Walnut Creek Municipal Code Art. 3 Enforcement and Obedience to Traffic Regulations

Officers of the Police Department or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided, that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)

No person other than an officer of the Police Department or a person authorized by the City or a person authorized by law shall direct, or attempt to direct, traffic by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate, when and as provided in this chapter, any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the City Transportation Engineer.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)

Section 1-2.01 of the Walnut Creek Municipal Code shall not apply to this chapter. Unless otherwise indicated, it shall be an infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required by this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978, as amended by § 1, Ord. 1383, eff. August 14, 1978)

It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other officer or employee of the City in his enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The removal, obliteration or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police officer or other employee or officer of the city in connection with the enforcement of parking regulations of this chapter shall constitute such interference or obstruction.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978, as amended by § 1, Ord. 1383, eff. August 14, 1978; § 9, Ord. 1712, eff. 12/1/1988)

a. The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of the Police or Fire Department, or any public utility vehicle or private ambulance which has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified in the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

b. Such exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

c. The provisions of this chapter regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a City department used for official City business, public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work, or any vehicle owned by the United States while actually engaged in the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail.

d. The City Manager is authorized to issue special parking permits which, when displayed on a vehicle, exempt the vehicle from provisions of this chapter regulating the parking or standing of vehicles.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)

Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the Police Department may remove or cause to be removed:

a. Any vehicle which has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two or more consecutive hours;

b. Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. when such parking or standing is prohibited by ordinance or resolution and "tow away" signs are posted giving notice of such removal; and

c. Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway, or a portion thereof, is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or for the installation of underground utilities, or where the use of the street or highway, or any portion thereof, is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic, or where the use of the street or highway, or any portion thereof, is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, however, that "tow away" signs giving notice that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the removal.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, this state, or any county, City, district or other public entity or corporation, and it shall be unlawful for any such driver to violate any of the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by the Vehicle Code.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)

Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(§ 1, Ord. 1338, eff. February 2, 1978)