[Adopted 4-26-1993 by L.L. No. 2-1993 (Ch. 63, Art. I, of the 1988 Code)]
This article shall be known as "Local Law No. 2 of the Year 1993" and may be cited as the "Town of Newstead Fire Lane and Handicapped Parking Law," to be codified as Chapter 388, Article II, of the Code of the Town of Newstead.
The purpose of this article is to regulate the stopping, standing or parking of any vehicle at any time in any area hereinafter established by the Town Board of the Town of Newstead or its designee as a fire lane in order to prevent obstruction or interference with the ingress and egress of emergency vehicles for the protection of persons and property and to provide handicapped parking spaces pursuant to § 1660-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
As used in this article the following terms shall be have the meanings indicated:
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE
Every ambulance, police vehicle, fire vehicle, civil defense emergency vehicle and ordinance disposal vehicle of the Armed Forces of the United States.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Any vehicle engaged in the delivery and/or loading of merchandise, supplies or other material or the rendering of services to stores or business establishments.
ELIGIBLE VEHICLE
Any vehicle that is issued a special license plate under § 404-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York or is issued a special parking permit under § 1203-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
EMERGENCY OPERATION
The operation or parking of an authorized emergency vehicle when such vehicle is engaged in transporting a sick or injured person, pursuing an actual or suspected violator of the law or responding to or working or assisting at the scene of an accident, authorized emergency training exercise, disaster, police call, alarm or fire or other emergency. Emergency operation shall not include returning from such service.
FIRE LANE
Any zone or area established as such pursuant to this article.
HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACE
Any handicapped parking area or space established as such pursuant to this article.
HANDICAPPED PERSON
Any person eligible to have his vehicle specially registered pursuant to § 404-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York or eligible for a special parking permit under § 1203-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
PARKING
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers.
RESIDENT
A person who resides in the Town of Newstead or pays real property taxes to the Town of Newstead.
STANDING
The stopping of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.
STOPPING
When prohibited, any halting, even momentarily, of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal.
TOWN
The Town of Newstead situated in Erie County in the State of New York.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
This article applies only to fire lanes and handicapped parking spaces established by the Town Board or its designee pursuant to this article or any amendment thereto.
The following restrictions are hereby imposed on parking within the Town of Newstead:
A. 
The stopping, standing or parking of any vehicle in any area established by the Town Board of the Town of Newstead or its designee and marked "Fire Lane" within the geographical limits of the Town of Newstead is hereby prohibited unless herein and hereafter expressly permitted.
B. 
The stopping, standing or parking of any vehicle in any area established by the Town Board of the Town of Newstead or its designee and marked "Handicapped Parking," except by vehicles that have been issued special license plates under § 404-a or special parking permits under § 1203-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, is hereby prohibited.
A. 
The prohibitions contained in § 388-10A hereof shall not apply to:
(1) 
Commercial vehicles parked at loading docks or service entrances to stores or business establishments while said commercial vehicles are actively engaged in the delivery and/or loading of merchandise, supplies or other material or the rendering of services to such stores or business establishments.
(2) 
Authorized emergency vehicles engaged in emergency operation within the particular location of the fire lane.
(3) 
All public transit buses, such as NFTA buses, or any other services to persons or property within the particular location of the fire lane.
B. 
The prohibitions contained in § 388-10B hereof shall not apply to eligible vehicles.
A. 
The Town Board or its designee shall designate any area at, on or near any interior street, roadway, driveway or parking area in which any obstruction due to the parking or placing therein of any vehicle or any other physical object will cause interference with the ingress and egress of fire-fighting equipment or authorized emergency vehicles or which will create a condition dangerous to life or property in the event of fire. The Town Board or its designee shall also designate parking spaces or areas reserved for handicapped persons in accordance with the requirements of § 1203-c of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.
B. 
The designated areas shall thereupon be marked with standard signs and/or other markings and signs which conform to accepted sign standards as set forth in the New York State Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and which are deemed necessary and proper by the Town Board or its designee.
C. 
Signs and markings shall be installed by and at the expense of the owner of the property within 120 calendar days after receipt of official written notice by the Town Board or its designee designating and depicting areas and locations of such signs and markings.
D. 
In the event that any owner refuses or fails to install any and all required signs and markings within 120 calendar days of receiving said official notice, the Town shall promptly perform the required work, and the Town Board or its designee shall provide for the assessment of all costs and expenses so incurred by the Town in connection with any such action taken, to become a lien against the land on which such signs and markings are located.
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 388-14B:
A. 
Any person, persons, firm, association, partnership or corporation violating the provisions of § 388-10A of this article shall be guilty of a traffic infraction and shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $250.
B. 
Any person, persons, firms, association, partnership or corporation violating the provisions of § 388-10B of this article shall be guilty of a traffic infraction and shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $250 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $250 for the second offense occurring within a period of two years within the Town of Newstead.
A. 
The enforcement of this article and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto will be by the Code Enforcement Officer or Fire Marshal and by such special persons as may be from time to time authorized by the Town Board of the Town of Newstead in addition to any duly authorized law enforcement officer of the State of New York.
B. 
Any vehicle stopped, standing or parked in a fire lane or any vehicle without a special handicapped license plate or special parking permit in a designated handicapped parking area may be removed therefrom and stored at the direction of the Town of Newstead. The owner or operator of such vehicle shall be liable to the Town of Newstead or its designee for the payment of reasonable charges for such removal and storage of any such vehicle.
A. 
Fire lanes and handicapped parking spaces or areas shall be established by the Town Board or its designee.
B. 
For purposes of this article, the designee of the Town Board shall be the Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Newstead.