Santa Clara County Municipal Code Art. 2 Special Zones and Stands

Commercial loading zones, passenger loading zones, taxi zones, bus loading zones and mail deposit zones may be established to regulate parking in any congested area.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

No person shall stop, stand or park any motor vehicle in a commercial loading zone except for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers or freight, and in no event for more than 20 minutes, holidays excepted.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Whenever this article establishes a commercial loading zone, the top and face of the curb of the section so established shall be painted yellow; and one sign shall be erected at each end of said zone giving notice of the nature and effective hours thereof.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Unless otherwise specified, the effective hours for commercial loading zones shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

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The following described portions of the hereinafter mentioned public highways in the County are hereby declared to be congested areas designated as commercial loading zones and subject to the prohibition set forth in Section B12-131:

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80; Ord. No. NS-1004.123, § 2, 10-4-83; Ord. No. NS-1004.124, § 1, 11-8-83; Ord. No. NS-1004.126, § 1, 12-18-84; Ord. No. NS-1004.128, § 1, 6-17-86; Ord. No. NS-1004.132, § 1, 4-28-92; Ord. No. NS-1004.137, §§ 1, 2, 12-10-02)

No person shall stop, stand or park any motor vehicle in a passenger loading zone except for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers, and in no event for more than five minutes, holidays excepted.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Whenever this article establishes a passenger loading zone, the top and face of the curb of the section so established shall be painted white; and one sign shall be erected at each end of said zone giving notice of the nature and effective hours thereof.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Unless otherwise specified, the effective hours for passenger loading zones shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; however, when a passenger loading zone is established in front of a theater, the limitation shall apply at all times except when the theater is closed.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

(a) The following portions of the hereinafter described public highways in the County are hereby declared congested areas and are designated passenger loading zones, subject to the prohibition set forth in Section B12-135:

(b) The Board of Supervisors may designate additional passenger loading zones by way of resolution.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80; Ord. No. NS-1004.130, § I, 10-2-90; Ord. No. NS-1004.36, § 1, 9-19-00)

Only commercial taxis may stand or park in any taxi zone at any time.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Whenever this article establishes a taxi zone, the top and face of the curb of the section so established shall be painted white; and one sign shall be erected in said zone giving notice of the nature and effective hours thereof.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

The following described portions of the hereinafter mentioned public highways in the County are hereby declared to be congested areas designated as taxi zones and subject to the prohibition set forth in Section B12-138:

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Only commercial or school buses may stand or park in any bus zone at any time.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Whenever this article establishes a bus zone, the top and face of the curb therein, if any, shall be painted red; and one or more appropriate signs shall be erected to identify the zone.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Bus zones shall be established by duly adopted resolution of the Board of Supervisors, and, unless otherwise indicated in the resolution, shall extend 100 feet from the curb or pavement edge of the intersecting street, if any.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

No person shall stop, stand or park any motor vehicle in a mail deposit zone except for the purpose of depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Whenever this article establishes a mail deposit zone, the top and face of the curb of the section so established shall be painted white.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

The following described portions of the hereinafter mentioned public highways in the County are hereby designated as mail deposit zones and subject to the prohibition set forth in Section B12-143:

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

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The eight-foot-wide portions of the public street or highway adjacent to the curb or shoulder located in front of the doors of packinghouses, warehouses and similar establishments, which doors are used for the loading or unloading of produce, are hereby declared to be loading spaces.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Any person desiring the designation of a loading space shall make application therefor to the Board of Supervisors in the manner specified by said Board.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

Upon receipt of the application, the Board of Supervisors may determine the extent of the loading space, which shall then be designated by uniform enameled metal signs erected on approved metal posts, said signs to be purchased and installed by the applicant under the direction of the Board.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park such vehicle in such designated space except while actually loading or unloading produce or merchandise therefrom, and then only for a period of time no longer than is necessary for the expeditious loading or unloading thereof.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.121, § 1, 11-3-80)

(a) The activity of solicitation between occupants of vehicles in the roadway and persons within the public right-of-way distracts drivers from the primary duties of watching for traffic and potential road hazards, watching for pedestrians, observing traffic control signals and warnings and otherwise safely driving through the County's streets and intersections.

(b) The activity of solicitation between occupants of vehicles in the roadway and persons within the public right-of-way impedes, delays and obstructs the free flow of traffic on County streets, and results in congestion and blockage of the streets, driveways and sidewalks when persons approach vehicles to negotiate with the occupants and when motorists slow or stop their vehicles to solicit the services of such persons.

(c) A motorist causes his or her own distraction and/or the distraction of other motorists when attempting to maneuver his or her vehicle while, at the same time, attempting to negotiate a verbal employment contact or other solicitation request.

(d) Distracted drivers create an unsafe condition for persons engaging in solicitations, pedestrian traffic and vehicle traffic generally because such drivers are more prone to automobile accidents, and accidents on the public streets constitute a substantial traffic safety problem, which problem further impedes and prevents the orderly flow of traffic.

(e) The traffic safety hazards resulting from the conduct described above is greatest in areas of the County where significant numbers of motorists tend to converge to solicit persons in the public right-of-way and where significant numbers of persons tend to converge in the public right-of-way to solicit motorists.

(f) Significant numbers of motorists and persons tend to frequent certain areas within the County on a daily basis to solicit work.

(g) The cumulative impact of this type of activity on certain of the County's streets, highways and sidewalks on a daily basis has created a potential safety hazard which poses a significant and substantial risk to the interest of the public in the free flow of travel in the County.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.135, § 1, 6-9-98)

The definitions set forth in this part shall govern the application and interpretation of this chapter:

(a) "Business" means any type of product, goods, service, performance or activity that is provided or performed, or offered to be provided or performed, in exchange for money, labor, goods or any other form of consideration.

(b) "Employment" means services, industry or labor performed by a person for wages or other compensation or under any contract of hire, written, oral, express or implied.

(c) "Solicit" shall mean and include any request, offer, enticement, or action which announces the availability of or for employment, the sale of goods, or a request for money or other property; or any request, offer, enticement or action which seeks to purchase or secure goods or employment, or to make a contribution of money or other property. As defined herein, a solicitation shall be deemed complete when made whether or not an actual employment relationship is created, a transaction is completed, or an exchange of money or other property takes place.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.135, § 2, 6-9-98)

Editor's note— Sec. 1 of Ord. No. NS-1004.140, adopted Oct. 9, 2012, repealed § B12-152, which pertained to the prohibition of solicitation in public right-of-way and derived from Ord. No. NS-1004.135, adopted June 9, 1998.

(a) The Board of Supervisors, upon the recommendation of the Director, Roads and Airports Department, after a noticed public hearing, may declare any defined area of the County to be a no vehicle solicitation zone if the Board finds, based upon traffic volume, traffic patterns, and the nature of the conduct of the solicitation activity that solicitation occurring in that area is creating a public nuisance or is adversely affecting public health, safety and welfare, and that other approaches to addressing the problems created by vehicle solicitation do not work or have not been successful in addressing the problems created.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person, while standing in any portion of the public right-of-way, including but not limited to public streets, highways, sidewalks and driveways, to solicit, or attempt to solicit, employment, business or contributions of money or other property from any person traveling in a vehicle along such public right-of-way, in a no vehicle solicitation zone established pursuant to Section B12-153(a).

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person, while the occupant of any vehicle, to solicit, or attempt to solicit, employment, business or contributions of money or other property from a person who is within the public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, a public street, highway, sidewalk or driveway, in a no vehicle solicitation zone established pursuant to Section B12-153(a).

(d) The prohibitions set forth in Sections B12-153(b) and B12-153(c) shall not be enforceable in any area declared to be a no vehicle solicitation zone until the County of Santa Clara has posted signs giving notice of the prohibition.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.135, § 4, 6-9-98; Ord. No. NS-1004.140, § 2, 10-9-12)

Any person convicted of a misdemeanor for a violation of the provisions of section B12-153 shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00, or imprisonment in the County jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every violation of a no vehicle solicitation zone which is committed or permitted by such person, and shall be punishable accordingly.

(Ord. No. NS-1004.135, § 5, 6-9-98; Ord. No. NS-1004.140, § 2, 10-9-12)