Article IX Parking Meters [1]

The installation and operation of certain devices known generally as parking meters are hereby authorized and required on the streets, thoroughfares and public places of the City of Poughkeepsie as set forth in herein.

Section 13-149 Municipal parking meters zones; establishment; regulation.

For the purpose of this article, the term "parking meter" shall also refer to a device or devices known as "pay stations" or "multi-space meters" which are centrally located and capable of regulating multiple metered parking spaces through display of a receipt or proof of payment which is obtained upon payment of the applicable parking fee.

[1]

Editor's Note: An ordinance adopted 2-4-1985, § 1, provided that Section 13-148, pertaining to the establishment and regulations of meter zones, be repealed. Formerly, such section was derived from ordinances adopted 2-6-1950, § 32; 5-1-1967, § 1; and 12-16-1980.

[Ord. of 6-9-1954, § 1; Ord. of 7-19-1954, § 1; Ord. of 7-18-1955, § 1; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 1; Ord. of 6-12-2000, § 1; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1; Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

When appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected, the municipally owned properties described in Section 13-317 are hereby established as municipal parking lot meter zones where parking meters shall be installed, operated, maintained, policed and supervised.

Such municipal parking lot meter zones shall be used only by passenger vehicles. Except as otherwise provided, no vehicle shall be parked, put in place or let remain or left standing in any parking lot meter zone so established, at any time on any day, for the time limits prescribed therefor, except upon payment of the fee for a continuous period not exceeding the number of hours prescribed for such parking lot meter zone.

Section 13-150 Times, rates and provisions to control.

When appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected, the streets or parts of streets described herein are hereby established as parking meter zones where parking meters shall be installed, operated, maintained, policed and supervised. Except as hereinafter provided, no vehicle shall be parked, put in place or left standing in any parking meter zone without inserting the applicable payment, as prescribed, in the parking meter provided therefor and for the period of time as designated:

[Amended by Ord. No. O-18-7, 10-1-2018, § 2; 7-13-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-5; 7-13-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-6; 7-13-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-8]

Academy Street, both sides, between Main Street and Cannon Street

Cannon Street, north side, between Market Street and Academy Street

Catherine Street, both sides, between Mill Street and Main Street

North Hamilton Street, both sides, between Mill Street and Main Street

Main Street, both sides, from North Water Street continuing east to its intersection with Pershing Avenue

Market Street, east side, from Montgomery Street continuing north to its intersection with Mansion Street

[Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 2, 3; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1; Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

When any vehicle shall be parked, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, of each week in any meter zone pursuant to Section 13-149(a), the operator shall, upon entering said parking space, deposit the sum of $1 for each sixty-minute period there parked.

[Added by Ord. No. O-14-25, 12-15-2014, § 1]

When any vehicle shall be parked, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week in any meter zone pursuant to Section 13-149(c), the operator shall, upon entering said parking space, deposit the sum of $0.25 for the first 15 minutes, and $0.25 for each 15 minutes thereafter. The parking space may be lawfully occupied for a period of 120 minutes.

[Added by Ord. No. O-14-25, 12-15-2014, § 1]

Section 13-151 Monthly parking tags in parking lot meter zones.

Each parking meter mechanism shall display, in a conspicuous place, a sign or other device which clearly states the hours during which that meter shall be legally in operation and exceptions thereto. The sign shall also clearly indicate the type of payment which must be inserted for the legal parking of a vehicle and the period of time during which it shall be legally permissible to park in that meter zone upon the payment of the applicable fee.

(d)

This article shall be deemed to be in addition and supplementary to and not in conflict with nor a repeal of prior or existing ordinances of the City of Poughkeepsie, but shall be an additional provision for the regulation of traffic and parking in these zones provided for herein.

[Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 4; Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

Monthly parking tags may be obtained upon payment to the City Chamberlain of the required fee, for the privilege of parking a passenger vehicle in a municipal parking lot meter zone, as provided in Section 13-149(a). Such parking tag shall not be transferable from one vehicle to another. The tag must be prominently displayed near the windshield in the car so parked, so that the license number of the vehicle written thereon by the issuing official may be easily seen by the police officer.

Section 13-152 Installation, maintenance, operation of parking meters.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 33; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 5; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1]

The Police Department is hereby authorized to install parking meters in all parking meter zones and parking lot meter zones created by this chapter. Such parking meters, other than pay station or multi-space meters, shall be placed upon the curb alongside of, next to or in front of individual parking spaces designated as meter zones. The Police Department shall supervise and police such parking meters and the parking department shall maintain such parking meters to the end that the same are kept in good workable condition. Each said parking meter shall be so set as to display a signal showing legal parking upon the deposit of coins of the United States of America therein for the period of time conforming to the parking limit established therefor and shall be so constructed and located that upon the expiration of said parking limit, it will indicate that the legal parking period has expired.

Section 13-153 Marking of parking meter zones.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 37; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 9; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1]

The Police Department or such officers or employees that it may designate, shall place and paint lines or marks on the curb or on the street or ground alongside of or in front of each parking meter, other than a pay station or multi-space meter, to designate the parking meter zone or space for which said meter is to be used. In placing pay station and multi-space meters, the Police Department shall take into consideration existing handicapped parking spaces and place such meters so they are accessible to those utilizing the handicapped spaces.

Section 13-154 Operation of meters.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 36; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 8; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1]

Parking meter zones. A vehicle parked in a parking space in parking meter zones shall be parked with the hood of such vehicle alongside of or next to the parking meter alongside such parking space and within the lines marked on the street for such parking space.

Parking lot meter zones. A vehicle parked in a parking space in a parking lot meter zone shall be parked with the hood of such vehicle facing the parking meter in front of such parking space and within the lines marked on the ground for such parking space.

Section 13-155 Activation of meter; use of parking meter space.

Pay station and multi-space meters. Each pay station or multi-space meter, upon payment of the applicable fee, shall be capable of generating a receipt or other proof of payment indicating the amount of parking time purchased and the expiration thereof. Proper display of proof of payment shall be by means determined by the Chief of Police or his designee and in such a manner that the expiration time and date are readily visible from the exterior of the vehicle, or via alternative communication methods. For motorcycles, receipts shall be affixed where clearly visible. Pay stations or multi-space meters shall be equipped so as to be able to accept payment through deposit of proper United States coin or coins (which may include paper currency), credit or debit card or other form of payment as determined by the Chief of Police, or his designee.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 34; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 6; Ord. of 12-16-1980; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1; Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

When any vehicle shall be parked or let remain in any space alongside of or next to which there is located a parking meter or in a designated meter zone as prescribed in Section 13-149(a) through (c), the operator of said vehicle shall upon entering the parking space, immediately deposit currency of the United States of America in the parking meter alongside of, next to or in front of said parking space in order to place the meter in operation or pursuant to Section 13-154(c) where the parking zone is metered by a pay station or multi-space meter. Said parking space may then be used by such vehicle for the period of time provided. It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be left or remain at any such parking space beyond that limit fixed therefor.

Section 13-156 Illegal parking.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 35; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 7; Ord. No. O-13-15, 9-16-2013, § 1]

It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to permit a vehicle to remain in any parking meter zone, parking lot meter zone or parking space alongside of or next to which a parking meter has been installed while said meter is displaying a signal indicating such vehicle is parked beyond the period of time set or fixed for such parking space, the vehicle does not display a valid receipt from a pay station or multi-space meter or the proof of payment indicates the vehicle has parked past the purchased time.

Section 13-157 Use of slugs, tampering with meters.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 38; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 10]

It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited in a parking meter any slug, device or substitute for a coin of the United States of America. It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to deface, injure, tamper with, willfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter installed pursuant to this article. No person, unless authorized by the City Chamberlain, shall in any manner open or attempt to open any parking meter.

Section 13-158 Purposes of parking meter fees.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 39; Ord. of 10-3-1955, § 11; Ord. of 8-1-1966; Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

The currency required to be deposited in parking meters as provided herein are hereby levied and assessed as fees to provide for the proper regulation and control of traffic upon the public streets and also for the cost of supervision, regulation, installation, operation and maintenance of the parking meters and also for the cost of construction, supervision, regulation and maintenance of parking lots and for the enforcement of the provisions of this article.

Section 13-159 Collection of parking meter fees.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 40; Ord. of 3-2-1953, § 1]

The Commissioner of Finance shall designate an officer or employee of the city to make regular collections of the money deposited in the parking meters. The officer or employee upon making such collections shall immediately deliver all coins deposited in the parking meters to the Commissioner of Finance, who shall count such funds and deposit the same in one of the official banks of the City.

Section 13-160 Free parking spaces.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 41]

Nothing in this article shall be construed as prohibiting the city from providing for free parking space for bus stops, for taxicab stands and for other purposes of similar nature; nor shall this article be construed as prohibiting trucks from loading or unloading or physicians from parking while on professional calls.

Section 13-161 Violations and penalties.

[Ord. of 2-6-1950, § 46; Ord. of 6-9-1954, § 4]

Except as otherwise provided, any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this Article shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

[Amended by Ord. No. O-14-05, 5-5-2014, § 1]

Section 13-162 Removal of vehicle by city for nonpayment of parking tickets.

Any person who shall violate any provisions of said article relating to the parking of vehicles shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $40 or by imprisonment not exceeding 10 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

[Amended by Ord. No. O-16-10, 12-5-2016]

[Ord. of 2-23-1977, § 1; Ord. of 4-18-1977, § 1; Ord. of 1-21-1992, § 1; Ord. No. O-08-16, § 1]

Any police officer is hereby authorized to remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any vehicle parked on any highway or public place where report has been made that six or more delinquent parking tickets have been issued to an individual, corporation or governmental body, in whose name such vehicle or vehicles are registered, for violation of any City of Poughkeepsie parking ordinance, within the boundaries of the City.

A ticket shall be deemed delinquent if no plea or appearance by the owner of the vehicle has been entered within 30 days of the issuance of the ticket, or if a fine has not been fully paid after a plea of guilty by the owner of the vehicle to the summons or after the owner is convicted by the court after trial. A ticket shall be deemed delinquent if the owner of the vehicle fails to appear for trial in response to a trial notice and is adjudged to be in default by the court.