Salinas Municipal Code Art. I In General

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Whenever any words or phrases used in this chapter are not defined herein, but are now defined in the Vehicle Code of the state, such definitions are incorporated herein and shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used herein as though set forth herein in full.

Alley. A public street within a city block primarily intended for service and access to abutting property by vehicles and not designed for general traffic.

Bicycle. A bicycle is any device upon which a person may ride, which is propelled by human power through a system of belts, chains, or gears, and which has wheels at least twenty inches in diameter or a frame size of at least fourteen inches.

Central Traffic District. All streets and portions of streets within the area described as follows:

Commencing at the point of intersection of the southerly line of East Market Street with the westerly line of Monterey Street; thence southerly along the westerly line of Monterey Street, and the southerly extension thereof, to the northerly line of John Street; thence westerly along the northerly line of John Street to the westerly line of South Main Street; thence southerly along the westerly line of South Main Street to the southerly line of Clay Street; thence westerly along the southerly line of Clay Street to the easterly line of Lincoln Avenue; thence northerly along the easterly line of Lincoln Avenue, and the northerly extension thereof, to the southerly line of West San Luis Street; thence westerly along the southerly line of West San Luis Street to the westerly line of Church Street; thence northerly along the westerly line of Church Street, and the northerly extension thereof, to the northerly line of West Gabilan Street; thence easterly along the northerly line of West Gabilan Street to the easterly line of Lincoln Avenue; thence northerly along the easterly line of Lincoln Avenue, and the northerly extension thereof, to the southerly line of West Market Street; thence easterly along the southerly line of West Market Street, and the easterly extension thereof, to the intersection with the westerly extension of East Market Street; thence easterly along the southerly line of such East Market Street, and such westerly extension thereof, to the point of beginning.

Curb Postal Mailing Zone. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the depositing of mail in special curb postal boxes.

Holidays. Within the meaning of this chapter, holidays are as designated in the Government Code of the state.

Limited Access Roadway. Any highway, street, or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting property or lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from, except at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street, or roadway.

Loading Zone. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Park. To stand or leave standing any vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Parking Meter. Any mechanical device immediately adjacent to a parking meter space which, when the mechanism thereof is set in motion, indicates the period of time for occupancy of such parking meter space by any vehicle.

Parking Meter Space. The area or space adjacent to a parking meter in a parking meter zone as designated by lines or other markings and of sufficient size to permit the parking of only one vehicle.

Parking Meter Zone. Portions of streets or city-owned or leased land upon which, by any ordinance or resolution, the parking of vehicles is regulated with the aid of parking meters.

Parkway. That portion of a street other than a roadway or a sidewalk.

Passenger Loading Zone. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.

Pedestrian. Any person afoot.

Police Officer. Every officer of the police department or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic and to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.

Stop. When required, means complete cessation of movement.

Stop or stand. When prohibited, means any stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or official traffic-control device.

Taxicab. A motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers for hire upon the basis of distance traveled or a flat-fee basis.

Taxicab stand. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of taxicabs while awaiting employment.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), §§ 1—21; Ord. No. 1318 (NCS), § 1; Ord. No. 1616 (NCS), § 1.)

* For state law definitions contained in Vehicle Code, see Veh. C., §§ 100 to 676.

(a) Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of Sections 20-3, 20-4, 20-5 and 20-40 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the other provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 32: Ord. No. 1704 (NCS), § 10.)

* For state law as to required obedience to traffic laws, see Veh. C., § 40000.

(a) It shall be the duty of the officers of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the chief of police to enforce all street traffic laws of this city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the city.

(b) Officers of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the chief of police are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided, that in the event of a fire or other emergency, or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(c) Members of the fire department, when at the scene of a fire or when in the course of their duties they are protecting the personnel or equipment of the fire department, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 31.)

* As to fire protection generally, see Ch. 13 of this Code. As to police generally, see Ch. 27.

(a) No person shall wilfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order of a police officer or fire department official when directing traffic.

(b) No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other officer or employee in this city in their enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The removal, obliteration or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing marks 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. No. 938 (NCS), § 33; Ord. No. 1786 (NCS), § 1.)

* For state law as to obedience to police. see Veh. C., § 2800. For state law as to required obedience to firemen in absence of police, see Veh. C., § 2801.

No person other than an officer of the police department or an officer deputized by the chief of police or person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand, or other signal, except that persons may operate any mechanical push-button signal erected pursuant to any ordinance or resolution of the city.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 34.)

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

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 35.)

* For state law as to applicability of traffic laws to operators in course of public employment, see Veh. C., § 21052.

(a) The provisions of this chapter 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, 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 in the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

(b) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his wilful disregard of the safety of others.

(c) 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 by the United States while in use for the collection, transportation, or delivery of United States mail.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 36.)

* For state law as to exemptions to authorized emergency vehicles, see Veh. C., § 21055. As to ambulances generally, see Ch. 5 of this Code.

(a) The driver 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, ornamental lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any ornamental shade tree, traffic-control device or other property of a like nature located in or along any street, shall within twenty-four hours after such accident make a written report of such accident to the police department.

(b) 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 driving or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damaged in such accident.

(c) A driver involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time such driver is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event said driver shall make a report as required in subsection (a) within twenty-four hours after regaining ability to make such report.

(Ord. No. 938 (NCS), § 37.)

* For state law as to accidents involving property damage, see Veh. C., § 20002. See also, Veh. C., §§ 20003 to 20007.