Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Art. V Off-Street Parking Facilities

Pursuant to Section 22519 of the California Vehicle Code, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors amends this chapter to regulate the use of all off-street parking facilities owned or operated by the County of Santa Barbara, including all designated county parking lots. This chapter does not apply to county parking lots that are part of a county park or county recreation area, use of which is governed by County Code chapter 26.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)

(a) No person shall stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle within any off-street county parking facility in violation of any posted parking regulations and time limits.

(b) No person shall stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle within any off-street county parking facility outside designated parking stall markings, in whole or in part. No person shall stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle within any off-street county parking facility in a manner that occupies more than one designated parking stall.

(c) No person shall stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle within any off-street county parking facility in any area designated a "no parking zone." A "no parking zone" is the paved area in front of any red-painted curbing or any other area designated by signage, including signs stating "No Parking" or "No Parking Anytime."

(d) No person shall stop, stand, or park a motor vehicle within any off-street county parking facility for the purpose of overhaul, maintenance or repair of such vehicle except for emergency repairs requiring less than two hours to complete.

(e) No person shall use any area of an off-street county parking facility for storage of any kind, including the parking of detached trailers, fifth wheels, and other equipment, or for storage of any personal property, or for any use other than parking a motor vehicle and accessing adjacent public facilities, unless authorized by the director of general services or the director's designee.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)

(a) Except as specifically authorized by the director of the department of general services, or as otherwise validly authorized pursuant to county ordinance or resolution, it is unlawful for any person to stop, stand, or park any vehicle between the hours of eleven p.m. and five a.m. in any off-street parking area owned or operated by the County of Santa Barbara.

(b) Some county parking lots are designated for overnight parking through the County's Safe Parking Program. Consistent with Martin v. City of Boise (9th Cir. 2019) 920 F.3d 584, anyone in need of overnight parking or housing may contact the county community services department to find out information about applying to the Safe Parking Program or other housing opportunities and programs.

(c) Overnight parking for the purposes of electric vehicle charging at county charging stations located in county parking lots is allowed.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)

(a) Unless specifically authorized by the director of the department of general services, it shall be unlawful to park in a designated electric vehicle charging station parking stall unless the vehicle is an electric vehicle that is actively charging its battery.

(b) An electric vehicle shall be a "motor vehicle" as defined in California Vehicle Code section 415, which either (i) displays the State of California Air Board ZEV (zero emission vehicle) sticker; or (ii) has the capability to charge a battery from an off-vehicle electric energy source that cannot be connected or coupled to the vehicle in any manner while the vehicle is being driven.

(c) An electric vehicle is "charging" when it is electrically connected to the charging station equipment and its battery has not reached full capacity.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)

(a) The following county officers or employees shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter:

(1) Director of general services or designee;

(2) Sheriff or designee;

(3) County retained security staff.

(b) The persons listed above are hereby authorized to remove, or cause to be removed, or issue citations to, any vehicle found to be in violation of parking laws or regulations, including Sections 22658, 21113 and 22651 of the Vehicle Code of the State of California and any other parking ordinances of the county. Enforcement may include issuance of administrative penalty citations under Chapter 24A or civil penalty citations under California Vehicle Code Section 40200, et seq., as applicable. The persons listed above shall also have the authority to take all such steps as are required by law to notify the California Department of Motor Vehicles of those persons who fail to pay the civil penalties for violations of County parking ordinances, unless such functions have been delegated by resolution of the board of supervisors to a public or private processing center with which the board has executed a contract pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 40200.5.

(c) The director of general services and such persons as they may designate shall have the authority to tow any vehicle on county property that is in violation of sections 12A-23, 12A-24 and 12A-25. If a vehicle in violation of any of these sections has not been removed within seventy-two hours after notice of the violation has been given, the county may utilize the local law enforcement agency to remove vehicles from such county property as authorized by California Vehicle Code Section 22651(n).

(d) The director of general services and such persons as they may designate shall have the authority to remove property located on county-owned parking lots which is in violation of sections 12A-23 through 12A-25 after providing forty-eight-hour notice of intention to remove such property. Notwithstanding the above, the director of general services and such persons as they may designate shall have the authority to immediately remove property that constitutes an immediate threat to public health or safety, or is evidence of a crime, or contraband. Any property removed will be stored at a designated location, and if unclaimed, subject to disposition in accordance with Civil Code Section 2080.6 and County Code Section 2-64.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to contrary in subsection (c) of this section, the director of general services and such persons as they may designate shall have the authority to impound any shopping carts left in county-owned parking lots to the extent and in the manner permitted by Section 22435.7 of the California Business and Professions Code.

(f) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, obstruct, or obscure a mark or designation on or around a vehicle parked in a county parking lot with the intent to interfere with an officer or employee ensuring that a vehicle has not been parked in violation of posted time restrictions.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)

Any violation of the provisions of this article shall not be a criminal violation but shall instead be subject to an administrative penalty pursuant to chapter 24A of this Code, or alternatively as a civil penalty if the violation constitutes a parking violation subject to enforcement under California Vehicle Code Section 40200, et seq.

(Ord. No. 5163, § 1, 10-4-2022)