Salinas Municipal Code Art. XVIII Regulating the Parking of Over-Sized Vehicles

It is the purpose and the intent of this article to provide for the public health, safety, and welfare of the city's residents and others using the city's roadways and other public spaces by decreasing excessive parking of over-sized vehicles and recreational vehicles on public streets and in other public spaces. The prohibition established in this article is intended to increase roadway visibility, increase the safety of pedestrians and motorists using public roadways and other public spaces, and to further protect the public health and safety by eliminating the discharge of septic waste, wastewater, garbage, and trash into the city's storm sewer and sanitary sewer.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.010), 6-19-2018)

No person shall park any vehicle or trailer or combination of vehicles or trailers in excess of twenty feet in length or seven feet in height, exclusive of any projecting lights or devices allowed under the California Vehicle Code, on any street, roadway, alley, parking lot, or other public place. For purposes of this section, the term "vehicle" or "trailer" shall be as those terms are defined in the California Vehicle Code and include any recreational vehicle as that term is defined in the Salinas Municipal Code and also includes any boat or other watercraft.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.020), 6-19-2018)

(a) Commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles may be parked on those streets bounded by industrial zones on all sides or for such period when the commercial vehicles is [are] picking up or delivering goods, wares, or merchandise from or to any building or structure located on a restricted street or place or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any building or structure upon the restricted street or place where a building permit, demolition permit, or similar permit has previously been issued by the city. For purposes of this section, the term "commercial vehicle" means a vehicles intended for the purpose of picking up or delivering goods, wares, or merchandise or for the purpose of delivering materials or people to be used or to work on the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any building or structure.

(b) Loading and unloading. The prohibition on parking otherwise set forth in this article does not apply if the registered owner of the non-commercial vehicle (including recreational vehicle) or trailer or combination of non-commercial vehicles (including recreational vehicles) or trailers is a resident of or a visitor to a residence on a public street or roadway where the vehicle(s) or trailer(s) is parked for no longer than forty-eight hours for the purpose of loading, unloading, cleaning, or other activity preparatory or incident to travel or recreational use.

(c) Catering vehicles. The prohibition on parking otherwise set forth in this article does not apply to catering vehicles permitted to operate pursuant to this chapter.

(d) Authorized emergency vehicles. Any authorized emergency vehicle. An authorized emergency vehicle is defined is:

(1) Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance used to respond to emergency calls and operated under license issued by the commissioner of the California highway patrol.

(2) Any publicly owned vehicle operated by the following persons, agencies, or organizations:

(a) Any forestry or fire department of any public agency or fire department organized as provided in the Health and Safety Code;

(b) Any federal, state, or local agency, or department, or district employing peace officers as that term is defined in chapter 4.5 (commencing with section 830) of part 2 of title 3 of the Penal Code, for use by those officers in the performance of their duties

(c) Any vehicle owned by the state or any bridge and highway district, and equipped and used either for fighting fires, or towing or servicing other vehicles, caring for injured persons, or repairing damaged lighting or electrical equipment;

(d) Any state owned vehicle used in responding to emergency fire, rescue or communication calls and operated either by the office of emergency services or by any public agency or industrial fire department to which the office of emergency services has assigned the vehicle;

(e) Any vehicle owned or operated by any department or agency of the United States government when such vehicle is used in responding to emergency fire, ambulance or lifesaving calls, or is actively engaged in law enforcement work;

(f) Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by the commissioner of the California highway patrol.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.030), 6-19-2018; Ord. No. 2668(NCS), § 1, 8-8-2023)

To the extent the provisions of this article conflict with other provisions of the Salinas Municipal Code, the provisions of this article shall supersede such other conflicting provisions and shall control.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.040), 6-19-2018)

The prohibition on stopping, standing, and parking set forth in this article shall not be effective until appropriate signs or markings [as] required by the California Vehicle Code are in place.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.050), 6-19-2018)

It is unlawful for any person to not comply with the provisions of this article when appropriate signs or markings are in place. The violation of any provision of this article is a misdemeanor and may be prosecuted criminally (as either a misdemeanor or an infraction, at the discretion of the city attorney) or administratively pursuant to the provisions of the Salinas Municipal Code. Any vehicle parked in violation of the prohibition set forth in this article will be subject to removal at the owner's expense.

(Ord. No. 2604(NCS), § 1(20-18.060), 6-19-2018)