Township of Manheim, PA Article I General Regulations

§ 480-1 Definitions.

A. Words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Vehicle Code (Act of 1976, June 17, P.L. 162, No. 81, as now in force or as hereafter amended, "Vehicle Code"),[1] except:

(1) Where the context clearly indicates a different meaning; and

(2) That the word "street" is used interchangeably with the word "highway" and shall have the same meaning as the word "highway" as defined in the Vehicle Code.

[1] Editor's Note: See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.

B. The word "holiday," as used in this chapter, shall mean and include New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

§ 480-2 Manner of adopting permanent traffic and parking regulations.

Except as may be permitted by law by less formal action, all traffic and parking regulations of a permanent nature shall be enacted as ordinances or as parts of or amendments to ordinances of the Township.

§ 480-3 Temporary and emergency regulations.

A. The Commissioners or, if the Commissioners are not in session, the Manager-Secretary shall have the power to regulate traffic and parking on a temporary basis in the following instances:

(1) In the case of fire, flood, storm, or other emergency, to establish temporary traffic and/or parking regulations; and

(2) In the case of emergency or to facilitate public works or the conduct of public events of limited scope or duration, to restrict or prohibit traffic and/or parking in limited areas for periods of not more than 72 hours.

B. Such temporary and emergency traffic and parking regulations shall be enforced by the Police Department in the same manner as permanent regulations. Any person who shall operate or park a vehicle in violation of any such regulation or who moves, removes, destroys, injures or defaces any sign or marking erected, posted or made to give notice of any such regulation shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction, shall be liable:

(1) To the penalty set forth in the law or elsewhere in this chapter for a violation of that nature; or

(2) In case of a violation for which no specific penalty is set forth in the law or elsewhere in this chapter, to pay a fine of $25, and costs.

§ 480-4 Experimental regulations.

A. To allow for testing and experimentation with traffic and parking regulations and to provide for a basis to determine the feasibility of permanent changes in such regulations, the Commissioners or, if the Commissioners are not in session, the Manager-Secretary may, from time to time, designate places upon and along the streets in the Township where, for a period of not more than 90 days, specific traffic and/or parking regulations, prohibitions and restrictions shall be in force and effect and shall designate those locations by proper signs and markings.

B. Such regulations, prohibitions and restrictions shall be effective as if they had been specified in this chapter. No person shall operate or park a vehicle in violation of any such regulation, prohibition or restriction, and no person shall move, remove, destroy or deface any sign or marking erected, posted or made by authority of this section. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, upon conviction, be liable:

(1) To the penalty set forth in the law or elsewhere in this chapter for a violation of that nature; or

(2) In case of a violation for which no specific penalty is set forth in the law or elsewhere in this chapter, to pay a fine of $25, and costs.

§ 480-5 Streets closed or restricted for construction, maintenance or special events.

A. The Commissioners or, if the Commissioners are not in session, the Manager-Secretary shall have the authority to close any street or any specific part of a street to vehicular traffic while construction or maintenance work is under way or a special event is being conducted on the closed portion and to place barriers or station police officers or flagmen at each end of the closed portion.

B. The Commissioners or, if the Commissioners are not in session, the Manager-Secretary shall have the authority to establish a restricted traffic area upon any street or any specific part of a street where construction or maintenance work is under way and to station flagmen at each end of the restricted portion. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a vehicle upon any such restricted traffic area at any time when a flagman is displaying a sign directing that vehicle to stop or is signaling that vehicle, by flag or other device, not to proceed.

C. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, upon conviction, be liable to pay a fine of $25, and costs.

§ 480-6 Use of streets by assemblages and processions.

A. For the purpose of this section, the words "assemblage" and "procession" shall have the following meanings:

ASSEMBLAGE

A gathering of people, without vehicles, which interferes with the movement of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on any street.

PROCESSION

A group of individuals, vehicles, animals and/or objects moving or being moved along a street in a way that interferes with the normal movement of traffic. A procession shall not include a funeral caravan or military convoy.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to hold or participate in any assemblage unless the person organizing or conducting the assemblage first obtains a permit from the Manager-Secretary, which shall be issued without fee. Application for the permit shall be made at least three weeks in advance of the day on which the assemblage is proposed to be held. The permit shall state the place where and the date when the assemblage is to be held, the hour when the assemblage may convene and the hour by which it shall have been completely dispersed. It shall be unlawful for any person to hold or to participate in any assemblage unless a permit has been granted or at any time or place other than that authorized by the permit.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to hold or participate in any procession unless the person organizing or conducting the procession first obtains a permit from the Manager-Secretary, which shall be issued without fee. Application for the permit shall be made at least three weeks in advance of the day when the procession is proposed to be held. The permit shall specify the date on which the procession is to be held, the route to be followed by the procession, the hour when and place where participants are to assemble before commencement of the procession, the time when the procession may commence to move along its route, and the time by which the end of the procession shall have reached the end of the route and the procession shall have been disbanded. It shall be unlawful for any person to hold or participate in any procession unless a permit shall have been granted or under any conditions as to time, route or otherwise except as stated in the permit.

D. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, upon conviction, be liable to pay a fine of $25, and costs.

§ 480-7 Authority of police officers.

The police officers of the Township are hereby given authority to direct traffic on the streets in the Township and at intersections of those streets, in public parks and in other places where the Vehicle Code[1] or this chapter applies. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the powers and authority otherwise conferred upon the police officers of the Township by the Vehicle Code or other applicable law.[2]

[1] Editor's Note: See 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.

[2] Editor's Note: Original Sec. 7-1008, Use of electrical or mechanical speed-timing devices authorized, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).