San Jose Municipal Code Part 1 Regulations Generally

The provisions of this Title 11 prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times herein specified, except when it is necessary to stop a vehicle to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device.

(Prior code § 3310.1.)

The provisions of this title imposing a time limit on standing or parking shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions of the State Vehicle Code or the ordinances of this city prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(Prior code § 3310.2.)

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a through street, or any intersection at which vehicles are required to stop at one or more entrances thereto, the city traffic engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs as follows: A stop sign shall be erected on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated, and at the entrances of other intersections where a stop is required. Every such sign shall conform with and shall be placed as provided in the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 3307.1.)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to designate certain intersections as one-, two-, three-, or four-way stop intersections where justified on the basis of an engineering study; or upon the direction of the city council; or at the direction of the traffic appeals commission, as set forth under Section 2.08.1940 of this Code.

(Ord. 20500.)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to designate certain city streets as through streets and to implement such traffic-control devices as are necessary to control traffic entering or crossing such through street.

In the designation of such through streets the city traffic engineer shall comply with city council policy pertaining to the installation of through streets, which policy shall constitute rules and regulations pertaining to the designation of through streets.

(Ord. 20654.)

The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or into the sidewalk area extending across any alley way.

(Prior code § 3307.3.)

No driver shall stop, stand or park any vehicle upon a street other than an alley in such a manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet of the width of the roadway measured from the center of the roadway to said vehicle for free movement of vehicular traffic, except that an operator may stop temporarily during the actual loading or unloading of passengers.

(Prior code § 3310.20.)

No person shall stop or park a vehicle within any Furnishing Zone/Parkstrip.

(Prior code § 3310.3; Ord. 30100.)

The City traffic engineer is authorized to designate certain places as no-parking areas where it is shown that such parking would be detrimental to the best use of the street by all users, or where such prohibition is necessary in order to facilitate the proper movement of traffic, or to prevent congestion. The no-parking areas shall be indicated by appropriate signs, or by painting the curb thereof red.

(Prior code § 3310.4; Ord. 30100.)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in a no-parking area, so designated by the city traffic engineer and indicated by appropriate signs, or by painting the curb thereof red.

(Prior code § 3310.5.)

Any vehicle stopped or parked in violation of Sections 11.36.070 and 11.36.080 shall be deemed to be left standing upon a street in an unusual position and obstructing the normal movement of traffic thereon.

(Prior code § 3310.6.)

No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of:

1. Displaying such vehicle for sale;

2. Greasing or repairing such vehicle except repairs necessitated by an emergency;

3. Storing such vehicle in connection with any repair garage business, or any new or used automobile dealership business, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11.36.220.

(Prior code § 3310.10; Ord. 19969.)

A. No person shall park a motor vehicle, or permit it to stand unattended, upon a hill within any business or residential district without first blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against the curb or by other effective means.

B. As used in this section, "hill" means a sloping surface with a grade exceeding three percent.

(Prior code § 3310.7.)

The city traffic engineer is hereby authorized to place signs or markings indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed twenty feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs or markings when the width of the roadway does not exceed thirty feet.

(Prior code § 3310.17.)

When official signs or markings prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign or marking.

(Prior code § 3310.18.)

No person shall park a vehicle within an alley in such a manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet of the width of the roadway for the free movement of vehicular traffic, and no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within an alley in such position as to block the driveway entrance to any abutting property.

(Prior code § 3310.19.)

In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left-hand side of such one-way roadway unless signs are in place permitting such standing or parking.

(Prior code § 3310.12.)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the left-hand side of any one-way street or when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left side of any one-way roadway of a highway having two or more separate roadways and shall erect signs giving notice thereof.

(Prior code § 3310.13.)

No person shall stand or park a vehicle at an angle to the curb of any roadway unless such vehicle is left standing or parked within marked parking stalls.

(Prior code § 3310.14; Ord. 19263.)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking at an angle to the curb of any roadway shall be permitted, and shall mark parking stalls giving notice thereof.

(Prior code § 3310.15; Ord. 19263.)

A. Whenever the city traffic engineer or his authorized representative finds and determines that the use of a street or highway, or portion thereof, in the city is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the highway or street, or for the installation of underground utilities, and that the parking or standing of vehicles hereon would prohibit or interfere with such cleaning, repair, construction or installation, he is authorized to erect or place signs, or have signs erected or placed, on such street, highway or portion, in the manner required and subject to the requirements of the Vehicle Code of the state, giving notice that the parking or standing of vehicles upon said street, highway or portion is forbidden, and keep such signs thereon until such cleaning, repair, construction or installation is completed.

B. Upon and after the erection or placing of such signs thereon and until said signs are removed, no person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle, or leave such vehicle standing, upon the street or highway or portion thereof upon which said signs are erected or placed.

(Prior code § 3310.22.)

A. Whenever the use of a street or highway, or any portion thereof, in the city is authorized by the city council or by any other authorized officer of the city for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic, or for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the city traffic engineer or his authorized representative finds and determines that the parking of any vehicle on such street, highway or portion would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement, he is authorized to erect or place signs, or have signs erected or placed, on such street, highway or portion in the manner required and subject to the requirements of the Vehicle Code of the state, giving notice that the parking of vehicles upon said street, highway or portion is forbidden, and keep such signs thereon until the authorized special use or movement is completed.

B. Upon and after the erection of placing of such thereon and until such signs are removed, no person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon the street, highway, or portion thereof, upon which such signs are erected or placed.

(Prior code § 3310.23.)

The city traffic engineer is authorized to issue permits to permit the backing of a vehicle to the curb for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise or materials subject to the terms and conditions of such permit. Such permits may be issued either to the owner or lessee of real property or to the owner of the vehicle, and shall grant to such person the privilege as herein stated and authorized herein, and no permittee or other person shall violate any of the special terms or conditions of any such permit.

(Prior code § 3310.16.)

A. No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park or leave standing such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than seventy-two (72) consecutive hours.

B. Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing in the same location or parking spot for seventy-two (72) consecutive hours must be moved at least two-tenths (2/10) of a mile (approximately 1000 feet).

C. Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing in violation of this seventy-two (72) hour parking limit may be removed from the street in accordance with Cal. Veh. Code § 22651, as may be amended or renumbered from time to time.

(Prior code § 3310.8; Ords. 27676, 31221.)

A. Except as provided in this section, the provisions pertaining to time-metered zones and posted zones regulating the stopping, standing and parking of vehicles, shall not apply to news vehicles so long as the operators of such vehicles register their names and the organization which they represent with and are in possession of a valid permit issued by a law enforcement agency or are in possession of press photographers' "pp" license plates as defined and issued pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 5008.

In addition to the aforementioned registration, exemptions from the above-stated provisions are conditional upon the fulfillment of the following requirements:

1. The registrant is regularly employed or engaged as a bona fide newspaper, radio or television reporter, researcher, photographer or camera operator;

2. The vehicle enjoying such exemption is at the scene of a news event;

3. The vehicle enjoying such exemption displays a valid press permit;

4. The operator of such vehicle is actually engaged in the duties of gathering the news;

5. The vehicle does not block, hinder or otherwise interfere with emergency equipment or activities, or in any way impede or inhibit the free flow of traffic on city highways;

6. The driver of the news vehicle exercises due prudence and caution in the parking of his vehicle;

7. The exemptions shall apply only for the duration of the news event.

B. The exemptions from the above-stated provisions regulating the stopping, standing and parking of vehicles will not operate to exempt news vehicles from the following areas at all times:

1. The south curb of East Santa Clara Street between South Fourth Street and South Sixth Street;

2. The east curb of South Fourth Street between Santa Clara Street and East San Fernando Street; and

3. The east and west curb of South Fifth Street between San Fernando Street and the end of the court adjacent to the Civic Center.

C. The exemptions from the above-stated provisions regulating the stopping, standing and parking of vehicles will not operate to exempt news vehicles from the operation of parking laws pertaining to road maintenance or repair needs.

D. Upon request, the chief of police, or his or her designee, shall issue identifications to persons meeting the criteria set forth in this section.

(Ords. 19405, 27364.)

A. Any city employee who routinely uses his or her private vehicle to perform field inspections as part of his or her regular job duties is eligible for an inspector parking permit. The head of the department in which an employee works shall determine the eligibility of the employee for an inspector parking permit.

B. A vehicle displaying a properly issued inspector parking permit shall be exempt from parking restrictions in construction zones, parking meter zones, and permit parking areas located on public streets within the city. However, the permit shall not be valid within any of the following areas:

1. Any off-street parking facilities, including those for city employees;

2. Any parking meter zones within the area bounded by First Street, Taylor Street, Guadalupe Parkway and Hedding Street;

3. Any parking spaces reserved for disabled persons;

4. Any bus zones or marked fire lanes;

5. Any zones where parking is prohibited by a red curb or posted signs; and

6. Any additional restricted parking zones so designated in writing by the city traffic engineer. The permit shall no longer be valid in any such additional restricted parking zone effective ten days after the city traffic engineer has provided notice of the additional limitation to all permittees.

C. The exemption set forth in subsection B. above shall apply only if the employee to whom the inspector parking permit is issued complies with each of the following requirements:

1. The employee must display the inspector parking permit in the manner prescribed by the city traffic engineer.

2. The employee must display and use the inspector parking permit only while conducting a field inspection on behalf of the city and under no other circumstances.

3. The inspector parking permit must be used by only the employee to whom it is issued and displayed only on the vehicle for which it is issued.

4. The employee must not park his or her vehicle in such a manner as to block, hinder or otherwise interfere with the free flow of vehicular traffic, with access by fire fighting equipment to a fire hydrant, or with access to any driveway or ramp intended for the loading or unloading of passengers or freight or for access by the disabled.

5. The employee must not park his or her vehicle on any curb or sidewalk, and must comply with all other local and state laws governing the parking of vehicles.

D. Each inspector parking permit shall be valid for only the period specified on the permit. Employees eligible for an inspector parking permit must reapply for a new permit pursuant to the procedures promulgated by the city traffic engineer.

E. Any permittee leaving the employment of the city prior to expiration of the inspector parking permit shall return the permit to the city traffic engineer upon separation from the city.

F. Printed on each inspector parking permit shall be the time period for which the permit is valid, and the name of the employee and the license number of the vehicle for which the permit is issued.

G. The city traffic engineer shall be responsible for issuing all inspector parking permits, including all replacement permits, and shall issue such permits to all eligible employees, as determined by the head of the department in which the eligible employee works. The city traffic engineer shall promulgate the administrative procedures to be followed to obtain an inspector parking permit.

(Ord. 24750.)