[Adopted 4-21-2008 by Ord. No. 5-2008]
The purpose of this article is to create a set of rules, regulations and specific criteria by which the Township may determine that a commercial vehicle, tractor-trailer, semitrailer, bus or commercial van parked for extended periods of time within or in the proximity of a residential area can be declared a nuisance to the health, safety and welfare of the Township and its residents. The article shall also set the enforcement and penalties for the violation of this article.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BUS
Any motor vehicle designed for carrying more than nine passengers and used for the transportation of persons or any motor vehicle operated upon a public way in any city or town for the carriage of passengers for hire in such a manner as to afford a means of transportation similar to that afforded by a railway company by indiscriminately receiving and discharging passengers along the route on which the vehicle is operated or may be running, or for transporting passengers for hire as a business between fixed and regular termini, or transporting passengers for hire under a charter license, special service or school service permit issued by the department.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Any vehicle registered for commercial purposes, bearing commercial vehicle number plates, including trailer or semitrailer, and designed and used primarily for the transportation or delivery of goods, wares, merchandise or equipment, or designed and used for the delivery of utility services or for field services related to maintenance or repair of buildings.
DRIVER
A person, who is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
NONEMERGENCY REPAIRS
The changing of any fluid and any other repair, with the exception of minor safety-related repairs that can be fully completed within 90 minutes, such as changing a tire, replacing a headlight or bulb, or replacing a wiper blade.
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD
Whenever certain hours are named herein they shall mean standard time or daylight-saving time as may be in current use in the Township.
POLICE OFFICER or OFFICER
Any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
PRIVATE WAY or DRIVEWAY
Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons.
PUBLIC WAY
Any street, way, highway, road or parkway dedicated to public use, including public alleys.
ROADWAY
That portion of a street or highway between regularly established curblines or that part devoted to vehicular traffic.
SCHOOL BUS
Any motor vehicle used for the transporting of school pupils and school personnel to and from school, or for the transporting of children enrolled in a camp or recreational program, while so used, but not including any such motor vehicle used for not more than five days in case of emergency, or a motor vehicle while also used for the common carriage of the public under a certificate and permit issued under Sections 7 and 8 of Chapter 159A of Massachusetts General Laws.
SEMITRAILER
A trailer so designed and used in combination with a tractor that some part of the weight of such trailer and that of its load rests upon, and is carried by, the tractor.
SIDEWALK
That portion of a street or highway set aside for pedestrian travel.
STAND or STANDING
The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, other than for the purpose of, and while actually engaged in, receiving or discharging passengers.
TRAILER
Any vehicle or object on wheels and having no motive power of its own, but which is drawn by, or used in combination with, a motor vehicle.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a street or highway, including bicycles, when the provisions of these rules are applicable to them, except devices moved by human power, devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, and devices deriving their power for operation from stationary overhead wires.
A. 
Investigation. Upon a receipt of a complaint, both the South Fayette Police Department, a South Fayette Police Officer and/or the South Fayette Township Code Enforcement Department and/or Code Enforcement Officer are authorized to investigate all complaints concerning if there is a possible violation of this article that may create a public nuisance as defined within this section.
B. 
Determination of a public nuisance. Any of the following activities would constitute a violation of this article and as such would be a public nuisance.
(1) 
Commercial vehicles, tractor trailers, semitrailers, commercial vans or buses, as defined, stopped on any public way or roadway for more than one hour, except for the actual loading or unloading of materials.
(2) 
A driver parked or standing a motor vehicle of any type having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 12,000 pounds between the hours of 9:00 p.m. of one day and 8:00 a.m. of the following day or anytime on Sunday, on any part of any street, way, highway, road or parkway under the control of the Township that is residential. "Residential" shall be the territory contiguous to any street, way, highway, road or parkway under the control of the Township where the dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than 500 feet.
(3) 
No driver shall park or stand any commercial vehicle or semitrailer having a capacity of one ton or over for more than one hour between nine 9:00 p.m. of one day and eight 8:00 a.m. of the following day, or at anytime on Sunday, on any part of any street, way, highway, road, or parkway under the control of the Township, where parking or standing a vehicle is not otherwise prohibited, provided that this regulation shall not apply during the actual loading or unloading of materials.
(4) 
A driver parked or standing a motor vehicle of any type having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 12,000 pounds between the hours of 9:00 p.m. of one day and seven 7:00 a.m. of the following day, on any part of any private street, way, highway, road or parkway, parking lot or loading area that is within a residential area. "Residential" shall be the territory contiguous to any street, way, highway, road or parkway under the control of the Township where the dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than 500 feet.
C. 
Exemption. The following exemptions shall apply to all aforementioned regulations of this article.
(1) 
School buses authorized or used by the South Fayette Township School District as part of their normal course of transporting students, faculty, employees, and/or volunteers of the School District.
(2) 
All vehicles parked or standing within commercial or industrial property used in the daily operation of that facility in meeting the core functions of the business and/or operation of the company located on that property. Further, they shall comply with all other applicable Township zoning regulations.
(3) 
All emergency vehicles.
(4) 
All federal, state, county, and local vehicles actively engaged in the core function of the governmental agency.
(5) 
During a time of emergency, such regulation may be lifted at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners, Township Manager, Chief of Police, Fire Chief(s) and/or Emergency Management Coordinator.
D. 
Enforcement; violations and penalties.
(1) 
Enforcement of this article shall be the responsibility of the South Fayette Township Police Department and/or the South Fayette Township Code Enforcement Department.
(2) 
Any person or entity in violation of this article shall be, upon conviction, subject to a fine of not more than $1,000, plus the costs of prosecution and reasonable attorney's fees. In default of payment of such fine, costs and fees, said person in violation shall be subject to a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 days. Each day's violation shall be considered to be a separate offense under this article.