Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 8 Preferential Parking Zones

The preferential parking requirements established in this article are intended to regulate and manage traffic and parking circulation by limiting on-street parking availability on residential streets in a manner that facilitates the ability of residents with preferential parking permits to find on-street parking for their vehicles in proximity to their residence, and promotes sufficient parking availability in a particular area when and where needed.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

The following words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the following meanings.

(a) "Dwelling unit" shall mean any self-contained house, apartment, stock cooperative, or condominium occupied solely for residential purposes.

(b) "Preferential parking zone" shall mean a residential area with streets and boundaries designated by the City Council wherein vehicles displaying a permit issued pursuant to this article shall be exempt from parking restrictions established pursuant to this article.

(c) "Resident" shall mean any person who lives in a dwelling unit located in a preferential parking zone.

(d) "Visitor" shall mean a person visiting residents living in a preferential parking zone.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

(a) Upon receipt and verification of a petition signed by residents living in two-thirds (⅔) of the dwelling units comprising at least fifty (50%) percent of the developed frontage of the area proposed for designation, the area may be designated a preferential parking zone.

(b) Upon the recommendation of City staff, the City Council shall consider areas for designation as preferential parking zones. If the Council finds that an area should receive such a designation, the Council may adopt a resolution designating the area as a preferential parking zone and then authorize the Director of Public Works, or designee, to establish appropriate parking restrictions for the zone. At a minimum, preferential parking zones shall be designated in increments of complete blocks, defined as a street segment between two (2) intersections.

(c) The City Council may, at its discretion, adopt a resolution designating an area as a preferential parking zone and then authorize the Director of Public Works, or designee, to establish appropriate parking restrictions for the zone.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

A preferential parking zone shall be dissolved by resolution of the City Council:

(a) Upon receipt and verification of a petition signed by residents living in two-thirds (⅔) of the dwelling units comprising at least fifty (50%) percent of the developed frontage of the preferential parking zone; or

(b) Upon findings by the City Council that a preferential parking zone should no longer exist for a particular area. Council has discretion with respect to the criteria to be included for such a finding.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

(a) Issuance and fees. No permit will be issued to any applicant until that applicant has paid all of his or her outstanding parking citations, including all civil penalties and related fees.

An applicant shall present proof of residency in the preferential parking zone.

Each qualified applicant is entitled to purchase one permit per vehicle, up to three (3) permits per year. The address of vehicle registration must coincide with the residence address of applicant. An applicant requesting more than three (3) permits may be granted additional permits by the Public Works Department upon showing that there are more than three (3) vehicles registered at the dwelling unit and that to deny additional permits would constitute a hardship, and upon the determination by the Public Works Department that sufficient off-street parking is not available to the applicant.

Permit fees shall cover the cost of establishing and maintaining the preferential parking zone. Permit fees shall be set by City Council resolution at the time of the preferential parking zone designation.

(b) Duration. Preferential parking permits shall remain in effect for a period of one calendar year or fraction thereof, or as long as the permit holder continues to reside in the dwelling unit for which the permit was issued, or until the preferential parking zone for which the permit was issued is dissolved, whichever period of time is less.

(c) Visitor permits. Any resident may purchase two (2) visitor permits per dwelling unit in addition to the three (3) resident permits outlined in Section 4-9.805 (a).

(d) Guest permits. The owner or owner's agent of a commercial property which is a City-designated historic landmark and which provides overnight accommodations on residentially-zoned property within a preferential parking zone may obtain one guest permit for preferential parking per guest unit. Such permits shall be in lieu of an exemption of the property's frontage from preferential parking regulations.

(e) Availability of parking. A preferential parking permit shall not guarantee or reserve for the permit holder an on-street parking space within the designated preferential parking zone.

(f) Restrictions and conditions. Each permit issued pursuant to this section shall be subject to every condition and restriction set forth in this Article and as provided for the preferential parking zone for which it was issued, as may be amended from time to time. The issuance of such permit shall not be construed to waive compliance with any other applicable parking law, regulation or ordinance.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

(a) The following vehicles are exempt from parking restrictions pursuant to this article:

(1) A vehicle owned or operated by a public or private utility, when used in the course of business.

(2) A vehicle owned or operated by a governmental agency, when used in the course of official government business.

(3) A vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol, when used in the course of business.

(4) A vehicle parked or standing while actively delivering materials or freight.

(5) A vehicle displaying an authorized exemption permit issued by the City of Simi Valley.

(6) A vehicle displaying a Disabled Person Parking Placard or Disabled Person License Plate issued by the State of California.

(7) A vehicle parked for the purpose of attending or participating in an event taking place at a school within the Simi Valley Unified School District, provided that the vehicle is parked within two (2) blocks of the school, the school has requested and received approval from the City at least fourteen (14) days before the event date, and the school distributes notices to all addresses within a two-block radius of the school. Exempt parking pursuant to this subsection (a)(6) is available for no more than five (5) events per school year for each school.

(b) All vehicles are exempt from parking restrictions pursuant to this article on the following holidays: January 1st, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25th.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

(a) The Director of Public Works and the Director of Administrative Services are authorized to adopt administrative regulations that are consistent with the purposes of this article.

(b) The Police Department shall have the authority to enforce the administrative regulations established pursuant to this article.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle adjacent to any curb in a preferential parking zone in violation of any posted or noticed prohibition or restriction, unless the person has a valid and current preferential parking permit for that vehicle, or is otherwise exempt to the extent authorized by law.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)

(a) No person shall sell, rent, or lease, or cause to be sold, rented, or leased for any value or consideration any preferential parking permit. Upon the conviction of a violation of this subsection, all permits issued to, or for the benefit of, the dwelling unit for which the sold, rented, or leased permit was authorized shall be void.

(b) No person shall buy or otherwise acquire for value or use any preferential parking except as provided in this article.

(c) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($100.00) per violation, or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(§ 1, Ord. No. 1365, eff. October 8, 2025)