San Marcos Municipal Code Ch. 12.44 Interstate Trucks

The following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth, and if any word or phrase used in this chapter is not defined in this Section, it shall have the meanings set forth in the California Vehicle Code; provided, that if any such word or phrase is not defined in the Vehicle Code, it shall have the meaning attributed to it in ordinary usage:

(a)

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

(b)

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

(c)

Terminal means any facility at which freight is consolidated to be shipped, or where full load consignments may be loaded and off- loaded, or at which the vehicles are regularly maintained, stored or manufactured.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures for terminal designation and truck route designation to terminals, for interstate trucks operating on a federally-designated highway system and to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the public.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

Any interested person requiring terminal access for interstate trucks from the federally designated highway system shall submit an application, on a form as provided by the City, together with such information as may be required by the City Traffic Engineer and appropriate fees paid to the City.

(b)

Upon receipt of the application, the City Traffic Engineer will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain whether or not the proposed terminal facility meets the requirements for an interstate truck terminal. Upon the City Traffic Engineer's approval of that designation, they will then determine the capability of the route requested, and alternate routes, whether requested or not. Determination of route capability will include, without limitation, a review of adequate turning radius and land widths of ramps, intersections and highways and general traffic conditions such as sight distance, speed and traffic volumes. No access off a federally designated highway system will be approved without the approval of CalTrans.

(c)

Should the requested route pass through the City to a terminal located in another jurisdiction, the applicant shall comply with that jurisdiction's application process. Coordination of the approval of the route through the City will be the responsibility of the entity which controls the terminal's land use. Costs of trailblazer signs shall be as provided in Section 12.44.040.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

The applicant shall pay a non-refundable application fee, as established by the City Council by resolution, sufficient to pay the cost of the review of the terminal designation and the review of the route and alternate route.

(b)

Upon the approval of the terminal designation and route by the City and by Caltrans, the applicant shall deposit with the City sufficient funds; as estimated by the City Traffic Engineer, to pay for the purchase and installation of terminal access signs and trailblazer signs. Trailblazer signs will be required at every decision point in the City on route to the terminal. Upon completion of the installation of the signs, the actual cost shall be computed and any difference between the actual and the estimated cost shall be billed or refunded to the applicant, whichever the case may be. No terminal or route may be used until such signs as may be required are in place.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

If all feasible routes to a requested terminal are found unsatisfactory by the City Traffic Engineer, the applicant may request retrofitting the deficiencies. All costs of engineering, construction and inspection will be the responsibility of the applicant. Except when the retrofitting of deficiencies is within the jurisdiction of Caltrans, the actual construction will be done by the City or by a contractor acceptable to it.

(b)

When the work is to be done by the City, the applicant shall deposit with the City the estimated cost of retrofitting. Adjustments between the estimated and actual cost shall be made after completion of the work and any difference between the actual and the estimated cost shall be billed or refunded to the applicant as the case may be. When the work is done by the applicant, the applicant may file with the City Traffic Engineer, on a form satisfactory to them, a statement detailing the actual costs of the retrofitting.

(c)

If at any time within five years from the date of completion of the retrofitting by the applicant, should any new applicant seek approval of a terminal which would use the route upon which such retrofitting was accomplished, the new applicant may be required to pay a fee to the City equal to the proportionate share of the cost of the previously completed retrofitting, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer, which fee shall be disbursed by the City to the applicant who paid for the retrofitting, as well as to any applicant who contributed to the cost of retrofitting under this subsection. Nothing in this chapter shall require the payment of a proportionate fee if the applicant doing the work failed to file the report with the City Traffic Engineer required by subsection (b) of this Section.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

The City Traffic Engineer may revoke any approved terminal or route if the terminal or route becomes a safety hazard for vehicular traffic. A safety hazard includes the inability of interstate trucks to negotiate the route of said vehicles causing unsafe driving conditions for other vehicular traffic or pedestrians.

(Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)

(a)

If the City Traffic Engineer denies terminal designation, route feasibility or revokes a previously approved terminal or route, the applicant/terminal owner, within ten days following the date of receipt of the decision of the City Traffic Engineer, may appeal said decision to the City Council in writing. An appeal shall be made on a form prescribed by the City Traffic Engineer and shall be filed with the City Clerk. The appeal shall state specifically wherein there was an error or abuse of discretion by the City Traffic Engineer or wherein the decision is not supported by the evidence in the record. Within five days of the filing of an appeal, the City Traffic Engineer

shall transmit to the City Clerk the terminal application, the sketches of the revoked route and all other data filed therewith, the report of the City Traffic Engineer, the findings of the City Traffic Engineer and their decision on the application.

(b)

The City Clerk shall make copies of the data provided by the City Traffic Engineer available to the applicant and to the appellant, if the applicant is not the appellant, for inspection and may give notice to any other interested party who requested notice of the time when the appeal will be considered by the City Council.

(c)

If CalTrans and not the City Engineer, denies or revokes terminal access from federally designated highways, no appeal may be made to the City Council, but must be made to CalTrans, as may be permitted by CalTrans.

(Ord. No. 89-813, 4-11-89; Ord. No. 2024-1544, § 2(Exh. A), 7-23-2024)