Sacramento Municipal Code Ch. 10.04 General Provisions and Definitions

For the purpose of this title, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section.

"Central traffic district" means all streets and portions of streets within the area depicted in Exhibit A in section 10.40.140 and generally described as follows: all that area bounded on the west by the Sacramento River; on the north by the American River to the northern most point of the Union Pacific Railroad Track then south towards 20th Street, then continuing east along the northern most part of B Street, turning into the north side of C Street, then turning into the north side of Elvas Avenue; on the east at the south side of Folsom Boulevard and continuing south on the east side of 65th Street Expressway; and on the south by the south side of Broadway.

"Community center parking zone" means areas on streets adjacent to the Sacramento Community Center or Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, which are marked for the exclusive parking of vehicles with community center parking permits.

"Construction zone" means any area on a street which is for the exclusive use of construction activities, including parking.

"Legal holidays" means New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, George Washington's Birthday, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4th), Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If any of the foregoing days fall on Sunday, the Monday following is a legal holiday. All Sundays are legal holidays.

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

Official Time Standard. Whenever certain hours are named in this title, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time as may be in current use in the city.

"Parking enforcement officer" means an authorized official of the city who enforces parking and registration regulations pursuant to the chapters of this code and the California Vehicle Code.

"Parking lot" means any space, plot, lot, place, parcel, yard or enclosure or any portion thereof, where more than five motor vehicles are parked, stored, housed, or kept.

"Parking meter" means any mechanical device or meter not inconsistent with this title placed or erected for the regulation of parking by the authority of this title.

"Parking meter space" means any space within a parking meter zone, adjacent to a parking meter or controlled by a pay-by-space or pay-and-display machine, which is duly designated for the parking of a single vehicle by lines painted or otherwise durably marked on the curb or on the surface of the street.

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

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

"Pay-by-space/pay-and-display machine" or "pay station" means any mechanical/electronic device or mechanism not inconsistent with this title placed or erected for the control or regulation of multiple parking meter spaces by the authority of this title.

"Police officer" means every officer of a duly constituted law enforcement agency.

"Police vehicle zone" means any on-street parking space adjacent to police facilities, where posted signs indicate that such parking is for police vehicles only.

"Taxicab" shall have the same meaning as defined in Chapter 5.136.

"Taxicab zone" means the spaces adjacent to a curb reserved for the legal parking of taxicabs while awaiting hire. All such zones shall be indicated by painting the curb yellow on white with a legend "Taxicab Zone" thereon and a sign posted indicating the same.

"Vehicle Code" means the Vehicle Code of the state of California.

Incorporation by Reference. Whenever any words or phrases used in this title are not defined herein, but are defined in the Vehicle Code, such definitions are incorporated herein and shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used in this title as though set forth in full in this section. (Ord. 2025-0019 § 1; Ord. 2018-0059 § 1; Ord. 2010-028 § 3; Ord. 2006-044 § 1; Ord. 2000-028 § 2(c)(i); Ord. 2000-007 §§ 1, 2; prior code § 25.01.001)

The provisions of this title shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States, the state and any county or city. It is unlawful for any driver to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise permitted in this title or by state statute. (Prior code § 25.01.010)

The provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of the police or fire department, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance, when any such vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle responding to an emergency; provided, however, in response to an emergency it shall be operated in the manner specified in the Vehicle Code. (Prior code § 25.01.012)