Borough of Chambersburg, PA On-Street Parking

Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Art. VII, Interpretation.

The Borough of Chambersburg shall, for the purpose of providing safe and effective places to temporarily store personal and business vehicles, permit, in certain zones and areas, parking on streets, alleys and byways. Such parking shall comply with all lawful ordinances, codes, laws, rules, and regulations of the Borough and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which are now in effect or hereafter enacted.

A vehicle operator shall not be permitted to stop, stand, or park any vehicle upon the roadways of the Borough of Chambersburg, except:

(1)

When necessary to avoid conflict with pedestrian, vehicular, or bicycle traffic;

(2)

To protect the safety of any person or vehicle;

(3)

As permitted by this Article VII;

(4)

In compliance with any other local law, rule, or traffic-control device; or

(5)

At the direction of a police officer or other official permitted to direct traffic.

On-street parking may be permitted along the edge or curb of a street except that on-street parking shall not be:

(1)

Facing in the opposite direction of the flow of traffic of the adjacent travel lane;

(2)

Partially or entirely upon a sidewalk;

(3)

Within an intersection;

(4)

Within any marked or unmarked crosswalk;

(5)

Outside of a marked parking stall;

(6)

Between a safety or construction zone and the adjacent curb within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety or construction zone, unless a different length is indicated by official traffic-control devices;

(7)

Within 30 feet of a public street intersection;

(8)

Within the clear sight triangle as defined in Article XI of this Chapter 286;

(9)

Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing, or parking would obstruct other traffic;

(10)

Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel;

(11)

On any railroad tracks;

(12)

In the area between roadways of a divided highway, including crossovers;

(13)

At any place where official signs prohibit stopping or standing.

Parking spaces may be equipped with parking meters pursuant to Article IV of this Chapter 286.

No vehicle over 21 feet in length may park in any on-street parking space. No vehicle registered as or contributing a mobile home or camper may park in any on-street parking space unless the vehicle is 21 feet or less in length. No trailer or hitch may be parked in any on-street parking space unless it is connected to a motor vehicle and the sum of the length of the motor vehicle and trailer or hitch is 21 feet or less. No unregistered or uninsured vehicle may be parked in any on-street parking space. No vehicle creating or being a nuisance in fact may be parked in any on-street parking space. The prohibitions of this Subsection E shall be subject to the following exceptions:

(1)

The vehicle is approved for on-street maintenance or construction;

(2)

The vehicle is approved by the Borough for temporary adjacent construction activities, and which on-street parking approval shall not be for a period longer than 30 days;

(3)

The on-street space is occupied by a roll-off dumpster of a size and design approved by the Borough Engineer, and which on-street parking approval shall not be for a period longer than 30 days;

(4)

The vehicle has permission from the Police Chief, or his/her designee, or the Borough Manager, or his/her designee, for a specific purpose, and for a limited time.

Public use of street parking.

(1)

On-street parking spaces shall be for the use of the public, except for those areas marked as being for the use of Borough employees or customers, residential parking permittees, special purpose parking zones, or police, during the days and times indicated.

(2)

No person or persons shall sleep inside any vehicle parked on any public street within the Borough of Chambersburg between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m., prevailing time.

[Added 7-31-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-14]

Parking is permitted in on-street parking spaces or stalls, subject to the following:

(1)

The Borough Manager, or his/her designee, may from time to time ban parking on such streets, or in such parts of those streets, which may be closed off for the purposes of cleaning, snow removal, special events, public works, street maintenance, or similar purposes.

(2)

When a temporary prohibition of on-street parking exists, the Borough shall give reasonable notice of such a ban, unless a temporary or emergency condition exists pursuant to § 286-3, Temporary and emergency regulations, of the Code of Ordinances of the Borough of Chambersburg.

[Amended 7-31-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-14]

(3)

It shall be unlawful to remove, relocate, or ignore official barricades or cones established for the temporary closure of parking spaces.

(4)

The Borough Police are hereby authorized to remove or have removed from Borough roads, streets, or alleys any vehicles parked in violation of this article, including, but not limited to, any vehicle that may be stalled or nonfunctional, at the expense of the owner.

Violations and penalties for on-street parking.

(1)

Tickets, in a form established by the Borough, may be left on the windshield of the vehicle or delivered by regular mail to the owner of such vehicle in violation. Failure to receive the ticket after being conspicuously posted shall not operate to invalidate the penalty or excuse the vehicle operator or owner as may be applicable for the violation. Operators who fail to accept a parking ticket by leaving the scene before the issuer has an opportunity to conspicuously post said ticket will receive the ticket by regular mail.

(2)

Ticket amounts are due upon their issuance and may be paid, in person, at the Borough office during regular business hours.

(3)

Any person and/or entity violating any provision of this Article VII shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a summary offense and sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $50 plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. Each day and/or each violation by the same person and/or entity shall be considered a new and separate violation of the Code of Ordinances of the Borough of Chambersburg.

(4)

Borough police officers and parking enforcement officers as defined by this chapter are hereby duly authorized to issue a ticket in the form established by the Borough to any person and/or entity violating the provisions of this Article VII. The ticket shall instruct such violator that if the offender reports to the Borough office and pays the Borough the sum of $25 within six days of the date of issuance of the ticket, then such payment shall save the violator from prosecution by issuance of a citation, which prosecution may result in court costs and attorneys' fees being assessed against the violator in addition to the fine.

(5)

Notwithstanding the above, any police officer or parking enforcement officer shall have the sole and absolute discretion to either:

(a)

Issue a citation without first issuing a ticket as provided for herein; or

(b)

Issue a warning to the vehicle operator/owner.

Existing regulations continued. The provisions of this chapter, so far as they are the same as those of ordinances and regulations in force immediately prior to the enactment of this chapter, are intended as a continuation of such ordinances and regulations and not as new enactments. The provisions of this chapter shall not affect any act done or liability incurred, nor shall they affect any suit or prosecution pending or to be instituted to enforce any of these repealed ordinances or regulations.