Santa Paula Municipal Code Ch. 71 Traffic Rules

Section

General Provisions

Speed Limits

Turning Movements

One-Way Streets and Alleys

Special Stops

Pedestrians

Use Restrictions on Certain Streets

Interstate Trucks

Cross-reference:

Regulations for motor vehicles at drive-in restaurants, see § 122.04

Statutory reference:

Local traffic rules and regulations, see Cal. Veh. Code §§ 21100 et seq.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

No operator of any vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral procession or a parade; provided, that such vehicles are conspicuously so designated. The directing of all vehicles and traffic on any street over which such funeral procession or parade wishes to pass shall be subject to the orders of the Police Department.

('81 Code, § 10.24.080) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) No person shall ride, drive, propel, or cause to be propelled any vehicle or animal across or upon any sidewalk excepting over permanently constructed driveways and excepting when it is necessary for any temporary purpose to drive a loaded vehicle across a sidewalk; provided further, that such sidewalk area is substantially protected by wooden planks two inches thick, and permission is previously obtained from the City Engineer.

(B) Such wooden planks shall not be permitted to remain upon such sidewalk area during the hours from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

('81 Code, § 10.24.100) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall ride or drive any animal or any vehicle over or across any newly made pavement or freshly painted markings in any street when a barrier sign, conemarker or other warning device is in place warning persons not to drive over or across such pavement or marking, or when any such device is in place indicating that the street or any portion thereof is closed.

('81 Code, § 10.24.110) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are lawfully established.

('81 Code, § 10.24.120) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall drive or operate any bicycle, motor-driven cycle, or any vehicle which is not drawn by a motor vehicle upon any street established as a freeway, as defined by state law, nor shall any pedestrian walk across or along any such street so designated and described except in space set aside for the use of pedestrians; provided, official signs are in place giving notice of such restrictions.

('81 Code, § 10.24.130) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person, public utility or department in the city shall erect or place any barrier or sign on any street, unless of a type approved by the City Engineer, or disobey the instructions, remove, tamper with or destroy any barrier or sign lawfully placed on any street by any person, public utility or by any department of this city.

('81 Code, § 10.24.140) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall cause or permit any railway train or railway cars or similar vehicle on rails to stop or stand or to be operated in such a manner as to prevent the use of any street for the purposes of travel for a period of time longer than five minutes, except that this provision shall not apply to railway trains, cars or similar vehicles on rails to stop at or near the scene of an accident.

('81 Code, § 10.24.150) Penalty, see § 70.99

SPEED LIMITS

(A) Whenever the City Engineer determines, pursuant to state law, that a prima facie or maximum speed limit other than that established by state law is reasonable and safe, the City Council may, by ordinance, determine and declare such prima facie or maximum speed limit.

(B) The declared prima facie or maximum speed limit shall be effective when the appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon the street.

('81 Code, § 10.16.010) (Ord. 745, passed - -80)

Statutory reference:

Speed limits, see Cal. Veh. Code §§ 22348 et seq.

TURNING MOVEMENTS

(A) The City Engineer may place markings, buttons or signs within or adjacent to intersections indicating the course to be traveled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and such course to be traveled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by law or this title.

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

('81 Code, § 10.24.010) Penalty, see § 70.99

Statutory reference:

Turning movements, see Cal. Veh. Code §§ 22101 and 22113

(A) The City Engineer may 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, such hours 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 turn, left turn or U-turn is permitted, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of any such sign.

('81 Code, § 10.24.020) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) The City Engineer may determine those intersections within any business district at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right turn against a red or stop signal and shall erect proper signs giving notice of such prohibition.

(B) No driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of any such sign.

('81 Code, § 10.24.030) Penalty, see § 70.99

ONE-WAY STREETS AND ALLEYS

(A) (1) Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this city designates any one-way street or alley, the City Engineer shall place and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulations shall be effective unless such signs are in place.

(2) Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited.

(B) Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the direction of any such sign.

('81 Code, § 10.24.040) Penalty, see § 70.99

Statutory reference:

One-way street designations, see Cal. Veh. Code § 21657

SPECIAL STOPS

(A) Whenever any ordinance or resolution of this 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 Engineer shall erect and maintain stop signs as follows: a stop sign shall be erected on each and every street intersecting such through street or portion thereof so designated and at those entrances of other intersections where a stop is required and at any railroad grade crossing so designated. Every such sign shall conform with and shall be placed as provided in the California Vehicle Code.

('81 Code, § 10.24.050)

(B) (1) Those streets and parts of streets established by resolution of the Council are declared to be through streets for the purposes of this division.

(2) The provisions of this division shall also apply at one or more entrances to the intersections as such entrances and intersections are established by resolution of the Council.

(3) The provisions of this division shall apply to those highway railway grade crossings as established by resolution of the Council.

('81 Code, § 10.24.060)

Statutory reference:

Power to place stop signs and designate through highways, see Cal Veh. Code § 21354

Stop signs at railroad crossings, see Cal Veh. Code § 21351.5

The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or into the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway or driveway.

('81 Code, § 10.24.070) Penalty, see § 70.99

PEDESTRIANS

(A) The City Engineer shall establish, designate and maintain crosswalks at intersections and other places by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the surface of the roadway as follows: crosswalks shall be established and maintained at all intersections within the central traffic district and at such intersections outside such district, and at other places within or outside such district where the City Engineer determines that there is particular hazard to pedestrians crossing the roadway subject to the limitation contained in division (B) of this section.

(B) Other than crosswalks at intersections, no crosswalk shall be established in any block which is less than 400 feet in length and such crosswalk shall be located as nearly as practicable at midblock.

(C) The City Engineer may place signs at or adjacent to an intersection in respect to any crosswalk directing that pedestrians shall not cross in the crosswalk so indicated.

('81 Code, § 10.24.160)

Statutory reference:

Establishment of crosswalk, see Cal. Veh. Code § 21106

No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than by a crosswalk in the central traffic district or in any business district.

('81 Code, § 10.24.170) Penalty, see § 70.99

Statutory reference:

Pedestrians rights and duties, see Cal. Veh. Code §§ 21950 et seq.

USE RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN STREETS

(A) No person shall operate any of the following vehicles in the central traffic district between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day:

(1) Any freight vehicle more than eight and one-half feet in width, with load, or any freight vehicle so loaded that any part of its load extends more than 20 feet to the front or rear of vehicle;

(2) Any vehicle carrying building material that has not been loaded, or is not to be unloaded, at some point within the central traffic district;

(3) Any vehicle conveying refuse, rubbish, garbage or dirt, excepting those official vehicles expressly used for these purposes.

(B) The City Engineer may by written permit authorize the operation of any such vehicle for the purpose of making necessary emergency deliveries to or from points within the central traffic district.

('81 Code, § 10.32.010) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall operate or drive any vehicle used for advertising purposes or any advertising vehicle equipped with a sound-amplifying or loudspeaking device upon any street or alley at any time within the city limits unless authorized to do so by the City Council.

('81 Code, § 10.32.020) Penalty, see § 70.99

No person shall drive any animal-drawn vehicle into or within the central traffic district at any time without a permit from the City Engineer.

('81 Code, § 10.32.030) Penalty, see § 70.99

(A) Whenever, by ordinance of the Council, any street or portion thereof is designated as a truck route the use of such street by any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight of three tons is thereby permitted. The City Engineer is authorized to post such streets, with appropriate signs or markings which shall be visible from a distance of 200 feet, as “truck routes” for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons.

(B) When any such truck route or routes are established and so designated by appropriate signs or markings, the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons shall drive on such route or routes. The operation of any vehicle described herein on any street or portion thereof which is not designated as a truck route is an infraction under this code.

(C) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the operator of a vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons traveling from a truck route having ingress or egress, by a direct route, to and from restricted streets when necessary for the purpose of making pick ups or deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise to or from any building, structure or lot located on such streets, or for the delivering of materials in the repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure upon such street for which a building permit has previously been issued.

(D) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:

(1) Passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission under Cal. Pub. Util. Code §§ 1031 through 1036; or

(2) Any vehicle owned, leased, or operated by a public utility or licensed contractor while necessarily in use for the purpose of construction, installation or repair of any public utility.

(E) Those streets or portions thereof established by ordinance of the Council are declared to be truck routes for the purpose of movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of three tons.

('81 Code, § 10.32.040) (Ord. 756, passed - -81) Penalty, see § 70.99

Statutory reference:

Vehicle weight limits, see Cal. Veh. Code §§ 35700 et seq.

(A) Whenever any ordinance of this city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a street the use of which is prohibited by any commercial vehicle, the City Engineer shall erect and maintain appropriate signs on those streets affected by such ordinance.

(B) Those streets and parts of streets established by ordinance of the Council are declared to be streets, the use of which by any commercial vehicle is prohibited. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission under Cal. Pub. Util. Code §§ 1031 through 1036.

('81 Code, § 10.32.050) Penalty, see § 70.99

INTERSTATE TRUCKS

For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. If any word or phrase used in this subchapter 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 California Vehicle Code, it shall have the meaning attributed to it in ordinary usage.

CALTRANS. The State Department of Transportation or its successor agency.

DIRECTOR. The Director of Public Works of the city or his authorized representative.

INTERSTATE TRUCK. A truck tractor and semitrailer or truck tractor, semitrailer and trailer with unlimited length as regulated by the California Vehicle Code.

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

('81 Code, § 10.48.010) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

The purpose of this subchapter 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.

('81 Code, § 10.48.020) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

Statutory reference:

Authority to establish access routes, see Cal. Veh. Code § 35401.5

(A) Upon receipt of the application, the Director 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 his approval of that designation, he will then determine the capability of the route requested and alternate routes, whether requested or not. Deter-mination of route capability will include, without limitation, a review of adequate turning radius and lane 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. The Director may approve, conditionally approve, or deny the application.

(B) 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 as well. 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 for trailblazer signs shall be as provided in § 71.098.

('81 Code, § 10.48.030) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

(A) Upon the approval of the terminal designa-tion and route by the city and by Caltrans, the applicant shall deposit with the city sufficient funds as estimated by the Director to pay for the purchase and installation of terminal trailblazer signs.

(B) 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. Costs for trailblazer signs may be proportioned in accordance with the procedures in division (C) of § 71.099.

('81 Code, § 10.48.040) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

(A) If all feasible routes to a requested terminal are found unsatisfactory by the Director, the applicant may request retrofitting of 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 the city.

(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.

(C) If at any time within five years from the date of completion of the retrofitting by the applicant, should any applicant seek terminal approval which would use the route upon which such retrofitting was accomplished, any such applicant's fee may include that applicant's proportionate share of the retrofitting, as determined by the Director, 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 division.

('81 Code, § 10.48.050) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

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

('81 Code, § 10.48.060) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)

(A) If the Director denies terminal designation, route feasibility or revokes a previously approved terminal or route, he shall notify the applicant in writing. The applicant, terminal owner, or other interested person, within 10 days following the date of the decision of the Director, may appeal said decision to the City Council in writing. An appeal shall be made on a form prescribed by the Director and shall be filed with the City Clerk. The appeal shall state specifically wherein there was an error or abuse of discretion by the Director or wherein its decision is not supported by the evidence in the record. Within 10 days of the filing of an appeal, the Director 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 Director, the findings of the Director, and his decision on the application.

(B) The City Clerk shall make copies of the data provided by the Director 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. The appeal shall be scheduled for Council consideration at a Council meeting not later than 24 days following receipt of the appeal. The Council may continue consideration of the appeal for good cause.

(C) If Caltrans, and not the Director, 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.

('81 Code, § 10.48.070) (Ord. 835, passed - -85)