Soledad Municipal Code Ch. 10.04 City Traffic Code

Except as otherwise defined in this chapter, the definition of any term used in this chapter shall be the same as the definition for such term as contained in the Vehicle Code of the state and amendments thereto.

(Prior code § 14-1)

Officers of the police department or persons deputized by the chief of police shall have the power of enforcing the provisions of this chapter and such officers are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided, that in the event of fire or other emergency, police officers may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws. No person shall wilfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order, direction or signal of a police officer and it is unlawful for any persons other than an officer of the police department or persons deputized to direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand or other signal.

(Prior code § 14-2)

The city council may by resolution determine and designate the location of through highway, street and intersection stops and parking time limits within any designated area within the city. The council is authorized to direct the public works director to place, paint and maintain and cause to be placed, painted and maintained the necessary signals, markings or painted curbing in accordance with the Vehicle Code of the state and amendments thereto.

(Ord. 599 § 1, 2003: prior code § 14-3)

The chief of police is authorized, and may determine and designate the location of loading zones, bus loading zones and safety zones or the method of turning at intersections, or the location of mechanical signals. The chief of police is authorized and directed to place, paint and maintain or cause to be placed, painted or maintained the necessary signs, markers or painted curbings in accordance with the Vehicle Code of the state and amendments thereto.

Whenever the chief of police directs the placement of curb markings designating prohibitions or restrictions, only the following colors only shall be used, and the colors used to indicate as follows:

A. RED indicates no stopping, standing or parking, except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or sign posted as a bus loading zone.

B. YELLOW indicates no stopping, standing, or parking at any time between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays, for any purpose other than loading or unloading freight onto or from a commercial vehicle, or passengers, in an expeditious manner, and in no case for more than twenty minutes for loading or unloading freight onto or from a commercial vehicle nor for more than three minutes for loading or unloading passengers, except as otherwise indicated by signs placed pursuant to this chapter.

C. WHITE indicates no stopping, standing, or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading passengers or depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox in an expeditious manner, and in no case for more than three minutes. This restriction shall be effective between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays, except that it shall be effective at all times in front of a police station, fire station, hospital, mailbox, post office, hotel, or theatre open for business, except as otherwise indicated by posted signs.

D. GREEN indicates no stopping, standing or parking, for a period of time greater than that indicated by adjacent signing or stenciling on the curb, between the hours indicated by adjacent signing, or at any time, for any day, and except as otherwise indicated by posted signs.

E. BLUE indicates parking limited exclusively to the vehicles of physically handicapped persons.

(Ord. 599 § 2, 2003: prior code § 14-4)

The city council may, from time to time, after conducting a public hearing, designate by resolution, certain streets for diagonal parking. Any such designation should be in compliance with the applicable provisions of Vehicle Code Section 22503.

(Ord. 546 § 2, 1995)

A. The city council may from time to time, by resolution, prohibit or restrict the parking or standing of vehicles on certain streets or highways, or portions thereof, within the city during all or certain hours of the day, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 22507 and 22508 of the Vehicle Code of the state; provided, that no such resolution prohibiting or restricting parking on a state highway shall be adopted until it has been submitted to and approved by the Department of Transportation of the state as required by Section 22506 of the Vehicle Code. With the exception of alleys, no such resolution shall apply until signs or markings giving adequate notice thereof have been placed.

B. No person shall park any vehicle having a manufacturer's gross weight rating of ten thousand pounds or more, or which is more than twenty feet in length, in any city parking lot.

C. No person shall park any vehicle in any city parking lot for more than twelve consecutive hours, except in designated city park and ride lot(s). The hours of the city's park and ride lot(s) shall be as determined by resolution of the city council from time to time

D. Except to the extent necessary for the loading and unloading of passengers or goods and for the provision of services, no person shall park any commercial vehicle having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds or more on any street in any area zoned for residential use.

E. Commercial vehicles, including trailers and semi-trailers, may be parked on any street in any area zoned for industrial/commercial use; provided, that the city council may, by resolution, enact regulations establishing time limitations on such parking.

F. It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park, or to leave stopped, standing or parked, any trailer, semi-trailer or other non-motorized vehicle on any street, highway, alley, public parking lot or other property owned or controlled by the city, unless the same is connected to a motor vehicle. For purposes of this section, "semi-trailer" is defined as a vehicle designed for the carrying of persons or property, used in conjunction with a motor vehicle, and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests upon, or is carried by, another vehicle.

G. It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park, or to leave stopped, standing or parked, on any street or on any public or private property within the city any vehicle or trailer used for the collection, transportation or disposal of human waste or of any other type of "hazardous waste," as that term is defined in Section 25117 of the California Health and Safety Code; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the temporary parking of portable toilet facilities when the same are allowed or required under the terms of a permit issued by the city for a special event of a temporary nature, or when the same are required for the use of persons working on construction projects in the city.

H. Except to the extent necessary for the loading and unloading of materials and for the provision of services, no person shall park or leave standing on any street or on any public or private property in the city any vehicle carrying as cargo any explosive substance, or any flammable or combustible liquid or gas, or any poisonous gas.

I. When the use of a street or portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street, or for the installation of underground utilities, and when signs are in place giving notice thereof, no person shall park any vehicle on such street or portion thereof.

J. It is unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle upon any private property, or upon property used for private parking purposes, without the consent of the owner of such property, the person entitled to the possession thereof for the time being, or the authorized agent of either; provided, that signs specifying conditions under which parking is permitted shall be approved both as to wording and posting by the police department.

K. When a vehicle is parked or left standing in violation of any provision of this section, any member of the police department authorized by the chief of police may remove such vehicle in the manner provided in, and subject to the requirements of, Sections 22651, 22651.5, 22852 and 22853 of the Vehicle Code of the state.

L. Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or when directed by a traffic officer or official direction sign or marking, no person shall stop or park a vehicle in any of the following places:

1. In a roadway other than parallel with the curb and with the right-hand wheels of the vehicle within eighteen inches of the regularly established curbline, except upon those have been marked for angle parking as determined by resolution, duly passed and adopted by the city council;

2. In any loading zone for a period longer than is necessary for the loading or unloading of passengers or material;

3. Upon the paved or main traveled portion of any roadway when it is practicable to stay or park such vehicle off such part or portion of such roadway;

4. Upon any roadway unless at least fourteen feet of width of the paved or improved or main traveled portion of such roadway opposite such stopped, parked or standing vehicle is left clear and unobstructed for the free passage of other vehicles.

M. Any resolution of the city council adopted pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section, which prohibits or restricts parking on certain streets within the city, may include a provision for preferential parking privileges for adjacent residents and merchants to whom a parking permit has been issued, as authorized by Section 22507 of the Vehicle Code of the state. If such provision is included, adjacent residents and merchants to whom a permit is issued shall not be subject to parking prohibitions or restrictions set forth in the resolution. Such a permit shall be issued to those entitled thereto by the chief of police, free of charge except to the extent necessary to cover the administrative cost involved. A permit so issued shall be personal to the permittee, shall be nontransferable, and shall expire when the permittee no longer qualifies for the preference as an adjacent resident or merchant. The permit shall be valid only when it is displayed prominently in or on a vehicle owned by the permittee so that it is readily visible from the street. It is unlawful for anyone other than the permittee to use or display such a permit on a vehicle parked in a location subject to the permit.

N. It is in unlawful for a person to park or leave standing any recreational vehicle on any public street, alley or public way within any residential district in the city. For purposes of this subsection N, "recreational vehicle" means a motor home, travel trailer, truck camper, camping trailer, or other vehicle or trailer, with or without motor power, designed or altered for human habitation for recreational, emergency, or other human occupancy. "Recreational vehicle" specifically includes, but it not limited to: a "recreational vehicle" as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18010; a "truck camper" as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 18013.4; a "camp trailer" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 242; a "camper" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 243; a "fifth wheel travel trailer" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 324; a "house car" as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 362; a "trailer coach" as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 635; a van camper; or a van conversion. This prohibition shall not apply to the following:

1. Recreational vehicles parked for not more than twenty-four consecutive hours if parked adjacent to the owner's residence for the purposes of loading, unloading, cleaning, battery-charging, or other activity preparatory or incidental to travel;

2. Recreational vehicles left standing as a result of a mechanical breakdown so as to allow the performance of emergency repairs on the vehicle for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours.

For purposes of this section N, a violation of this section shall be an infraction, punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars for the first violation, a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars for a second violation within one year, and a fine not exceeding five hundred for each additional violation of the same provision within the same year.

(Ord. 616 § 1, 2005; Ord. 510 § 1 (Exbt. A), 1991: Ord. 503 §§ 1 through 4, 1991; amended during 1986 codification; prior code § 14-14)

(Ord. No. 705, § 2, 1-4-2017)

Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the police department or any peace officer may remove a vehicle from a street under the following circumstances:

A. When a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a street for seventy-two or more consecutive hours;

B. When a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a street when such parking or standing is prohibited by ordinance or resolution of the city council and signs are posted giving notice of such removal;

C. When any vehicle is parked or left standing upon a street where the use of such street or portion thereof is necessary for: (1) the cleaning, repair, or construction of the street, or (2) for the installation or repair of underground utilities, or (3) where the use of the street or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic, or (4) where the use of the street or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles, or structures of unusual size and parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the removal;

D. When any vehicle is parked or left standing in violation of the provisions of Vehicle Code Section 22651.

(Ord. 599 § 3, 2003)

The provisions of this chapter regulating the movement, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to emergency vehicles of any political subdivision of the state or of a public utility, while the driver of any such vehicle is engaged in the necessary performance of public emergency duties.

(Prior code § 14-15)

A. Repairing, rebuilding or constructing any vehicle on any public street, highway or alley within the city, except to the extent that may be reasonably necessary temporarily to repair such vehicle in order to remove it from the street, highway or alley, is prohibited.

B. Open flares shall be used for the purpose of attracting attention to barriers or obstructions within the roadway.

(Prior code § 14-16)

A. Upon the basis of an engineering and traffic survey by the city engineer, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 22358 of the Vehicle Code of the state, it is found and determined that the following prima facie speed limit upon a portion of Front Street in the city is most appropriate to facilitate the orderly movement of traffic on such street and is reasonable and safe and the following speed is the prima facie speed limit for that portion of Front Street: from a point fifty feet southerly of the centerline of Encinal Street to the northerly city limit, thirty-five miles per hour.

B. Appropriate signs giving notice of the foregoing prima facie speed limit shall be erected, or the existing signs maintained by the State Division of Highways shall be retained, at the locations where the existing speed limit signs of the State Division of Highways stand as of the effective date of the ordinance from which this section derives, such locations being in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(Prior code § 14-17)

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 21354 of the Vehicle Code of the state the entire length of Front Street in the city is designated as a through highway and stop signs shall be erected, or the stop signs existing as of the effective date of the ordinance from which this section derives, maintained by the State Division of Highways, shall be retained, at all entrances thereto, except at the northerly and southerly city limits.

(Prior code § 14-18)

It shall be unlawful for any person to park a vehicle on any public street or alley in violation of any resolution adopted by the city council restricting the parking of vehicles during all or certain hours of the day.

(Ord. 506 § 1, 1991)