Article II — Traffic Administration

There is hereby established in the Police Department of this City a Traffic Division to be under the control of an officer of police appointed by and directly responsible to the Chief of Police. (Ord. 173 § 33-03.010, 1983)

It shall be the duty of the Traffic Division with such aid as may be rendered by other members of the Police Department to enforce the street traffic regulations of this City and all of the State vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in this City, to make arrests for traffic violations, to investigate traffic accidents and to cooperate with the City Traffic Specialist and other officers of the City in the administration of the traffic laws and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions and to carry out those duties specially imposed upon said division by this chapter and the traffic ordinances of this City.

(Ord. 173 § 33-03.020, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the Traffic Division shall cooperate with the City Traffic Specialist in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures.

(Ord. 173 § 33-03.030, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The Traffic Division shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic accident reports. Accident reports or cards referring to them shall be filed alphabetically by location. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the City Traffic Specialist. (Ord. 173 § 33-03.040, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The Traffic Division shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be filed with the City Council. Such report shall contain information on traffic matters in this City as follows:

• (1) The number of traffic accidents, the number of persons killed, the number of persons injured and other pertinent traffic accident data;

• (2) The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the Police Department;

(3) The plans and recommendations of the division for future traffic safety activities. (Ord. 173 § 33-03.050, 1983)

The office of City Traffic Specialist is hereby established. The City Traffic Specialist shall be appointed by the City Manager and he shall exercise the powers and the duties as provided in this chapter and in the traffic ordinances of this City. Whenever the City Traffic Specialist is required or authorized to place or maintain official traffic control devices or signals, he may cause such devices or signals to be placed or maintained.

(Ord. 173 § 33-03.060, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

It shall be the general duty of the City Traffic Specialist to determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic control devices and signals, to conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures to conduct engineering and traffic investigations of traffic conditions and to cooperate with other City officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this City. Whenever by the provisions of this chapter a power is granted to the City Traffic Specialist or a duty imposed upon him, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by his deputy or by a person authorized in writing by him. (Ord. 173 § 33-03.070, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The Traffic Committee consists of the City Manager as chairman, the City Traffic Specialist, Public Works Director and/or Streets Superintendent, Community Development Director, a member of the City Council and one alternate member, and a representative of the Volunteer Fire Department. The alternate City Council member shall only participate when the regular City Council member is unable to serve due to scheduling concerns or a conflict of interest. The Traffic Committee shall meet on call to consider traffic control and parking problems. The Traffic Committee shall submit reports on their activities through the City Manager to the Council at suitable intervals.

(Ord. 173 § 33-03.080, 1983; Ord. 181 § 2, 1984; Ord. 333 § 1, 2015)

It shall be the duty of the Traffic Committee to suggest the most practicable means for coordinating the activities of all officers and agencies of this City having authority with respect to the administration or enforcement of traffic regulations; to stimulate and assist in the preparation and publication of traffic reports; to receive complaints having to do with traffic matters; and to recommend to the legislative body of this City and to the City Traffic Specialist, the chief of the Traffic Division and other City officials ways and means for improving traffic conditions and the administration and enforcement of traffic regulations. (Ord. 173 § 33-03.090, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

Article III

Enforcement And Obedience To Traffic Regulations

Officers of the Police Department and such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, audible or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, except that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department or members of the Fire Department may direct traffic as conditions require, notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary contained in this chapter or the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 173 § 33-04.010, 1983)

No person other than an officer of the Police Department or members of the Fire Department or a person authorized by the Chief of Police or a person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate, when and as herein provided, any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the City Traffic Specialist. (Ord. 173 § 33-04.020, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

No person shall fail or refuse to comply with or to perform any act forbidden by any lawful order, signal, or direction of a traffic or police officer, or a member of the Fire Department, or a person authorized by the Chief of Police or by law. (Ord. 173 § 33-04.030, 1983)

Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application. (Ord. 173 § 33-04.040, 1983)

No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other officer or employee of this City in their enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The removal, obliteration or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police officer or other employee or officer of this City in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this chapter shall, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of this chapter, constitute such interference or obstruction. (Ord. 173 § 33-04.050, 1983)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the operator of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, this State, any county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any said operator to violate any of the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by the Vehicle Code.

• (Ord. 173 § 33-04.060, 1983)

• (1) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by the Police or Fire Department, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

• (2) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

• (3) The provisions of this chapter regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a City department or public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work or any vehicle owned or operated by the United States Post Office Department while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail.

• (Ord. 173 § 33-04.070, 1983)

• (1) The operator of a vehicle or the person in charge of any animal involved in any accident resulting in damage to any property publicly owned or owned by a public utility, including but not limited to any fire hydrant, parking meter, lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any tree, traffic control device or other property of a like nature located in or along any street, shall within 24 hours after such accident make a written report of such accident to the Police Department of this City.

• (2) Every such report shall state the time when and the place where the accident took place, the name and address of the person owning and of the person operating or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damage in such accident.

• (3) The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time he is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he shall make a report as required in subsection (1) of this section within 24 hours after regaining ability to make such report.

• (Ord. 173 § 33-04.080, 1983)

Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the Police Department of this City may remove or cause to be removed:

• (1) Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for 72 or more consecutive hours.

• (2) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. when such parking or standing is prohibited by ordinance or resolution of this City and signs are posted giving notice of such removal.

• (3) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a 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 for 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 that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the removal.

• (Ord. 173 § 33-04.090, 1983)

Article IV

Traffic Control Devices

• (1) The City Traffic Specialist shall have the power and duty to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic control devices when and as required to make effective the provisions of this chapter.

• (2) Whenever the Vehicle Code requires for the effectiveness of any provision thereof that traffic control devices be installed to give notice to the public of the application of such law, the City Traffic Specialist is hereby authorized to install or cause to be installed the necessary devices subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the law applicable thereto.

• (3) The City Traffic Specialist may also place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained such additional traffic control devices as he may deem necessary or proper to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic, but he shall make such determination only upon the basis of traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations and in accordance with such standards, limitations, and rules as may be set forth in this chapter or as may be determined by ordinance or resolution of the Council.

• (Ord. 24 §§ 1, 2, 1965; Ord. 173 § 33-05.010, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

No provision of the Vehicle Code or of this chapter for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless appropriate legible signs are in place giving notice of such provisions of the traffic laws.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.020, 1983)

The operator of any vehicle or train shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device placed in accordance with this chapter unless otherwise directed by a police officer or other authorized person subject to the exceptions granted the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle when responding to emergency calls. (Ord. 173 § 33-05.030, 1983)

• (1) The City Traffic Specialist is hereby directed to install and maintain official traffic signals at those intersections and other places where traffic conditions are such as to require that the flow of traffic be alternately interrupted and released in order to prevent or relieve traffic congestion or to protect life or property from exceptional hazard.

• (2) The City Traffic Specialist shall ascertain and determine the locations where such signals are required by field investigation, traffic counts and other traffic information as may be pertinent and his determinations therefrom shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards and instructions set forth in the California Maintenance Manual issued by the Division of Highways of the State Department of Public Works.

• (3) Whenever the City Traffic Specialist installs and maintains an official traffic signal at any intersection, he shall likewise erect and maintain at such intersection street name signs clearly visible to traffic approaching from all directions unless such street name signs have previously been placed and are maintained at any said intersection.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.040, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The City Traffic Specialist is hereby authorized to mark centerlines and lane lines upon the surface of the roadway to indicate the course to be traveled by vehicles and may place signs temporarily designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the centerline of the highway.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.050, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The City Traffic Specialist is authorized to place and maintain distinctive roadway markings as described in the Vehicle Code on those streets or parts of streets where the volume of traffic or the vertical or other curvature of the roadway renders it hazardous to drive on the left side of such markings or signs and markings. Such markings or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed by the State Department of Public Works pursuant to provisions of the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.060, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The City Traffic Specialist is hereby authorized to remove, relocate or discontinue the operation of any traffic control device not specifically required by the Vehicle Code or this chapter whenever he shall determine in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or obtain.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.070, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

The City Traffic Specialist shall determine the hours and days during which any traffic control device shall be in operation or be in effect, except in those cases where such hours or days are specified in this chapter.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.080, 1983; Ord. 181 § 1, 1984)

No person, unless authorized by this City, shall paint any street or curb surface; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to the painting of numbers on a curb surface by any person who has complied with the provisions of any resolution or ordinance of this City pertaining thereto.

(Ord. 173 § 33-05.090, 1983)