San Mateo Municipal Code Ch. 11.32 Stopping, Standing and Parking

For the statutory provisions regarding stopping, standing and parking see Cal. Veh. C. § 22500 et seq. For the provisions regarding the authority of local regulation by ordinance to prohibit or restrict the parking or standing of vehicles on certain streets or portions thereof during all or certain hours of the day see Cal. Veh. C. §§ 220507.5.

(a) The provisions of this title 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.

(b) 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 hereof, or of law prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places, or at specified times.

Prior code § 73.70

The following words and phrases, whenever used in Section 11.32.030, shall be construed as defined in this section:

(a) "Commercial vehicle" shall have the meaning set forth in State Vehicle Code Section 260.

(b) "Motor truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.

(c) "Oversized vehicle" means a vehicle which meets one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Vehicle (including load height, if any) exceeds seven and one-half feet; or

(2) Vehicle, (including load width, if any) exceeds seven and one-half feet, as measured from the widest portion of the vehicle or load, but not including mirrors; or

(3) Vehicle, (including load length, if any) exceeds 22 feet (in combination with any attached trailers); or

(4) Manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating exceeds 10,000 pounds.

(d) "Passenger stage" means every stage, auto stage or other motor vehicle, used in the transportation of persons, or persons and their baggage or express, when such baggage or express is transported incidentally to the transportation of the passengers, excepting motor vehicles of the pleasure type designed for carrying not more than seven persons.

(e) "Recreational vehicle" shall have the meaning set forth in Health and Safety Code Section 18010.

(f) "Street" or "highway" means a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.

(g) "Trailer" shall have the meaning set forth in Vehicle Code Section 630.

(h) "Vehicle" shall have the meaning set forth in Vehicle Code Section 670.

prior code § 73.104

No person shall stop, stand or park a motor truck or passenger stage on any street or highway in this City for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials; provided that the loading or unloading of passengers shall not consume more than five minutes, and the loading or unloading of materials more than 30 minutes.

Prior code § 73.105

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any of the following places:

(a) Within any tunnel or upon any bridge, viaduct or approach thereto;

(b) Within any parkway.

Prior code § 73.71

The Director of Public Works or designee is authorized to sign or mark the following places and, when so signed or marked, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle:

(a) Between a safety zone and the nearest curb and any place within 20 feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the midblock end of a safety zone;

(b) Within 30 feet of an intersecting roadway in the central traffic district, or in any business district, except that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;

(c) Within 100 feet of any intersection if the vehicle (including any load thereon) is six feet or more in height.

prior code § 73.72

The Director of Public Works or designee may sign or mark the following places and when they shall have been so signed or marked, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any of such places:

(a) At any place within 30 feet of an intersection other than hereinbefore mentioned;

(b) Within 25 feet of the approach to the nearest line of a crosswalk;

(c) At any place between the portal of a tunnel and the nearest street intersection.

prior code § 73.73

(a) The Director of Public Works or designee is authorized, subject to the provisions and limitations of this title, to place, and when required herein, shall place, the following curb markings to indicate parking or standing regulations and such curb markings shall have the meanings as herein set forth:

(1) Red means no stopping, standing or parking at any time, except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus zone;

(2) Yellow means no stopping, standing, or parking at any time between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sunday for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials; provided, that, the loading or unloading of passengers shall not consume more than three minutes, nor the loading or unloading of materials more than 20 minutes;

(3) White means no stopping, standing or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading of passengers which shall not exceed three minutes and such restrictions shall apply between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sunday and except as follows:

(A) When such zone is in front of a hotel the restrictions shall apply at all times,

(B) When such zone is in front of a theater the restrictions shall apply at all times except when such theater is closed;

(4) Green means no standing or parking for longer than 20 minutes at any time between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sunday;

(5) Blue means no standing or parking except by vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued pursuant to Section 2251.5 ("Disabled Persons' Exemption"), or Section 9105 ("Disabled or Blind Veterans"), of the California Vehicle Code.

(b) When the Director of Public Works or designee, as authorized hereunder, has caused curb markings to be placed, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking in violation of any of the provisions of this section.

prior code § 73.74

(a) It is unlawful for any person to request that a moving vehicle stop, stand, or park at a place where stopping, standing, or parking is prohibited.

(b) It is unlawful for any person to enter a motor vehicle from a place where stopping, standing, or parking is illegal.

For the purpose of the regulations contained in this title relating to limitations on stopping, standing and parking, any vehicle moved a distance of less than one-tenth of a mile during the limited parking period shall be deemed to have remained stationary.

(a) In areas which are zoned residential, it is: (1) unlawful for any person to park or store any commercial vehicle on any public street, road, alley, or other public property; and (2) unlawful for any person to park or store, or for the private property owner or occupant to permit the parking or storage of, any commercial vehicle on private property, unless it is within a fully enclosed garage.

(b) Private Property Exception. Ambulances, tow trucks, and other commercial vehicles that are used for life-safety emergency purposes on a 24-hour basis and which park on private property.

(c) Private and Public Property Exception. Vehicles engaged in the delivery or pickup of goods, or vehicles engaged in the delivery of materials to be used in actual bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any building or structure for which a building permit has previously been obtained or for the purpose of public works projects.

In residential zones, it is unlawful for any person to park an oversized vehicle or trailer unconnected to a vehicle on any public street. The Public Works Director, or designee, shall place signage on streets sufficient to give adequate notice of this prohibition.

(a) Exceptions for Oversized Vehicles. This section shall not prohibit the parking of oversized vehicles or recreational vehicles on public streets for any of the following activities:

(1) Loading or unloading of persons or property;

(2) Service to a property in the vicinity;

(3) Emergency repairs or waiting for a tow operator for no longer than eight hours;

(4) Response to a public emergency by any emergency vehicle of any political subdivision of the State of California; or

(5) Wheelchair-accessible vans.

(b) Additional Exception for Recreational Vehicles. This section shall not prohibit the overnight parking of recreational vehicles on public streets immediately abutting the owner's residence for no more than 24 consecutive hours twice during any seven-day period.

A Residential Parking Permit Program is hereby approved and authorized for use in all residential districts or appurtenant to any authorized residential use. The excessive parking of nonresident vehicles on residential streets is detrimental to the integrity of the residential neighborhood. The purpose of this section is to avoid such detriment and allow residents to park upon streets in their own neighborhoods. The Director of Public Works is authorized to propose policies and procedures implementing a Residential Parking Permit Program. Those policies and procedures shall be reviewed by the Public Works Commission who shall thereafter make recommendations to the City Council for adoption. Such policies and procedures shall be consistent with the purpose of this chapter. Violations of the Residential Parking Permit Program Policies and Procedures are enforceable in the same manner and to the same extent as are violations of the other provisions of this title.