San Diego Municipal Code Div. 1 Definitions, Authority, and Enforcement

(Renumbered from Division 0 to Division 1, and added Division titled to “Definitions, Authority, and Enforcement” on 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.)

Whenever any words or phrases used in this Chapter are not defined in this Chapter but are defined in the Vehicle Code, the Vehicle Code definitions shall apply. (“Motor Vehicle Code Definitions” added 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective 9-4-2013.)

Except as otherwise provided, for purposes of this Chapter:

Alley means any unnamed highway having a width of 25 feet or less and not provided
with a sidewalk or sidewalks.

Bus(es) means any motor bus, motor coach, trackless trolley or passenger stage used
as a common carrier of passengers.

Bus loading zone means the space adjacent to a curb or edge of a roadway reserved
for the exclusive use of buses during loading and unloading of passengers.

CALTRANS means the State of California Department of Transportation or its
successor agency.

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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 8: Traffic and Vehicles (5-2014)

Central Traffic District means that portion of the City of San Diego bounded and described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the west line of Second Avenue and the north line of B Street; thence east to the west line of Fourth Avenue; thence north to the north line of A Street; thence east to the east line of Sixth Avenue; thence south to the north line of B Street; thence east to the east line of Eighth Avenue; thence south to the north line of Broadway; thence east to the west line of Ninth Avenue; thence south to the south line of Broadway; thence west to the east line of Eighth Avenue; thence south to the south line of F Street; thence west to the east line of Sixth Avenue; thence south to the south line of G Street; thence west to the west line of Fourth Avenue; thence north to the south line of F Street; thence west to the west line of Second Avenue; thence north to the south line of Broadway; thence west to the east line of First Avenue; thence north to the north line of Broadway; thence east to the west line of Second Avenue; thence north to the north line of B Street, the point of beginning.

Freeway means a divided arterial highway for through traffic with full control of access and with grade separations at intersections.

Grade separation means every structure by means of which any street passes over or under any stationary rails or tracks or another street.

Heavy duty commercial vehicle means a commercial vehicle having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more.

Interstate truck means a truck tractor and semi-trailer or trailer or truck tractor, semi- trailer and trailer with unlimited length as regulated by the Vehicle Code.

Interstate truck service area means an area within 1/2 of a lane mile of an interstate highway which provides lodging, food, fuel or servicing to interstate trucks.

Limited access highway means a highway with partial control of access to give preference to through traffic to a degree that, in addition to access connections with selected public roads, there may be some crossings at grade and some private driveway connections.

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

Median strip means a directional separator located between two roadways carrying through traffic in opposite directions.

Non-motorized vehicle means any trailer or trailer bus, as defined in Vehicle Code sections 630 and 636.

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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 8: Traffic and Vehicles (5-2014)

Official traffic control devices means all signs, signals, markings, and devices placed

or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic.

Official traffic signals means any device, whether manually, electrically or

mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and proceed and which is erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction.

Oversized vehicle means any vehicle, including any attached trailers, vehicles or loads thereon, that exceeds 27 feet in length and 7 feet in height.

Parking lot means those parking lots contained within public parks.

Park road means a right-of-way within a public park that is not a publicly dedicated street.

Parking, park or parked means to stand or leave standing any unoccupied vehicle, other than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers or materials.

Parking meter means a mechanical, electro-mechanical or electronic device installed for the purpose of controlling the period of time a vehicle occupies a parking space.

Parkway means that portion of the right-of-way not used either as a roadway or as a sidewalk.

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

Pedestrian means any person who goes or travels on foot.

Person has the same meaning as in Municipal Code section 11.0210.

Police Officer means every officer of the Police Department of the City of San Diego or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.

Public mass transit guideway means the rails, fixed guideway, or other permanently
fixed device upon which a public mass transit vehicle travels and includes a two-foot
wide strip parallel to and measured from the outermost portion of the rail, guideway,
or device.

Public mass transit vehicle means any vehicle, conveyance, or device primarily used
for the transport of people which travels upon rails or fixed guideways.

Public park has the same meaning as in Municipal Code section 56.54.
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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 8: Traffic and Vehicles (5-2014)

Recreational vehicle means:

(a) any camp trailer, camper, trailer coach, or house car, as defined in
Vehicle Code sections 242, 243, 635 or California Health and Safety
Code section 18010; or

(b) any boat, dune buggy, all-terrain vehicle (“ATV”) or other motorized
or towed vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for
recreational purposes.

Residence district has the same meaning as in Vehicle Code section 515.

School bus has the same meaning as in Vehicle Code section 545.

Sightseeing bus means any bus which:

(a) transports passengers for purposes of showing points of interest over
the public streets of the City; and

(b) charges a fee or compensation therefore; regardless of whether any fee
or compensation is paid to the driver of such sightseeing bus, either by
the passenger or by the owner or by the person who employs the driver
or contracts with the driver or hires such sightseeing bus with a driver
to transport or convey any passenger; and irrespective of whether or
not such driver receives any fee or compensation for his or her
services as driver.

Sightseeing bus zone means that space adjacent to a curb or edge of a roadway
reserved for the exclusive use of sightseeing buses.

Stop means the complete cessation of movement.

Stopping or standing means the complete cessation of movement of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a Police Officer or official traffic control device.

Terminal means any facility at which freight is consolidated to be shipped or where full load consignments may be loaded and unloaded or at which interstate trucks, buses, school buses, trailers, and semitrailers are regularly maintained, stored, or manufactured.

Traffic means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, trains, and other conveyances either singly or together while using any street for purposes of travel.

Vehicle Code means the California Vehicle Code.

Ch. Art. Div. (“Definitions” added 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective 9-4-2013.) 8 1 1 4

San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 8: Traffic and Vehicles (5-2014)

Whenever certain hours are named in this Chapter, they shall refer to the standard time or daylight savings time that is currently in use in the City. (“Official Standard Time” added 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective 9-4-2013.)

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. (Renumbered from former Section 81.05 on 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective 9-4-2013.)

(a) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of Vehicles shall not apply to authorized emergency 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.

(b) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the operator of any such
vehicle from the consequences of his willful 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 upon, in, over, under or
adjacent to a street or highway.
(Renumbered from former Section 81.06 on 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective
9-4-2013.)

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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 8: Traffic and Vehicles (7-2025)