), 1969)
10.40.130 - Lunchwagon—Permit required.¶
No person shall park or stand on any street any lunchwagon, eating cart or vehicle, or pushcart from which tamales, peanuts, popcorn, candy, ice cream or other articles of food are sold or offered for sale without first obtaining a written permit to do so from the town clerk, which shall designate the specific location in which such cart shall stand.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.11 (b)), 1969)
10.40.140 - Property transportation vehicle—Permit required.¶
No person shall park or stand any vehicle or wagon used or intended to be used in the transportation of property for hire on any street while awaiting patronage for such vehicle or wagon without first obtaining a written permit to do so from the town traffic engineer which shall designate the specific location where such vehicle may stand.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.11 (c)), 1969)
10.40.150 - Peddler or vendor cart parking violation—Revocation of permit.¶
Whenever any permit is granted under the provisions of Sections 10.40.120 through 10.40.140 and this section, and a particular location to park or stand is specified therein, no person shall park or stand any vehicle, wagon, or pushcart on any location other than as designated in such permit. In the event that the holder of any such permit is convicted in any court of competent jurisdiction for violating any of the provisions of this section and Sections 10.40.120 through 10.40.140, such permit shall be forthwith revoked by the town traffic engineer upon the filing of the record of such conviction with such officer and no permit shall thereafter be issued to such person until six months have elapsed from the date of such revocation.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.11 (e)), 1969)
10.40.160 - Emergency parking signs.¶
A. Whenever the town traffic engineer 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 town traffic engineer 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 town traffic engineer 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 town traffic engineer 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. 1968-93 § 1 (3720.12), 1969)
10.40.170 - Twenty-four minute parking.¶
A. Green curb marking shall mean no standing or parking for a period of time longer than twenty-four minutes at any time between nine a.m. and six p.m. on any day except Sundays and holidays.
B. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the town traffic engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking or sign or parking meter in violation thereof.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.0), 1969)
10.40.180 - Thirty minute parking.¶
When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the town traffic engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the 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 thirty minutes.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.1), 1969)
10.40.190 - One hour parking.¶
When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the town traffic engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the 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 one hour.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.2), 1969)
10.40.200 - Two hour parking.¶
When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the town traffic engineer to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park the 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 two hour.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.3), 1969)
10.40.210 - Parking parallel on one-way streets.¶
A. Subject to other and more restrictive limitations, a vehicle may be stopped or parked within eighteen 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. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left-hand side of such one-way roadway unless signs are in place permitting such standing or parking.
C. The town traffic engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the left-hand side of any one-way street or when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left-hand side of any 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 shall not apply in the event any commercial vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading freight or goods, in which case such vehicle may be backed up to the curb, provided that such vehicle does not extend beyond the center line of the street and does not block traffic thereby.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.4), 1969)
10.40.220 - Diagonal parking.¶
A. On any of the streets or portions of streets established by resolution of the council as diagonal parking zones, when signs or pavement markings are in place indicating such diagonal parking, it is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park the vehicle except:
At the angle to the curb indicated by signs or pavement markings alloting space to parked vehicles and entirely within the limits of the alloted space;
With the front wheel nearest the curb within six inches of the curb.
B. The provisions of this section shall not apply when such vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading passengers, freight or goods, in which event the provisions applicable in Section 10.40.210 shall be complied with.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.5), 1969)
10.40.230 - Parking space markings.¶
A. The town traffic engineer is authorized to install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbings where authorized parking is permitted.
B. When such parking space markings are placed on the highway, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped, left standing or parked other than within a single space unless the size or shape of such vehicle makes compliance impossible.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.6), 1969)
10.40.240 - No stopping zones.¶
A. The town traffic engineer shall designate established no stopping zones by placing and maintaining appropriate signs indicating that stopping of vehicles is prohibited and indicating the hours and day when stopping is prohibited.
B. During the hours and on the days designated on the signs, it is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop the vehicle on any of the streets or parts of streets established by resolution of the council as no stopping zones.
(Ord. 1968-93 § 1 (3721.7), 1969)
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