Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 7 Emergency Vehicle Parking and Restrictions on City Parking Lots

The provisions of this Chapter 9 regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles, except for Section 4-9.601 (relating to mobile billboards) shall not apply to Authorized Emergency Vehicles while on duty or vehicles authorized by the City Engineer or such other City official as may be authorized by the City Manager for construction, repair or maintenance of public or private property. As to Section 4-9.601, that provision shall not apply to authorized vehicles displaying messages specifically approved and controlled by the City, and only such messages that the City Engineer or such other City official as may be authorized by the City Manager finds are necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents and visitors to the City, and that are narrowly tailored for this purpose and do not contain any other content. If any authorized vehicle displays a message beyond the scope of this authority, the authorized vehicle will lose its City authorization.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1260, eff. August 25, 2016 as amended by § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1320, eff. March 22, 2021 and § 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1321, eff. May 6, 2021)

For purposes of this Chapter, "Authorized Emergency Vehicle" has the meaning provided by Section 165 of the California Vehicle Code which states:

165. An authorized emergency vehicle is:

(a) Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to operate in response to emergency calls.

(b) Any publicly owned vehicle operated by the following persons, agencies, or organizations:

(1) Any federal, state, or local agency, department, or district employing peace officers as that term is defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Part 2 of Title 3 of the Penal Code, for use by those officers in the performance of their duties.

(2) Any forestry or fire department of any public agency or fire department organized as provided in the Health and Safety Code.

(c) Any vehicle owned by the state, or any bridge and highway district, and equipped and used either for fighting fires, or towing or servicing other vehicles, caring for injured persons, or repairing damaged lighting or electrical equipment.

(d) Any state-owned vehicle used in responding to emergency fire, rescue, or communications calls and operated either by the Office of Emergency Services or by any public agency or industrial fire department to which the Office of Emergency Services has assigned the vehicle.

(e) Any vehicle owned or operated by any department or agency of the United States government when the vehicle is used in responding to emergency fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls or is actively engaged in law enforcement work.

(f) Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1260, eff. August 25, 2016)

(a) The City Manager, in consultation with the City Engineer as the City Manager may deem necessary or advisable, may establish and cause to be posted with appropriate signage, parking, standing or stopping restrictions on City-owned or controlled parking lots. These parking, standing or stopping restrictions are authorized under California Vehicle Code (CVC) 21113, 22511.8 and 22519. Under this delegation to the City Manager, such restrictions may include limits as to time, prohibitions regarding overnight parking during certain hours, vehicle weight, vehicle type, restrictions applicable to specific parking lots and specific parking spaces, including the reservation thereof for designated City employees and officials, exemptions for government vehicles and employees, restrictions on particular days and exemptions for those issued temporary parking permits by the City. The City Council may establish additional or different parking restrictions by resolution from time to time. Whether established by the City Manager or the City Council, such restrictions shall be placed on file with the City Clerk.

(b) A violation of Section 4-9.703(a) of this Chapter is subject to civil penalties, and may be prosecuted as an infraction or a misdemeanor. The amount of the civil penalty will be specified by the City Council through the parking fine resolution. Any vehicle in violation of Section 4-9.703(a) may be removed pursuant to CVC 22651 and 22652, and a post-impound hearing pursuant to CVC 22852 will be provided upon request according to the procedures set forth in SVMC 4-9.604.

(§ 1 (Exh. A), Ord. No. 1260, eff. August 25, 2016 as amended by § 3, Ord. No. 1283, eff. February 8, 2018)