San Bruno Municipal Code Ch. 7.32 Miscellaneous Regulations

A. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, no person shall solicit or offer the sale or free service of any towing service, or the sale of any other service at the scene of any accident involving one or more vehicles.

B. Except as provided in subsection C, no person shall park any vehicle equipped for use as a tow truck within five hundred feet of the scene of any such accident.

C. This section shall not prohibit the following acts:

1. A request initiated by the operator or passenger of any vehicle involved in such accident; or by any police officer, member of the fire department, or medical or emergency personnel performing their duties at the scene of the accident; or by any person acting in behalf of them for any towing service, emergency or medical service.

2. The provision of any such service at the scene of the accident in response to such request.

3. The parking of any towing vehicle at the scene of the accident in response to such request.

(Prior code § 13-9.1; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

No person shall remove, obliterate, or conceal any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police officer or other officer or employee of the city in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this title for the purpose of evading any such regulation or regulations.

(Prior code § 13-9.2; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

No person shall paint or otherwise place any marking upon any curb except with the express authorization of the city traffic engineer.

(Prior code § 13-9.3; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

The subject of blocking of railroad grade crossings is governed by General Order No. 135 of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California. The general order provides as follows:

IT IS ORDERED by the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California that each railroad corporation operating in the State of California shall observe the following regulations in conducting operations on and across public grade crossings:

1. TRAIN MOVEMENTS––Except as provided in Paragraph 5, a public grade crossing which is blocked by a stopped train, other than a passenger train, must be opened within 10 minutes, unless no vehicle or pedestrian is waiting at the crossing. Such a cleared crossing must be left open until it is known that the train is ready to depart. When recoupling such a train at the crossing, movement must be made promptly, consistent with safety.

2. SWITCHING MOVEMENTS––Switching over public grade crossings should be avoided whenever reasonably possible. If not reasonably possible, such crossings must be cleared frequently to allow a vehicle or pedestrian to pass and must not be occupied continuously for longer than 10 minutes unless no vehicle or pedestrian is waiting at the crossing.

3. GRADE CROSSING PROTECTION CIRCUITS––Cars or locomotives must not be left standing nor switches left open within the controlling circuits of automatic gate protection devices unless time-out features are provided to allow the gate arms to rise.

4. There are no time restrictions for crossing occupancy for a moving train continuing in the same direction.

5. These time limit provisions shall not apply to any blocking resulting from compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations, terrain and physical conditions, adverse weather conditions, conditions rendering the roadbed or track structure unsafe, mechanical failures, train accidents, or other occurrences over which the railroad has no control, except that such crossing shall be cleared with reasonable dispatch.

6. In the event of any uncontrolled blockage involving more than one grade crossing and a peace officer is on the scene, primary consideration shall be given to the clearing of that crossing which in the peace officer's judgment, will result in the minimum delay to vehicular traffic.

7. A crew member of a train blocking a public crossing shall immediately take all reasonable steps. Consistent with the safe operation of such train, to clear the crossing upon receiving information from a peace officer, member of any fire department, as defined in Section 2801 of the Vehicle Code, operator of an emergency vehicle, as defined in Section 265 of the Vehicle Code, that emergency circumstances require the clearing of the crossing.

8. Any agreement between a railroad and a public agency in effect on the effective date hereof or, in accordance with Attachment A, subsequently approved by this Commission permitting certain crossings to be blocked for a time period other than specified herein shall prevail.

9. Any railroad or public agency1 may, by formal application to this Commission, request a variance from the regulations prescribed herein or have different regulations provided in connection with operations over a specific crossing where local conditions so require. The contents of the application shall be in accord with Rule 15 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. The application shall detail any previous steps that may have been taken in an attempt to reach an agreement on the proposed variance and shall list any public agencies within the geographic area or any railroads that might be affected by the variance. A copy of the application shall be mailed to all such public agencies and railroad and a certificate of service regarding such mailing shall accompany the application filed with the Commission.

10. The district attorney of the proper county or the city attorney designated to prosecute misdemeanors in his or her stead shall prosecute noncompliance with this General Order by means of a misdemeanor complaint issued against the railroad corporation in accordance with Chapter 11, Part 1, Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code.

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1 Public Agency––The term "public agency" shall include the State, a county, an incorporated city or town, or any authorized agencies thereof.

(Prior code § 13-9.4; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

A. No person driving a motor vehicle shall knowingly permit any person to ride on any vehicle or upon any portion thereof not designed or intended for the use of passengers.

B. No person shall ride on any vehicle or upon any portion thereof not designed or intended for the use of passengers.

C. Subsections A and B shall not apply to any employee engaged in the necessary discharge of his or her duty or in the case of persons riding completely within or upon vehicle bodies in space intended for any load on the vehicle.

D. No person shall drive a motor vehicle which is towing a trailer coach or camp trailer containing any passenger.

E. No person shall knowingly drive a motor vehicle which is towing any person riding upon any bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, skis, or toy vehicle.

F. Subsection D of this section shall not apply to a trailer coach being towed with a fifth-wheel device if the trailer coach is equipped with safety glazing materials wherever glazing materials are used in windows or doors, with an audible or visual signaling device which a passenger inside the trailer coach can use to gain the attention of the motor vehicle driver, and with at least one unobstructed exit capable of being opened from both the interior and exterior of the trailer coach.

G. This section shall not apply to the driving or riding of any vehicle upon a highway.

(Prior code § 13-9.5; Ord. 1376 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

Signs prohibiting parking on private property installed pursuant to Section 22658 of the Vehicle Code shall be not less than sixteen inches by twenty-one inches.

(Ord. 1432 § 1, 1984; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)

No vehicle may be parked or stored in any visible front yard or side yard, whether improved or unimproved, within any residential zone except that operable motor vehicles or trailers, boats, camper structures/shells, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet-skis, and other similar recreational vehicles may be parked upon any garage apron or driveway.

A. "Garage apron or driveway" means that paved area not exceeding the width of the garage entrance by more than six inches on either side of the garage entrance.

B. "Operable motor vehicle or trailer" means that the motor vehicle or the trailer upon which the recreational vehicle is stored bears a current registration, and that the vehicle or trailer has all parts and equipment necessary, is in running order and has the ability to operate legally and safely on the public streets.

C. Front Yard Parking. Notwithstanding the above, parking of operable motor vehicles or trailers, boats, camper structures/shells, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet-skis, and other similar recreational vehicles will be permitted within that front yard area closest to the property line adjacent to a garage, garage apron or driveway, provided that such area is paved with stone, brick, asphalt, concrete or other such similar material.

D. Side Yard Parking. Notwithstanding the above, parking of operable motor vehicles or trailers, boats, camper structures/shells, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet-skis and other such similar vehicles will be permitted within that side yard area between the property line and the adjacent garage, provided:

1. Such area is paved with stone, brick, asphalt, concrete or other such similar material.

2. There is a six-foot, sight-obscuring fence or landscaping along the side property line.

3. There is a six-foot, sight-obscuring fence perpendicular to the side property line, and extending from the garage building to the side property line.

4. Side yard areas may not be used for the storage of inoperable motor vehicles originally intended for highway use.

E. Residential garage driveway encroachments (curb cuts) may not be expanded to accommodate permitted front yard or side yard parking.

F. Violations of this section shall constitute an infraction.

(Ord. 1525 § 1, 1991; Ord. 1545A § 1, 1993; Ord. 1900 § 3, 2021)