Chapter 10.40 - Stopping, Standing and Parking#

10.40.010 - Applicability of regulations—More restrictive provisions.#

(a) The provisions of this division prohibiting or regulating the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times specified in this division or by resolution, 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) The provisions of this division or any resolution adopted pursuant to this division imposing a time limit on standing or parking shall not relieve any person from the duty to observe other and more restrictive provisions of the Vehicle Code or ordinances of the city prohibiting or limiting the standing or parking of vehicles in specified places or at specified times.

(Ord. 344B §10, 1978)

10.40.020 - Signposting or curb marking authority.#

The traffic and safety engineer is authorized to maintain, by appropriate signs or by paint upon the curb surface, all no-stopping zones, no-parking areas and restricted-parking areas, as defined and described in this division or established by resolution of the council.

(Ord. 344B §10.1, 1978)

10.40.030 - No-parking areas.#

No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand, park or leave standing such vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or other authorized officer, or traffic sign or signal:

(1) Within any parkway, median or divisional island unless authorized and clearly indicated with appropriate signs or markings§;

(2) In any area where the parking or stopping of any vehicle would constitute a traffic hazard or would endanger life or property;

(3) On any 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 the installation of underground utilities, or where the use of the street or highway or any other portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of this 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, that signs giving notice of such no-parking restriction are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the effective time of such no parking;

(4) At any place within 20 feet of a point on the curb immediately opposite the midblock end of a safety zone§, when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface;

(5) At any place within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection (in the central traffic district) or in any business district§ when such place is indicated by appropriate signs or by red paint upon the curb surface, provided that a bus may stop at a designated bus stop;

(6) Within 20 feet of the approach to any traffic signal, boulevard stop sign or official electric flashing device§.

(Ord. 344B §10.3, 1978)

10.40.040 - Parking beyond 72 hours.#

No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any motor vehicle, trailer, camper, recreational vehicle, mobile home or boat shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of 72 hours§. It shall constitute a violation of this section when any motor vehicle, trailer, camper, recreational vehicle, mobile home or boat is parked at or about the same location and has not been used for purposes other than to avoid a violation of this section during a 72-hour period. If the odometer, if any, during that 72-hour period has not changed more than one mile, then it shall be presumed the vehicle was moved only to avoid violating this section. This presumption may be overcome by proof of the vehicle owner or operator that said vehicle has been used for purposes other than to violate this section.

(Ord. No. 1032B, § 5, 4-23-2021; Ord. 412B §1(13)(part), 1982; Ord. 344B §10.4, 1978)

10.40.045 - Parking in city-owned parking facilities.#

No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon a city-owned parking lot for more than a consecutive period of 24 hours§.

(Ord. 610B §1, 1994)

10.40.050 - Human habitation prohibited.#

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on any street for purposes of human habitation.§

(Ord. 344B §10.5, 1978)

10.40.060 - Parking for sale or repair.#

No person shall park any vehicle upon any street for the principal purpose of:

(1) Advertising or displaying it for sale§;

(2) Greasing or repairing such vehicle except repairs necessitated by an emergency§.

(Ord. 344B §10.6, 1978)

10.40.070 - Washing or polishing on street for pay.#

No person shall wash or cause to be washed, polished or caused to be polished any vehicle or part thereof upon any public street in this city, when a charge is made for such service.§

(Ord. 344B §10.7, 1978)

10.40.080 - Parking adjacent to schools.#

(a) The traffic and safety engineer is authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon that side of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in his opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation.

(b) When official signs are erected prohibiting parking upon that side of a street adjacent to any school property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.§

(Ord. 344B §10.8, 1978)

10.40.090 - Parking on narrow streets.#

(a) The traffic and safety engineer is authorized to place signs or markings indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 20 feet§, or upon one side of the street as indicated by such signs or markings when the width of the roadway does not exceed 30 feet§.

(b) When official signs or markings prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized in subsection (a) of this section, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such signs or markings.

(Ord. 344B §10.9, 1978)

10.40.100 - Parking on grades.#

No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle unattended on a highway when upon any grade exceeding three percent (within any business or residential district) without blocking the wheels of the vehicle by turning them against the curb or by other means§.

(Ord. 344B §10.10, 1978)

10.40.110 - Peddlers and street vendors.#

(a) All mobile and stationary street vendors shall be in compliance at all times with Chapter 5.24 and section 5.04.175 of this Code.§ Violations are punishable by an administrative citation pursuant to Section 5.24.050.

(b) All peddlers and solicitors shall be in compliance at all times with Section 5.04.170 of this Code.§

(c) Nothing in this Code excuses peddlers, solicitors and street vendors from compliance with generally applicable laws, for which criminal penalties may be imposed.

(Ord. 344B §10.11, 1978; Ord. No. 997B, §§ 7, 8, 9-10-2019)

10.40.120 - Anticongestion restrictions.#

(a) Notwithstanding the limitations of Section 10.40.020, whenever the traffic and safety engineer determines that traffic congestion is likely to result from the holding of public or private assemblages, gatherings or functions, or for other reasons, he has the power and authority to order temporary signs to be erected or posted indicating that the operation, parking or standing of vehicles is prohibited on such streets and alleys§ as the traffic and safety engineer directs during such time temporary signs are in place. Such signs shall remain in place only during the existence of such emergency and the traffic and safety engineer shall cause such signs to be removed promptly thereafter.

(b) When signs authorized by the provisions of this section are in place giving notice thereof, no person shall operate, park or stand any vehicle contrary to the directions and provisions of such signs.

(Ord. 344B §10.12, 1978)

10.40.130 - Parking or standing on city property.#

(a) Whenever the traffic and safety engineer determines that the orderly and efficient conduct of the city's business requires parking or standing of vehicles on city property to be prohibited, limited or restricted, the traffic and safety engineer has the power and authority to order signs to be erected or posted indicating the parking of vehicles is thus prohibited, limited or restricted§.

(b) When signs authorized by the provisions of this section are in place giving notice thereof, no person shall operate, park or stand any vehicle contrary to the divisions or provisions of such signs.

(Ord. 513B §4, 1987: Ord. 344B §10.13, 1978)

10.40.140 - Parking on private property.#

No person shall park a vehicle in the front or side yard areas of any residentially used lot or parcel of land, except on a driveway with an impermeable surface.§

(Ord. No. 1103B, § 5, 2-24-2026; Ord. 344B §10.14, 1978)

10.40.150 - One-way street parking.#

(a) 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 traffic and safety engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking shall be prohibited upon the left-hand side of any one-way roadway of 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 upon to the curb, provided that such vehicle does not extend beyond the centerline of the street and does not block traffic thereby.

(Ord. 344B §10.15, 1978)

10.40.160 - Angle parking.#

(a) The traffic and safety engineer shall place signs or pavement markings indicating angle-parking on all streets or portions of streets the traffic and safety engineer establishes as angle-parking zones. It is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park a vehicle in angle-parking zones 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 the allotted space;

(2) With the front wheel nearest the curb within six inches of the curb.

(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 10.52.020 apply.

(Ord. 513B §5, 1987: Ord. 344B §10.16, 1978)

10.40.170 - Parking space markings.#

(a) The traffic and safety engineer is authorized to install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking spaces adjacent to curbings where authorized parking is permitted.

(b) When such parking space markings as are contemplated in subsection (a) of this section are placed on the highway, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped, left standing or parked other than within a single space§.

(Ord. 344B §10.17, 1978)

10.40.180 - No-stopping zones.#

(a) The traffic and safety engineer shall designate no-stopping zones by placing and maintaining appropriate signs indicating that stopping of vehicles is prohibited and indicating the hours and days when stopping is prohibited.

(b) During the hours and on the days designated on the signs contemplated by subsection (a) of this section, it is unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to stop the vehicle on any of the streets or parts of streets established by the safety engineer as no-stopping zones§.

(Ord. 513B §6, 1987: Ord. 344B §11.3, 1978)

10.40.190 - Alleys.#

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any alley for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or material.§

(Ord. 344B §12.3, 1978)

10.40.200 - Parking for physically handicapped persons—On-street parking.#

(a) No person shall park or stop in an on-street parking space designated for the exclusive use of vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or placard for disabled persons or disabled veteran§ issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 of the Vehicle Code, when such parking space is designated by blue paint on the curb or edge of the paved portion of the street adjacent to the space unless such person displays the distinguishing license plate or placard. Such blue curb parking spaces shall be for the exclusive use of such physically handicapped persons 24 hours a day, including Sundays and holidays.

(b) The traffic and safety engineer is authorized to designate such blue curb parking spaces at locations which he may choose in his discretion, according to his determination that the public interest warrants the designation of such spaces because of the need of physically handicapped and disabled persons to be able to find parking spaces in proximity to places of public and private business.

(c) The traffic and safety engineer shall designate such blue curb parking spaces by causing the curb to be painted. In addition, the engineer shall have erected the standard handicapped parking only sign, consisting of a profile view of a wheelchair with occupant, in white on a blue background.

(Ord. 611B §1, 1994)

10.40.210 - Parking for physically handicapped persons—Off-street parking.#

(a) No person shall park or stand a vehicle in an off-street parking facility, whether public or private which contains parking stalls or spaces for the exclusive use of vehicles which display a distinguishing license plate or a placard§ issued pursuant to Section 22511.5 of the Vehicle Code, or of disabled veterans as specified in Section 9105 of the Vehicle Code, unless the vehicle either displays such a distinguishing license plate or a placard issued for disabled person or disabled veteran pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 22511.5. For off-street parking facilities owned or controlled by the city, the engineer may designate such spaces by: (1) posting immediately adjacent thereto, and visible from each stall or space, a standard sign consisting of a profile view of a wheelchair with the occupant in white against a blue background, and (2) outlining or painting the stall or space in blue and outlining on the ground in the stall or space in white, or suitable contrasting color, a profile view depicting a wheelchair with occupant. Any person in lawful possession of an off-street parking facility that is privately owned may designate such stalls or spaces by posting the same type of sign and outlining or painting the stall or space in the same manner.

(b) The owner or person in lawful possession of an off-street parking facility, after notifying the police department, and any police officer in the case of an off-street parking facility or owned or controlled by the city, may cause the removal from such stall or space of any vehicle not displaying one of the distinguishing placards or license plates specified in this section, if there is posted immediately adjacent to and visible from such stall or space, or if there is posted in a conspicuous place at each entrance to the off-street parking facility, a sign not less than 17 inches by 22 inches in size, with lettering not less than one inch in height§, which clearly and conspicuously states the following:

Unauthorized vehicles not displaying distinguishing placards or license plates issued for physically handicapped persons will be towed away at owner's expense. Towed vehicle may be reclaimed by telephoning (916) 645-4040.

(Ord. 611B §2, 1994)

10.40.220 - Tow authority.#

A violation of this chapter may result in the immediate removal of the vehicle from the premises§ at the direction and discretion of a peace officer or a regularly employed and salaried employee enforcing parking laws and regulations.

(Ord. No. 1065B, § 5, 8-22-2023)