Santa Fe Springs Municipal Code § 70.58 Compliance with Traffic-Control Devices

Footnotes:

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Cross reference— Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Program, see §§ 94.40 through 94.42

For the purpose of this traffic code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Whenever any words or phrases used in this title are not defined in this section but are now defined in the California Vehicle Code, such definitions are incorporated in this section and shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used herein as though set forth in this section in full.

Business District. That portion of a highway and the property contiguous thereto upon one side of which highway, for a distance of 600 feet, 50 percent or more of the contiguous property fronting thereon is occupied by buildings in use for business, or, upon both sides of which highway, collectively, for a distance of 300 feet, 50 percent or more of the contiguous property fronting thereon is so occupied. A Business District may be longer than the distance specified in this section if the above ratio of buildings in use for business to the length of highway exists.

Loading Zone. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Out-of-Town Visitor. Any natural person who does not reside in the city who is temporarily visiting as a guest of a Resident of the city and who has applied for a Temporary RV Parking Permit.

Park. To stand or leave standing any vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Parkway. That portion of a street other than a roadway or a sidewalk.

Passenger Loading Zone. The space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.

Pedestrian. Any person afoot.

Police Officer. Every officer of the Police Department of the city or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.

Recreational Vehicle or "RV". A motorhome, travel trailer, truck camper, camping trailer, or other vehicle or trailer, with or without motive power, designed or altered for human habitation for recreational, emergency, or other human occupancy, or any structure inspected, approved and designated as a recreational vehicle by, and bearing the insignia of, the State of California or any other state or federal agency having the authority to approve recreational vehicles. Recreational Vehicle shall include, without limitation, any of the following: a "camp trailer," as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 242; a "fifth wheel travel trailer" as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 324; a "house car" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 362; a "trailer" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 630; a "trailer coach" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 635; a "mobile home," as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 396; a boat, watercraft and/or trailer for a boat or watercraft; a "park trailer" as defined in the California Health and Safety Code Section 18009.3; a "recreational vehicle as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18010; and a "truck camper" as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18013.4.

Resident. A person who customarily resides and maintains a place of residence or who owns land within the city. It shall not mean a person who maintains an address at a mailbox drop or who rents a room which is not his or her primary place of residence, nor shall it mean a person who maintains only a post office box unless that person also provides valid and verifiable evidence of residence, such as a utility bill/contract, and federal or state government-issued Identification, at a street address within the city.

Stop. When required, complete cessation of movement.

Stop or Stand. When prohibited, any stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device.

Temporary RV Parking Permit. A limited duration parking permit for a recreational vehicle belonging to a resident or an out-of-town visitor issued by the Director of Police Services or his or her designee in accordance with the provisions of this title.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-1; Ord. 1156, passed 2-18-25)

(A) Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(B) The provisions of this title shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, the state and any county or city. No such driver shall fail to comply with any of the provisions of this title, except as otherwise permitted in this title or by the California Vehicle Code.

(C) The provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of the Police or Fire Department, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified in the California Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call. The exemptions in this section shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, §§ 14-2—14-4)

Cross reference— Bicycles, see §§ 73.01 et seq.; Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this title.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-23)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

It shall be the duty of the officers of the Police Department, or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police to enforce all street traffic laws of this city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the city.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-24)

Any city or other governmental employee over 18 years of age when designated to do so by the City Manager may enforce any parking regulations established by any ordinance or resolution of this city, including those contained in this code by following the procedure for the issuance of citations and giving cite notices as authorized by Cal. Penal Code §§ 834 and 853.5 to 853.8, inclusive, and by Cal. Veh. Code §§ 41102 and 41103. The City Manager is authorized to designate any person in the employ of the city, or other governmental entity, or any business entity engaged by the city for purposes relating to parking enforcement, which authorization shall be deemed to include persons employed by such business entity, to enforce the parking regulations as herein provided.

('64 Code, § 14-24.1; Ord. 583, passed 6-10-80; Am. Ord. 971, passed 7-14-05)

(A) Officers of the Police Department, such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police, or any other officially designated persons are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, provided that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(B) Officers of the Fire Department, when at the scene of a fire or when in the course of their duties they are protecting the personnel or equipment of the Fire Department, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic.

(C) No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order of a police officer or Fire Department official, or any other officially designated person, when directing traffic.

(D) No person other than an officer of the Police Department or a person designated by the Chief of Police or person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate when and as provided in this title any mechanical push-button signal erected by order of the Traffic Engineer.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, §§ 14-25—14-28)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

There is hereby established in the Police Department of the city a Traffic Division to be under the control of a police officer appointed by and directly responsible to the Chief of Police.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-29)

It shall be the duty of the Traffic Division of the Police Department, with such aid as may be rendered by other members of the Police Department, to do the following:

(A) Enforce the street traffic regulations of the city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the city.

(B) Make arrests for traffic violations.

(C) Investigate traffic accidents.

(D) Cooperate with the City Traffic Engineer and other officers of the city in the administration of the traffic laws and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions.

(E) Carry out those duties specially imposed upon the Traffic Division by this title, and any other traffic ordinances of the city.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-30)

Whenever the accidents at a particular location become numerous, the Traffic Division of the Police Department shall cooperate with the City Traffic Engineer in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-31)

The Traffic Division of the Police Department shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic accident reports. Accident reports or cards referring to them shall be filed alphabetically by location. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the City Traffic Engineer.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-32)

(A) The Traffic Division of the Police Department shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be filed with the City Council.

(B) Such a report shall contain information on traffic matters in this city as follows:

(1) The number of traffic accidents, the number of persons killed, the number of persons injured and other pertinent traffic accident data.

(2) The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the police.

(3) The plans and recommendations of the division for future traffic safety activities.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-33)

The office of City Traffic Engineer is hereby established. The City Traffic Engineer shall be appointed by the City Manager.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-34)

It shall be the general duties of the City Traffic Engineer to do the following:

(A) Determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic-control devices and signals.

(B) Conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and devise remedial measures.

(C) Conduct engineering and traffic investigations of traffic conditions.

(D) Cooperate with other city officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions.

(E) Carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by this title.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-35)

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. 1161, passed September 2, 2025, dissolved the Traffic Commission and repealed §§ 70.40—70.44, which derived from Ord. 148, passed June 9, 1960; the 1964 Code; Ord. 426, passed July 13, 1972; Ord. 578, passed February 14, 1980; Ord. 585, passed July 10, 1980; and Ord. 1111, passed January 9, 2020.

(A) The City Traffic Engineer shall have the power and duty to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic-control devices when and as required to make effective the provisions of this subchapter.

(B) Whenever the California Vehicle Code requires, for the effectiveness of any provision thereof, that traffic-control devices be installed to give notice to the public of the application of such law, the City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to install or cause to be installed the necessary devices, subject to any limitations or restrictions set forth in the laws applicable thereto.

(C) The City Traffic Engineer may also place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained such additional traffic-control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate traffic or to guide or warn traffic, but he shall make such determination only upon the basis of traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations and in accordance with such standards, limitations and rules as may be set forth in this title or as may be determined by resolution of the City Council.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-40)

No provisions of the California Vehicle Code or of this title for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless appropriate signs are in place and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person, giving notice of such provisions of the traffic laws.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-41)

(A) All traffic signs, markers, signals and devices which were erected by the county prior to May 15, 1957, the date of the incorporation of the city, are hereby adopted as the official traffic signs, markers, signals and devices of the city and all of them are deemed to have been erected pursuant to the authority contained in this subchapter and a violation of the same shall be a violation of this subchapter.

(B) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-42)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) The driver of every vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with this title, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle when responding to emergency calls.

(B) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-43)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) The City Traffic Engineer is directed to install and maintain official traffic signals at those intersections and other places where traffic conditions are such as to require that the flow of traffic be alternately interrupted and released in order to prevent or relieve traffic congestion or to protect life or property from exceptional hazard.

(B) The City Traffic Engineer shall ascertain and determine the locations where such signals are required by resort to field observation, traffic counts and other traffic information as may be pertinent and his determinations there from shall be made in accordance with those traffic engineering and safety standards and instructions set forth in the "Traffic Manual," issued by the California Department of Transportation.

(C) Whenever the City Traffic Engineer installs and maintains an official traffic signal at any intersection, he shall likewise erect and maintain at such intersection street name signs visible to the principal flow of traffic unless such street name signs have previously been placed and are maintained at such intersection.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-44)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to mark center lines and lane lines upon the surface of the roadway to indicate the course to be traveled by vehicles and may place signs temporarily designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the center line of the highway.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-45)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to place and maintain distinctive roadway markings as described in the California Vehicle Code on those streets or parts of streets where the volume of traffic or the vertical or other curvature of the roadway renders it hazardous to drive on the left side of such marking or signs and markings. Such marking or signs and markings shall have the same effect as similar markings placed pursuant to the "Traffic Manual," issued by the California Department of Transportation.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-46)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to remove, relocate or discontinue the operation of any traffic-control device not specifically required by state law or this title whenever he shall determine in any particular case that the conditions which warranted or required the installation no longer exist or pertain.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-47)

The City Traffic Engineer shall determine the hours and days during which any traffic-control device shall be in operation or be in effect, except in those cases where such hours or days are specified in this title.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-48)

(A) The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to place markers, buttons or signs within or adjacent to intersections indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and the City Traffic Engineer is authorized to allocate and indicate more than one lane of traffic from which drivers of vehicles may make right-hand or left-hand turns, and the course to be traveled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by law.

(B) When authorized markers, buttons or other indications are placed within an intersection indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning there, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of such indications.

(C) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-49)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to determine those intersections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left or U-turn and shall place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs or they may be removed when such turns are permitted.

(B) Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right or left or U-turn is permitted, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of any such sign.

(C) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, §§ 14-50—14-51)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) No driver of a vehicle shall make a right turn against a red or stop signal at any intersection which is signposted giving notice of such restriction as provided in this section.

(B) The City Traffic Engineer shall post appropriate signs giving effect to this section at any intersection where he determines that the making of right turns against a traffic signal "stop" indication would seriously interfere with the safe and orderly flow of traffic.

(C) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-52)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 70.99

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of the city designates any one-way street or alley, the City Traffic Engineer shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulations shall be effective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited and at such other locations as may be deemed advisable by the City Traffic Engineer.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-53)

Whenever any ordinance or resolution of the 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, or any railroad grade crossing at which vehicles are required to stop, the City Traffic Engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs as provided in Cal. Veh. Code § 21400.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-54)

The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to regulate the timing of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise applicable within the district or at intersections and shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof.

(Ord. 17, passed 7-12-57; '64 Code, § 14-55)

(A) Any person violating any provision of this Title VII for which no other specific penalty has been enacted shall be punished as provided in § 10.97.

(B) Any person violating any provision of this Title VII for which a penalty is set forth in the Cal. Vehicle Code shall be punished as provided in the Cal. Vehicle Code.

(C) (1)

Parking violations. Any violation of any provision of Chapter 72, or any other provision concerning the parking of a motor vehicle, shall be punished as infractions, as established by City Council resolution from time to time as a bail schedule for the violations listed in division (C)(2) of this section.

(2) Applicable bail schedule.