[Amended 9-12-2007 by Ord. No. 551]
A. 
Legislative intent. The Freedom Borough Council has determined that hazardous and unsafe traffic conditions within the municipal limits of the Borough exist because large vehicles are often parked on the streets in the Borough. These hazardous and unsafe traffic conditions are detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Borough of Freedom and others, impede emergency vehicles (including fire trucks, ambulances, etc.) and interfere with the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of the residents of Freedom Borough in their homes and neighborhoods. The Borough Council has determined that the adoption of this section is necessary to remediate the foregoing.
B. 
Definitions. The following words and phrases used in this section shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection, unless the context of this section clearly indicates otherwise:
LARGE VEHICLES
(1) 
The following, as defined by 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 102: articulated buses, combinations, construction trucks, driveaway-towaway operations, farm equipment, full trailers, house trailers, limousines (capable of carrying 10 or more passengers), maxi-cube vehicles, mobile homes, motor homes, recreational trailers, semitrailers, stinger-steered automobile or boat transporters, tow-dolly trailers, truck campers and truck tractors.
(2) 
Boats, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and similar off-road vehicles, pickup campers, boat trailers, tent trailers and cases or boxes used for transporting recreational equipment (whether containing equipment or not).
PARK or PARKING
The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except temporarily for the purpose of, and while actually engaged in, loading or unloading property or passengers.
STREET
Any street, road, lane, court, cul-de-sac, alley, path, public way and public square within the municipal limits of Freedom Borough.
C. 
Parking of large vehicles prohibited. No person shall park, cause to be parked or permit to be parked any large motor vehicle on any street within the municipal limits of Freedom Borough.
D. 
Exceptions. This section shall not apply to emergency vehicles as defined by 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 102.
E. 
Violations and penalties. Unless another penalty is expressly provided by the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, any person, or registered owner of any vehicle, who violates this section shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $300, plus costs of prosecution.
Wherever a space is marked off on any street for the parking of an individual vehicle, every vehicle parked there shall be parked wholly within the lines bounding that space, and it shall be a violation of this article for any person to park a vehicle or allow it to remain parked otherwise.
No person shall park a vehicle at any time upon any of the streets or parts thereof described in Schedule XII (§ 193-50), attached to and made a part of this chapter.
[Added 4-19-2016 by Ord. No. 578]
A. 
Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to protect the safety of any person or vehicle or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, no person shall:
(1) 
Stand or park a vehicle in the Borough of Freedom:
(a) 
In front of any entrance or exit or public driveway.
(b) 
Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
(c) 
At any place where official signs prohibit such.
(d) 
On any portion of a public roadway where the curb is painted yellow.
(e) 
With wheels more than 12 inches from the curb.
(f) 
Against the flow of traffic.
(g) 
In the wrong direction on a one-way street.
(2) 
Stop, stand, or park a vehicle:
(a) 
Within an intersection.
(b) 
On a crosswalk.
(c) 
On a sidewalk.
(3) 
Park or leave unattended a vehicle on private property without the consent of the owner or other person in control or possession of the property, except in the case of emergency or disablement of the vehicle.
B. 
The provisions of the Vehicle Code at 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 3353(a) through (e) are incorporated herein by reference, made a part hereof, and merged herein as though more fully set forth at length.
C. 
Any person violating any provision of Subsections A and B above is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $300 unless specified by section, plus costs of prosecution as defined in § 196-26, Penalties for parking violations.
No person shall park a vehicle upon any of the streets or parts of streets described in Schedule XIII (§ 193-51), attached to and made a part of this chapter, during the hours specified in said schedule, on any day except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
No person shall park a vehicle or allow the same to remain parked upon any of the streets or parts of streets described in Schedule XIV (§ 193-52), attached to and made a part of this chapter, between the hours specified, for longer than the time indicated in said schedule.
A. 
After the installation of parking meters in any of the areas described in Schedule XV (§ 193-53), attached to and made a part of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle or any other vehicle to park between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and the following holidays: New Year's Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day for more than the maximum amount of time indicated on the dial of the parking meter.
B. 
Until meters are actually installed in the parking meter zones described in said schedule or during any period or periods of time when the parking meters are removed or inoperative, said parking meter zones are hereby designated as zones where parking is limited to two hours; provided, however, that proper signs designating and marking the limits of the two-hour parking zones shall first be erected. The two-hour parking limit shall be in effect between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except on Sundays and legal holidays, in all zones properly designated and marked as limited parking zones as herein provided.
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle or to allow the same to remain parked in any special purpose parking zone established in Schedule XVI (§ 193-54), attached to and made a part of this chapter, except as specifically provided for such zone.
The locations described in Schedule XVII (§ 193-55), attached to and made a part of this chapter, are hereby designated as bus stops and shall be properly designated by painted yellow lines or curbs or by bus stop signs. No vehicle, other than a bus engaged in loading, unloading or awaiting passengers, shall be parked in such designated area at any time.
[Amended 6-13-2007 by Ord. No. 548; 4-19-2016 by Ord. No. 578]
A. 
Any person who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $300, plus costs of prosecution.
B. 
The peace officer making such report shall also attach to every such vehicle a notice that such vehicle was parked in violation of this article, which notice shall contain instructions to the owner or operator of such vehicle that if he shall report to the office of the Chief of Police and pay, for the use of the Borough, the sum of $25 within five days after the time of such notice, the same shall save such violator from prosecution and payment of the fine and costs hereinabove prescribed, except the following:
(1) 
Section 193-20.1A(1)(b): penalty of $50; and
(2) 
Section 193-26.1J: penalty of $100 for violation of a reservation for handicap parking.
C. 
The Police Department shall process a written warning for all violations not paid within the prescribed time, where a ten-day extension will be granted for payment of fine for violation. After such time, a motor vehicle citation will be issued by the Police Department, and the additional processing fee of $12.50 will be assessed to the violation.
[Added 9-9-1998 by Ord. No. 509]
A. 
Restricted handicapped residential parking. Any borough resident who has been issued a handicapped or severely disabled veteran license plate or placard by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or on whose behalf said license plate or placard has been issued, pursuant to Section 1338 or Section 1342 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code,[1] shall be eligible for the installation, in front of said person's residence solely for said person's use, of a sign indicating that parking in such space is restricted to such person's vehicle bearing handicapped or severely disabled veteran license plate or placard, which eligibility shall expire 12 months from the date such sign is installed. Application for such restricted parking sign shall be made to the Chief of Police.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 1338 or § 1342.
B. 
Application form and content. Application for a restricted handicapped or severely disabled parking space shall be made on a form provided by the Chief of Police. The application information shall include the identity of the handicapped person or severely disabled veteran and said person's place of residence and shall be accompanied by documentation evidencing issuance of a handicapped or severely disabled veteran plate or placard by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
C. 
Factors in determining approval of applications.
(1) 
In determining whether to approve the application, the Chief of Police shall take into consideration the following factors:
(a) 
Impact on general safety.
(b) 
Impact on traffic flow.
(c) 
Impact on neighboring properties.
(d) 
Nature of disability.
(e) 
Availability of off-street parking, garage and/or driveway.
(f) 
Consultation with adjacent property owners.
(g) 
Verification of application in general.
(2) 
The application shall not be approved if off-street parking is available to the applicant unless the same cannot be utilized or if an undue hardship is created for the other residents parking in the area.
D. 
Annual certification.
(1) 
Each renewal period shall be 12 months.
(2) 
Application for renewal must be filed with the Chief of Police no later than 30 days before the date the prior eligibility is due to expire.
(3) 
The Chief of Police will not accept the application for renewal unless it is also accompanied by a sworn document containing the following averments:
(a) 
The applicant continues to be disabled, as evidenced by documentation submitted and signed by the applicant's treating physician.
(b) 
The applicant continues to drive an automobile or is being driven by another identified individual because of the applicant's disability.
(c) 
The applicant resides at the same address.
E. 
Fees. The initial, installation fee and the annual renewal fee shall be in an amount as established, from time to time, by resolution of the Borough Council.
F. 
Failure to file completed application. Failure to file a completed initial application or a timely application for renewal shall result in such application being denied or renewed. In the event that an individual fails to file a completed application for recertification within the time allowed, that is, on an annual basis prior to expiration of the individual's eligibility, the right to such sign shall be forfeited and the sign shall be removed by the Department of Public Works.
G. 
Current signs. All residences currently having restricted handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking signs in front of the premises shall apply to the Chief of Police within 60 days of the effective date of this section for renewal of their handicapped or disabled status. Failure to do so will result in the removal of the sign.
H. 
Removal of sign. In addition to removal of the sign for failure to properly apply for renewal, a handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking restriction sign may be removed after notice to the applicant if, upon investigation the borough determines either that the applicant is not, in fact, handicapped or a severely disabled veteran; that the applicant has moved; or, that the privilege is being abused in a manner inconsistent with its intent. The notice to the individual shall state the reason or reasons for the anticipated removal of the sign and shall give the handicapped individual or severely disabled veteran 20 days in which to request a hearing before the Chief of Police or his designee.
I. 
Installation. Upon approval of the application, the Chief of Police shall refer all applications for handicapped or severely disabled veteran restricted parking which meet the requirements of this section to the Borough Engineer and the Department of Public Works for installation of a restricted handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking sign.
J. 
Violations and penalties.
(1) 
An individual who submits a false application to the Chief of Police shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $600 and costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, shall be subject to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days, or both. Each false application submitted to the Chief of Police shall constitute a separate offense.
(2) 
Any person who parks in a space officially designated as a handicapped parking space pursuant to the criteria set forth in § 193-26.1 that is not so authorized shall, upon the entry of a guilty plea or upon a conviction rendered by a Magistrate after appeal, be sentenced to pay a fine of $50 and all costs associated with that prosecution. An offender accepting guilt shall pay the fine of $50 within five days of the ticket's issuance in the Borough offices at the Secretary's office or the Chief’s office.
[Added 6-13-2007 by Ord. No. 548]
[Added 4-14-2010 by Ord. No. 568]
Wherever a space is marked off on any street as a loading zone, no vehicle shall be stopped in that space for longer than the time required to load or unload items from that vehicle. There shall be no parking in an area marked as a loading zone.