Visalia Municipal Code Ch. 10.20 Miscellaneous Traffic Rules

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. (Prior code § 3007(a))

No person shall attach himself with his hands, or to catch on, or hold onto with his hands or by other means, to any moving vehicle or train for the purpose of receiving motive power therefrom. (Prior code § 3007(b))

A. No person shall operate or drive a commercial vehicle in, on or across any private driveway approach or sidewalk area or the driveway itself without the consent of the owner or occupant of the property, if a sign or markings are in place indicating that the use of such driveway is prohibited.

B. For the purpose of this section, a commercial vehicle shall mean a vehicle having a rated capacity in excess of one-half ton. (Prior code § 3007(c))

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 said sidewalk area be substantially protected by wooden planks two inches thick, and written permission be previously obtained from the city manager. Such wooden planks shall not be permitted to remain upon such sidewalk area during the hours from six p.m. to six a.m. (Prior code § 3007(d))

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, cone marker 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. (Prior code § 3007(e))

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 manager, 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. (Prior code § 3007(f))

No operator of any vehicle shall enter any intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic-control signal indication to proceed. (Prior code § 3007(g))

No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are lawfully established. (Prior code § 3007(h))

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. (Prior code § 3007(i))

No person shall operate a vehicle contrary to directions or provisions of any barrier or sign erected: (a) pursuant to the provisions of any ordinance of the city; or (b) by any public utility; or (c) by any department of the city; or (d) by any other person pursuant to law or contract with the city, nor shall any unauthorized person move or alter the position of any such barrier or sign. (Prior code § 3007(j))

A. All property owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the city is, by authority of this chapter, subject to provisions of Sections 21113 and 22651 “n” of the California Vehicle Code.

B. When the city manager has determined that a particular portion of city property mentioned in subsection (A) of this section is open to vehicular or pedestrian travel, and that the regulation of pedestrian and vehicular travel are necessary, the city manager shall authorize the posting of said property in accordance with this chapter.

C. When authorized signs are erected in place giving notice of particular restriction on said property and any hours of limited enforcement, no operator of any vehicle shall drive, park or leave standing said vehicle in any area restricted or regulated, except in accordance with the posted regulation.

D. When authorized signs are erected in place giving notice of particular restriction on said property and any hours of limited enforcement, no rider of any bicycle, unicycle or other wheeled contrivance shall drive, ride, park or leave standing said bicycle, unicycle or other wheeled contrivance except in accordance with posted regulation.

E. When authorized signs are erected in place giving notice of a particular prohibition or restriction on said property and any hours of limited enforcement, no person shall walk, trespass, stand, loiter, drive or ride through any area where such passage, standing, loitering, driving or riding is prohibited or restricted.

F. 1. Violation of subsections (C) and (D) of this section shall constitute an infraction and be punishable according to provisions of Section 10.16.230(C).

2. In addition to the punishment indicated in subsection (F)(1) of this section, if the property is posted indicating a tow-away zone, the vehicle may be towed from the property at the registered owner's expense.

G. Violation of subsection (E) of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor, subject to penalties in accordance with Section 1.12.010. (Ord. 9605 § 24, 1996: prior code § 3010.1)

Any person damaging transit property shall report such damage to the risk manager of the city immediately and may be fully responsible to the city for any expense required to repair such damage. (Prior code § 3011(h))

A. All shops, garages, equipment, and facilities at or upon transit property are expressly for operation of transit business. No employee shall use these facilities, equipment or tools for other than transit business. No person, other than the employees, shall make use of these facilities, or loiter around such premises, without specific permission of the city manager or his designee.

B. No person shall transport or deliver fuel on transit property to any transit vehicles on or off transit property unless said persons are holders of a valid contract, purchase order, or agreement with the city authorizing them to do so. (Prior code § 3011(i))

Transit shall take charge or custody of all lost or unclaimed property which is turned over to or comes into the possession of transit, and shall retain the possession thereof. All persons shall turn over to the city manager or his designee any lost or unclaimed property which is found in or about transit buses or transit property. (Prior code § 3011(j))

No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad grade crossing while such gate or barrier is closed or is being opened or closed. (Prior code § 3013(a))

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 purpose of travel for a period of time longer than ten minutes; except, that this provision shall not apply to railway trains, cars or similar vehicles on rails while blocking or obstructing a crossing because of an accident which requires the operator of the train, car or similar vehicle on rails to stop at or near the scene of the accident. (Prior code § 3013(b))

A. No person shall move or operate upon any of the city streets any vehicle with a load or loads in excess of those permitted by the Vehicle Code without a written permit from the city manager.

B. The city manager may, by written permit, authorize a load or loads in excess of those allowed for in the Vehicle Code, if, in his judgment, the streets upon which such vehicle is to be operated can safely withstand the additional weight, or if the applicant will guarantee to the city that all costs of repair to the streets or to the public property of the city damaged by the movement of such load or loads will be paid in full. Such permit shall be granted upon such conditions and upon depositing such bond as the city manager in his discretion may require. (Prior code § 3015(a))

No person shall operate over the city streets any vehicle, piece of equipment or machinery which has lugs, cleats, flanges, or other projections on the wheels or tracks. If the tread of the track has projections or corrugations, a filler block may be placed on each section so that a flat bearing surface will be in contact with the pavement at all times. (Prior code § 3015(b))

A. It is unlawful for any person to ride or operate any motorcycle, motor bike or all-terrain vehicle of any kind on any private property, or unoccupied public property, within one-half mile of any school, hospital, convalescent home, public park or residential area, except upon a regularly established private road, driveway or parking lot appurtenant to a structure on that property.

B. It is unlawful for any person to operate any motor vehicle of any kind on the river bed, islands, banks, levees or the area located between the levees, within the city limits of the city or St. John's River, Millcreek or other natural water course within the city limits. (Ord. 9807 § 2 (part), 1998)

Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall govern the interpretation of the provisions of this chapter:

“All-terrain vehicle” means a motor vehicle which is designed for operation off of the highway by an operator with no passengers, is fifty (50) inches or less in width, is six hundred (600) pounds or less in unladen weight, is suspended on three or four low-pressure tires, has a single seat designed to be straddled by the operator, and has handlebars for steering control as defined by Section 111 of the California Vehicle Code.

“Motor bike” means any motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with a motor which produces less than fifteen (15) gross brake horsepower, and every bicycle with motor attached as defined by Section 405 of the California Vehicle Code.

“Motorcycle” means a motor vehicle other than a tractor having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and weighing less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) pounds as defined by Section 400 of the California Vehicle Code.

“Motor vehicle” means any vehicle which is self-propelled as defined by Section 415 of the California Vehicle Code.

“Residential area” means any area one-quarter mile in depth abutting a public or private road, and one-quarter mile in length measured along such road, which contains any apartment house(s), condominium(s), multiple unit dwelling structure(s), or four or more residences of any kind or combination.

“Within one-half mile of” means the distance measured from that part of a school, hospital, convalescent home, park or residential area closest to the point of operation of a motorcycle, motor bike or all-terrain vehicle. (Ord. 9807 § 2 (part), 1998)

The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to the following:

A. The use of any motor vehicle operated on any private property by the owner of such property, his or her employee or invitee, when such motor vehicle is engaged in farming or other actions in the course and operation which are part of a lawful business or commercial activity.

B. The use of any motor vehicle engaged in the inspection, maintenance and/or repair of a river bed or levee. (Ord. 9807 § 2 (part), 1998)

Any violation of this chapter is declared to be a public nuisance. (Ord. 9807 § 2 (part), 1998)

Except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful for any person to drive any motor vehicle in or upon any property open to and intended for use by the public or the patrons of an adjacent business, commercial, industrial, entertainment or recreational establishment or public facility of any kind without having in his possession a valid operator's license issued in accordance with the California Vehicle Code or in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. This section shall not apply to any property or portion thereof being used for a special event with the express permission of the owner or his representative and from which the public has been temporarily excluded, nor shall it apply to a public highway or to any act prohibited by the Vehicle Code or other law of the State of California. (Prior code § 3351)

No person shall operate or park a motor vehicle on private property without the express permission of the property owner or the person in lawful possession of the property. (Prior code § 3500)

A. The property owner or person in lawful possession of the property shall erect authorized signs giving notice of the particular violation and the hours of enforcement.

Example: “Private Property - Customer Parking Only. No driving, stopping, or parking between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Violators will be cited or towed at the owners expense. Visalia City Ordinance 8920, CVC 22658, Visalia Police Department. 738-3257.”

B. Authorized signs shall be a minimum of seventeen (17) inches by twenty-two (22) inches, with one-inch letters, posted adjacent to the entrances. These signs may be erected in such a position to prevent vandalism or theft. The property owner or person in lawful possession of the property shall have on file with the police department a signed consent form authorizing the police department to enforce said ordinance. (Prior code § 3501)

A. Violation of any provision of Sections 10.20.190 through 10.20.194 shall be an infraction and shall be punishable as follows:

1. Upon the first conviction by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00);

2. A second conviction within a period of one year after the first conviction by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00);

3. For a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one year after the second violation by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00);

4. For purposes of this subsection, the bail forfeiture shall be deemed to be a conviction of the offense charged.

B. A violation of the provisions of Sections 10.20.210 or 10.20.220 shall be an infraction punished as follows:

1. The minimum penalty for a first conviction of parking is a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) fine;

2. For a second violation occurring within one year of a prior violation that resulted in conviction, a fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00);

3. For a third or any subsequent violation occurring within one year of two or more prior violations resulting in convictions, a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00). (Ord. 9807 § 2 (part), 1998; prior code § 3502)