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Village of Stratford, WI
Marathon County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (1) Index
A. 
Seventy-two-hour limitation. No person, firm or corporation shall park or leave standing any automobile, truck, tractor, trailer or vehicle of any description on any public street or public parking lot in the Village for a period of 72 or more consecutive hours in the same location at any time, except that where more restrictive parking limits have been established the more restrictive limits shall apply. When any law enforcement officer shall find a vehicle standing upon a public street or parking lot in violation of the provisions of this section, he is authorized to move such a vehicle or to require the operator in charge thereof to move such vehicle to a position permitted under this chapter. The law enforcement officer may cause said vehicle to be removed to a proper impoundment and storage area within the Village where storage space is available, and in such case the owner shall pay the costs of removing said vehicle and the storage fees on said vehicle before he may recover the possession thereof.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 491, Vehicles, Abandoned.
B. 
Posted limitations.
(1) 
The Village Board may designate certain streets or portions of streets as no parking or no stopping or standing zones or as zones for parking by physically handicapped persons and may limit the hours in which the restrictions apply. The Village shall mark, by appropriate signs, each zone so designated in accordance with the provisions of § 349.13, Wis. Stats.
(2) 
Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control device, no person shall stop or park a vehicle in an established no stopping or standing zone when stopping or standing is prohibited. No vehicle shall be parked in a no parking zone during hours when parking is prohibited, except physicians on emergency calls or as permitted by state law or elsewhere by this Code.
(3) 
The Chief of Police is hereby granted the authority, within the reasonable exercise of police power, to prohibit, limit the time or otherwise restrict the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles beyond the provisions of Ch. 346, Wis. Stats. The Director of Public Works shall have the authority to restrict the turning or movement of heavy traffic and to impose special weight limitations on any highway or portions thereof which, because of the weakness of the roadbed due to deterioration or climatic conditions or other special or temporary conditions, would likely be seriously damaged or destroyed in the absence of any restrictions on heavy traffic movement or special weight limitations.
(4) 
No prohibition, restriction or limitation on parking or restriction on movement or turning of heavy traffic and imposition of special weight limits is effective unless official traffic control devices have been placed or erected indicating the particular prohibition, restriction or limitation.
(5) 
After the parking limitations on any given street have expired, any change of location of not more than one stall following expiration of the parking period allowed shall be and constitute a violation of this chapter.
C. 
No person, firm or corporation shall park or leave standing any unregistered automobile, motorcycle, truck, tractor, trailer or vehicle of any description on any public street or public parking lot in the Village. "Unregistered" means that a vehicle, which is required by law to be registered and titled, failed to be registered or titled, or has expired registration from the State of Wisconsin or any other issuing state. Vehicles listed herein must also properly display the correct, issued registration plate or decal issued by the registering state. When any law enforcement officer shall find a vehicle standing upon a public street or public parking lot in violation of the provisions of this section, the officer is authorized to move such vehicle or require the operator in charge thereof to move such vehicle to a position permitted under this chapter. The law enforcement officer may cause said vehicle to be removed to a proper impoundment and storage area where storage space is available, and in such case the owner shall pay the costs of removing said vehicle and the storage fees on said vehicle before he may recover the possession thereof.
[Added 7-10-2018]
A. 
Street maintenance. Whenever it is necessary to clear or repair a Village roadway or any part thereof, the Director of Public Works and/or Police Department shall post such highways or parts thereof with signs bearing the words "No Parking - Street Maintenance Work." Such signs shall be erected at least two hours prior to the time that street maintenance work is to be commenced. No person shall park a motor vehicle in violation of such signs.
B. 
Temporary parking restrictions for special events. Pursuant to the provisions of § 349.13, Wis. Stats., the Chief of Police is authorized to direct that temporary "No Parking" signs be erected by the Director of Public Works during parades, festivals and other authorized events that require the regulating of vehicle stopping, standing or parking on Village roadways. The temporary regulation shall be limited to the time the event exists or is likely to exist.
C. 
Parking during snow removal. No person shall park, place or leave standing any automobile, truck or other vehicle on any street or public way after one hour from the time such area has been designated and marked with signs or barriers by the Police Department and/or the Director of Public Works of the Village indicating no parking due to snow removal.
A. 
Parking prohibited at all times. Except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading or in receiving or discharging passengers or property and while the vehicle is attended by a licensed operator so that it may be moved promptly in case of an emergency or to avoid obstruction of traffic, no person shall at any time park or leave standing any vehicle:
(1) 
Within an intersection.
(2) 
On a crosswalk.
(3) 
On a sidewalk or terrace area, except when parking in such place is clearly indicated by official traffic signs or markers or parking meters. "Terrace or sidewalk area" means that area between the sidewalk and the nearest curbline running parallel or generally parallel thereto or in the absence of a sidewalk 10 feet beyond the curbline.
(4) 
Alongside or opposite any highway excavation or obstruction when such stopping or standing would obstruct traffic or when pedestrian traffic would be required to travel in the roadway.
(5) 
On the roadway side of any parked vehicle unless double parking is clearly indicated by official traffic signs or markers.
(6) 
Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station.
(7) 
Upon any portion of a highway where and at the time when stopping or standing is prohibited by official traffic signs indicating the prohibition of any stopping or standing.
(8) 
In any place or manner so as to obstruct, block or impede traffic.
(9) 
Within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, unless a greater distance is indicated by an official traffic sign.
(10) 
Upon any portion of a highway where and at the time when parking is prohibited, limited or restricted by official traffic signs.
(11) 
Upon any bridge.
(12) 
Upon any street or highway within the Village limits, any vehicle which faces a direction different from the direction of normal traffic flow for the lane of traffic in which said vehicle is stopped or standing.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 8-1-22(a)(13), which immediately followed this subsection and dealt with parking on a terrace or sidewalk, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). See Subsection A(3) of this section.
(13) 
In a loading zone.
(14) 
Within four feet of the entrance to an alley, private road or driveway.
(15) 
In any municipal park when said park is closed to the public.
B. 
Parking in driveways. No person shall park or leave standing any motor vehicle in any private driveway without the permission of the owner or lessee of the property on which such driveway is located, whether or not such driveway is posted to limit or restrict parking.
C. 
Vehicles not to block private drive, alley or fire lane. No vehicle shall, at any time, be parked so as to unreasonably restrict the normal access to any private drive, alley or fire lane. Said access shall be deemed to be unreasonably restricted if any vehicle is parked within four feet of either side of said access. Upon discovery by a police officer or upon complaint by the owner of any such blocked drive, alley or fire lane, the Chief of Police may order said vehicle towed from such position at the risk and expense of the owner of said vehicle.
D. 
Parking vehicle for repair or to display for sale prohibited. No person shall stand or park a vehicle on any street, alley, public right-of-way or municipal parking lot in the Village for the purpose of repairing said vehicle or to display such vehicle for sale.
[Amended 7-14-1992; 3-8-2022]
When official traffic signs indicating such restriction have been erected in accordance with § 495-3 of this chapter, no person shall park, stop or leave standing any vehicle upon any portion of a street, highway or public or private parking facility reserved for vehicles displaying special registration plates or identification cards or emblems issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation or, for vehicles registered in another jurisdiction, by such other jurisdiction designating the vehicle as one used by a physically disabled person.
[Added 2-12-1991]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PARKING
Permitting a vehicle to remain unattended, but shall not include the temporary stopping of a vehicle by a doctor on an emergency call, business vehicles being used for normal delivery or pickups, or police, fire or other emergency vehicles.
SNOW EMERGENCY
A snow emergency shall exist whenever there shall be an accumulation of snow of not less than three inches during a twenty-four-hour period and such accumulation hinders or interferes with the safe and expeditious movement of traffic or impedes the ability of an emergency or public transportation vehicle to travel safely and expeditiously over the streets and highways of the Village of Stratford. Such emergency shall continue in effect for a period of 24 hours after snow has ceased to fall, or until such time as the snow has been removed from the streets or highways within the Village, or until the snow emergency has been rescinded by action of the Director of Public Works or his assistant.
B. 
Snow emergency parking regulations. No vehicle shall be parked on any public street or highway in the Village of Stratford during any snow emergency condition as described above, except for parking in the following areas: North Third Avenue from Fir to Larch, East Elm Street from Second to Third, and Walnut Street from Weber Avenue to Second.
C. 
Declaration of snow emergency. A snow emergency may be declared to exist by the Director of Public Works or the Assistant Director of Public Works in his absence. Notification will be made by announcement on WDLB Radio.
D. 
Penalties. Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit the sum of not less than $5 nor more than $50 as defined in § 495-32D(2) of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
Leaving keys in vehicle. No person shall permit any motor vehicle to stand or remain unattended on any street, alley or other public area, except an attended parking area, unless either the starting lever, throttle, steering apparatus, gear shift or ignition of the vehicle is locked and the key for such lock is removed from the vehicle. Whenever any police officer shall find any vehicle standing with the key in the ignition in violation of this section, such officer is authorized to remove such key from the vehicle and deliver the key to the Police Department for safe custody.
B. 
Parking vehicle with motor running. No person shall park or leave standing any motor vehicle with the motor or refrigerator unit running for more than 30 minutes within 300 feet of any residence within the Village between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to permit any construction, compaction, earth grading or farm machinery which is self-propelled and moves upon the surface of the earth and which is owned or controlled by him to stand for any period of time unattended without locking the ignition system or otherwise rendering said machinery inoperable so as to prevent any person unauthorized by the owner or individual in control thereof from starting said machinery.
A. 
Angle parking or parking diagonally is prohibited on all the streets, alleys and highways of the Village except in those places where vehicle parking markers indicate that angle parking is permissible. All vehicles shall park parallel to and within one foot of the curb except where streets and parking lots are so marked for angle parking.
B. 
No person shall at any time park any vehicle:
(1) 
In any direction other than the designated parking angle, where angle parking spaces are so designated and provided by appropriate markings.
(2) 
Backwards into angle parking spaces so designated and provided by appropriate markings.
(3) 
With a trailer attached or any vehicle longer than 20 feet on any street where angle parking is so provided and allowed.
[Amended 3-8-2022]
When signs are erected in any block giving notice thereof, no person shall park or leave standing any vehicle upon any of the following highways, streets, alleys or parts thereof, except temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.
A. 
No parking at any time on:
(1) 
The north and south sides of Highway 153 from Highway 97 west to Webertown Avenue.
(2) 
The north and south sides of Highway 153 from Highway 97 east to Monument Avenue.
(3) 
The west side of Scholar Street north of intersection with Larch Street to Spirit Street.
(4) 
The east and west sides of Highway 97 from Highway 153 north to North Street.
(5) 
The east and west sides of Highway 97 from Highway 153 south to Reflection Street.
(6) 
The south side of North Street between Featherwing Lane and west-side driveway of Stratford Wastewater Treatment Plant.
B. 
No parking at any time on Monday through Friday during school hours (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) on:
(1) 
The north and south sides of Spirit Street between Legacy Street and Scholar Street.
(2) 
The east side of Legacy Street between Spirit Street and Myrtle Street.
(3) 
The south side of Myrtle Street between Legacy Street and the alley that is east of Legion Street (High School Commons Entrance).
(4) 
The east side of Scholar Street between Larch Street and Spirit Street.
[Amended 3-8-2022]
A. 
Limitations from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. When signs are erected in any block giving notice thereof, no person shall park a vehicle for longer than the period hereinafter specified at any time between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except Sundays and public holidays, upon the following streets or portions of streets:
(1) 
Logger Street (both sides) from Legacy Street to Legion Street (90 minutes).
B. 
All-night parking regulated. No person, except physicians on emergency calls, shall park a vehicle between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on any day on any street within the Village of Stratford from November 1 to April 1 of each year.
A. 
No person owning or having control of any truck, trailer, truck power unit, tractor, bus or recreation vehicle in excess of 15,000 pounds gross weight or over 16 feet in length, or having an enclosed area of a height of more than eight feet from the roadway, shall park the same upon any street, avenue or public way in the Village zoned residential between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. One-hour parking will be allowed in residential areas between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to prohibit the lawful parking of such equipment upon any street, avenue or public way in the Village for the actual loading or unloading of goods, wares or merchandise; provided, however, that "loading" and "unloading," as used in this subsection, shall be limited to the actual time consumed in such operation. The Village Board may, however, designate specific truck parking zones, and the Chief of Police may permit such street parking for a limited period of time.
B. 
Any vehicle unlawfully parked under Subsection A above may be removed from the street by order of the Chief of Police, and the expense of so moving and storing such vehicle shall be paid by the operator or owner of said vehicle as a forfeiture in addition to the penalties hereafter prescribed.
Pursuant to the provisions of § 118.105, Wis. Stats., the following regulations shall apply to the grounds of the Stratford School District located within the Village:
A. 
Parking. All parking on any grounds of the Stratford School District from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shall be restricted to areas designated for parking by the School Board. When signs are erected by the School Board giving notice of such restrictions, all persons shall park only in areas designated and signed for visitor parking. All parking on grounds of the Stratford School District from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shall be by permit only and shall be restricted to areas designated for parking by the District Board. When signs are erected by the School Board giving notice of such restrictions, no person shall park a motor vehicle in an area other than one for which he shall have been issued a permit or without displaying a valid permit. There shall be no parking on said grounds between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., except when school functions extend past 11:00 p.m. On such nights there shall be no parking one hour after the function has concluded.
B. 
Speed limits. No person shall at any time operate a motor vehicle upon any Stratford School District grounds at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour.
C. 
Vehicles prohibited at specified times. No person shall at any time operate a motor vehicle, other than a school bus or emergency vehicle, in or upon any drive designed for buses only by sign during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and during the hours of 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on any weekday during the months school is in session.
No person other than the owner or operator thereof shall remove a Village parking ticket from a motor vehicle.
A. 
Unlicensed operators prohibited. No person who does not hold a valid operator's license shall operate a vehicle in any public parking lot or ramp or in any private parking lot or ramp held out for the use of parking for the general public.
B. 
Traffic regulations applicable. All provisions of § 495-1 of this chapter and of the Wisconsin Statutes and laws incorporated herein by reference shall be applicable on any public parking lot or ramp and on any private parking lot, road or ramp held out for use for the general public for parking or vehicular traffic.
A. 
Hazard to public safety. Any vehicle parked, stopped or standing upon a highway or public parking lot or ramp in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is declared to be a hazard to traffic and public safety.
B. 
Removal by operator. Such vehicle shall be removed by the operator in charge, upon request of a Village law enforcement officer or the Director of Public Works, to a position where parking is permitted or to a private or public parking or storage premises.
C. 
Removal by traffic officer. A Village law enforcement officer or the Director of Public Works, after issuing a citation for illegal parking, stopping or standing of an unattended vehicle in violation of this chapter, is authorized to remove such vehicle to a position where parking is permitted.
D. 
Removal by private service. A Village law enforcement officer or the Director of Public Works may order a motor carrier holding a permit to perform vehicle towing services, a licensed motor vehicle salvage dealer or a licensed motor vehicle dealer who performs vehicle towing services to remove and store such vehicle in any public storage garage or rental parking grounds or any facility of the person providing the towing services.
E. 
Towing and storage charges. In addition to other penalties provided in this chapter, the owner or operator of a vehicle so removed shall pay the actual cost of moving, towing and storage. If the vehicle is towed or stored by a private motor carrier, motor vehicle salvage dealer or licensed motor vehicle dealer, actual charges regularly paid for such services shall be paid. If the vehicle is stored in a public storage garage or rental facility, customary charges for such storage shall be paid. Upon payment, a receipt shall be issued to the owner of the vehicle for the towing or storage charge.
A. 
Storage prohibited. No person owning or having custody of any partially dismantled, nonoperable, wrecked, junked or discarded motor vehicle shall allow such vehicle to remain on any public highway, parking lot or ramp longer than 24 hours after notification thereof by the Police Department. Notification shall be accomplished by placing in a conspicuous place on the vehicle and by mailing or serving upon the owner or occupant in charge of the premises a written notice setting forth briefly the applicable provisions of this section and the date of the notice. Any vehicle so tagged which is not removed within 24 hours after notice is declared to be a public nuisance and may be removed as provided in § 495-25.
B. 
Exemptions. This section shall not apply to a motor vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained in a lawful place and manner authorized by the Village.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 404, Art. II, Junked Vehicles and Appliances.