Ventura Municipal Code Ch. 16.215 STOPPING, STANDING AND PARKING ON CERTAIN STREETS Revised

A. Application of Chapter. The provisions of this chapter prohibiting the standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times herein specified or as indicated on official signs except when it is necessary to stop a vehicle to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device.

B. Regulations Not Exclusive. The provisions of this chapter imposing a time limit on parking shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions prohibiting or limiting the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times. (Code 1971, § 7231)

When signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any street posted with an authorized sign. (Code 1971, § 7232)

A. Signs Designating Hours. When signs are erected in each block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle between the hours specified by sign on any day except Sundays and public holidays upon any of the streets so posted.

B. Twenty-Four-Minute Parking. When authorized signs, parking meters or green curb markings have been determined by the public works director, or designee, to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle adjacent to any such legible curb marking or sign or parking meter in violation thereof for a period of time longer than 24 minutes.

C. Forty-Minute Parking. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the public works director, or designee, to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle during certain hours of any day as posted for a period of time longer than 40 minutes.

D. Time Restricted Parking. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the public works director, or designee, to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle during certain hours of any day as posted for a period of time longer than the time limit shown on the sign, parking meter or curb marking.

E. Downtown Business Vehicle Permit Parking. Notwithstanding the parking restrictions of this section, and when determined by the public works director, or designee, vehicles used exclusively for business activity under the control of and licensed to a business which is located within the downtown parking district may receive a preferential business vehicle parking permit to park in public parking facilities where a time limit or paid parking restriction is posted. Permits may be obtained from the city by completing an application. Business vehicle permits will be issued for a specific off-street parking lot or facility based upon parking lot or facility utilization, location of business, impact to adjacent uses and retail activity, and other essential factors determined by the public works director, or designee. The required application shall include, at minimum, a valid California Department of Motor Vehicles registration showing that the address of the registered owner meets the requirements of this section. No more than two reserved spaces per licensed business will be issued. Each space shall be assigned to a single registered vehicle and will be restricted to a particular location within the lot or facility as shown on the permit and associated application. A fee will be charged in accordance with the city’s fee schedule as adopted in accordance with Chapter 4.200. The permit will remain valid for one year.

F. One-Hour or Two-Hour Parking in Certain School Neighborhoods. When authorized signs, parking meters or curb markings have been determined by the public works director, or designee, to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle on any portion of a local street that is within a one-quarter-mile radius of a high school or college for a period of time longer than one hour or two hours, as posted, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for high schools and 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. for colleges of any day that the nearby high school or college is holding classes. Notwithstanding the parking restrictions of this section, residents on those streets where a parking restriction is posted contiguous to their residence pursuant to this section may receive a preferential parking permit. Permits may be obtained from the city by completing an application. The required application shall include, at minimum, a valid California Department of Motor Vehicles registration showing the address of the registered owner as meeting the requirements of this section. No more than three permits will be issued per parcel. Each permit will require a separate registered vehicle to which it is assigned. A fee will be charged in accordance with the city’s fee schedule as adopted in accordance with Chapter 4.200, and the permit will remain valid for two years.

G. One-Hour or Two-Hour Parking in Certain Medical District Neighborhoods. When authorized signs, parking meters, or curb markings have been determined by the public works director, or designee, to be necessary and are in place giving notice thereof, no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle on any portion of a local street that is within a one-quarter-mile radius of a medical district for a period of time longer than one hour or two hours, as posted, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any work day that the nearby hospital or medical offices are open. For purposes of this section, “medical district” is defined as a hospital of more than 10 beds or where for a minimum of two contiguous blocks, 50 percent or more of the businesses are occupied by medical related offices or facilities. Notwithstanding the parking restrictions of this section, residents on those streets where a parking restriction is posted contiguous to their residence pursuant to this section may receive a preferential parking permit. Permits may be obtained from the city by completing an application. The required application shall include, at minimum, a valid California Department of Motor Vehicles registration showing the address of the registered owner as meeting the requirements of this section. No more than one permit per residential unit will be issued plus up to four limited time visitor parking permits per year. Visitor parking permits may be issued for up to seven consecutive days only. If a residential unit has no feasible on-site parking, up to two permits may be issued. Each permit will require at least one registered vehicle to which it is assigned and may be restricted to a particular street or neighborhood. A fee will be charged in accordance with the city’s fee schedule as adopted in accordance with Chapter 4.200. The permit will remain valid for two years. Visitor permits may be obtained at no charge if obtained with a regular residential permit.

H. Special Event or Construction Permits. The public works director, or designee, is authorized to issue special permits to reserve parking spaces for special events or activities related to construction or maintenance. A daily fee will be charged to the permittee.

I. Downtown Residential Parking Permits. Notwithstanding the parking restrictions of this section and when determined by the public works director, or designee, residents within the downtown parking district on those streets or in public parking lots where a time limit or paid parking restriction is posted may receive a preferential residential parking permit. Permits may be obtained from the city by completing an application. Residential permits will be issued based upon on-street utilization, off-street utilization, impact from nonresidential uses, impact to neighborhood commercial and retail activity, existing land uses, size or density of residential units, nonconforming uses and other essential factors determined by the public works director, or designee. The required application shall include, at minimum, a valid California Department of Motor Vehicles registration showing the address of the registered owner as meeting the requirements of this section. No more than one permit per residential unit will be issued plus up to four limited time visitor parking permits per year. Visitor parking permits may be issued for up to seven consecutive days only. If a residential unit has no feasible on-site parking, up to two permits may be issued depending on the factors listed above for determination by the public works director, or designee. Each permit will require at least one registered vehicle to which it is assigned and may be restricted to a particular street or area. A fee will be charged in accordance with the city’s fee schedule as adopted in accordance with Chapter 4.200. The permit will remain valid for two years. (Code 1971, § 7233; Ord. No. 2009-002, § 5, 1-12-09; Ord. No. 2012-004, § 1, 1-23-12; Ord. No. 2026-007, § 1, 4-28-26)

A. During the hours and on the days designated on posted signs, it will be unlawful for any person to repark a vehicle on any of the streets or parts of streets established by city council resolution, or as otherwise provided by this code, as time restricted parking areas.

B. A person violates this section if, once a vehicle has been parked or left standing upon a posted street for the allowable parking time, it is not moved from its initial parking place for a minimum of four hours before being again parked on such posted street or portion thereof. (Ord. No. 2001-07, § 2, 4-23-01)

A. Subject to other and more restrictive limitations, a vehicle may be stopped or parked within 18 inches of the left-hand curb facing in the direction of traffic movement upon any one-way street unless signs are in place prohibiting such stopping or standing.

B. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left-hand side of such one-way roadway unless signs are in place permitting such standing or parking.

C. The city traffic engineer, with the approval of the city manager, is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the left-hand side of any one-way street or when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left-hand side of any one-way roadway or a highway having two or more separate roadways and shall erect signs giving notice thereof.

D. The requirement of parallel parking imposed by this section shall not apply in the event any commercial vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading freight or goods, in which case such vehicle may be backed up to the curb; provided, that such vehicle does not extend beyond the center line of the street and does not block traffic thereby. (Code 1971, § 7234)

A. On any of the streets or portions of streets upon which the city traffic engineer, with the approval of the city manager, has determined that angle parking shall be permitted, and signs or pavement markings are in place indicating such angle parking, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park said vehicle except:

1. At the angle to the curb indicated by signs or pavement markings allotting space to parked vehicles and entirely within the limits of said allotted space;

2. With the front wheel nearest the curb within six inches of said curb; except that if “back-in parking only” signs or markings are in place on a street or portion thereof, then the rear wheel nearest the curb shall be within six inches of said curb on such street or portion thereof that is marked or posted with such “back-in parking only” signs or markings.

B. The provisions of this section shall not apply when such vehicle is actually engaged in the process of loading or unloading passengers, freight or goods, in which event the provisions applicable in Section 16.230.020 shall be complied with.

C. The provisions of subsection (A)(2) of this section which require that the front or rear wheel of a vehicle nearest the curb must be within six inches of the curb shall not apply to a vehicle whose bumper nearest to the curb when parking is lower than the height of the adjacent curb. In the case of such a vehicle, some part of the front or rear bumper that is nearest to the curb shall be within six inches of the adjacent curb. All other provisions of this section shall apply to such a vehicle. (Code 1971, § 7235)

A. The city traffic engineer is authorized to install and maintain parking stall markings to indicate parking stalls where authorized parking is permitted.

B. A “parking stall” shall be defined as a space intended for the stopping of a vehicle either running or not and either occupied or not occupied. The parking stall shall have clearly recognizable markings indicating its size and the intended orientation of the vehicle within the parking stall.

C. It is a violation of this code for any vehicle, not otherwise exempt by the provisions of this code, to be stopped or parked in a manner which is:

1. Outside the recognizable markings of the parking stall; or

2. Extending outside of the limits or beyond the limits of the recognizable markings of the parking stall presenting a hazard to traffic; or

3. In a manner where it is perpendicular to the intended orientation of the vehicle using the parking stall.

D. Any violation of this section shall be an infraction pursuant to Section 1.150.030 and subject to punishment in accordance with Section 1.150.040. In the event any vehicle parked in violation of this section presents a hazard to the traveling public, such vehicle may be removed and impounded for safekeeping.

E. The provisions of this section shall apply to any:

1. Public roadway or highway; or

2. Private roadway wherein the owner thereof has requested the provisions of the Vehicle Code and the city’s municipal code to apply, and the city has consented to such enforcement; or

3. Off-street parking facility; or

4. Public parking lot or structure;

as the same are defined in this title of this code. (Code 1971, § 7236; Ord. No. 2022-007, § 2, 6-27-22)

The city traffic engineer, with the approval of the city manager, shall designate established no-stopping zones by placing and maintaining appropriate signs indicating that stopping of vehicles is prohibited and indicating the hours and day when stopping is prohibited.

During the hours and on the days designated on the signs, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop said vehicle on any of the streets or parts of streets established by resolution of the council as no-stopping zones. (Code 1971, § 7237)