[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Pittston as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Handicapped parking — See Ch. 340.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 424.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 455.
Zoning — See Ch. 480.
[Adopted 5-13-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-3]
[Amended 3-16-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-1]
A. 
The use of vacant land as a parking lot, the tearing down of buildings for use of lands as private/commercial parking lots and the maintenance of existing parking lots in the Central Business District, previously designated as the C-2 (Central Business) District in the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Pittston,[1] to include the area on South Main Street between Columbus Avenue and the southern boundary of the City of Pittston, substantially affect such matters as pedestrian and vehicle safety, the location and maintenance of utility services, street maintenance costs, the incidence of motor vehicle accidents, and the elimination of public parking places as driveway permits are issued.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 480, Zoning.
B. 
The City of Pittston wishes to foster a truly distinctive Central Business District by protecting downtown Pittston's historic structures as community assets and ensuring that new downtown construction and capital investment carry forward a tradition of quality design and high standards of urban planning and having created a Design Review Committee to coordinate development activities within the City's C-2 Central Business District.
C. 
It is hereby found and determined that these matters are of Citywide concern over which the City, and foremost the elimination, must exercise the control set forth in this article.
[Amended 3-16-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-1]
The Council of the City of Pittston hereby ordains and authorizes that this article shall prohibit any person or business from forming or maintaining any parking lot, commercial or private, in the Central Business District in the City of Pittston as herein defined.
A. 
All parking lots presently existing in the Central Business District shall be abandoned and the land put to a use permitted by the laws of the City of Pittston, unless said lots have a highway access permit duly issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
B. 
All vehicles are to be parked on the street or in other designated areas deemed legal by the City of Pittston. The City shall issue permits to all preexisting lots in compliance with City laws and shall deny said permits to all lots not in compliance herein. Furthermore, the City shall have the authority in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to issue driveway permits on all state-owned roads at a fee as set by resolution of the City Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A paved portion of the City-owned parcel at 401 Kennedy Boulevard is hereby deemed a public parking lot subject to the following regulations:
A. 
Parking in the lot Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. shall be by pre-paid permit only and signage shall be placed at the entrances to the lot stating the same. The City Administrator is directed and authorized to establish and administrate a uniform permit fee and process for the same;
B. 
No vehicles shall be parked so as to impede the entrances and egresses from the parking lot or to impede the free flow of traffic within the lot or to impede access by emergency or maintenance vehicles and equipment;
C. 
The City Administrator is authorized to temporarily suspend all parking in the lot in the event of snowfall to allow for plowing and ice abatement in the lot and to ensure safety and or for required maintenance;
D. 
The City Administrator is authorized to promulgate enforcement regulations for parking violations within the lot and parking tickets and citations are authorized to be issued in accordance with City parking ordinances and regulations;
E. 
The City shall assume no liability for theft of or from or damage to cars parked in the said lot at any time and signage stating the same shall be placed at each entrance to the lot;
F. 
Only operable vehicles displaying current registration, inspection and license shall be parked in the said lot and no vehicular maintenance or repairs shall be conducted at any time within said lot;
G. 
The City Administrator is authorized to promulgate additional regulations for the utilization of said lot; to authorize temporary waivers and exceptions as deemed necessary and to direct the towing of any vehicles in violation of City regulations for the use of the lot;
H. 
Any parking permit and or fine revenue generated from this lot will be deposited into the general fund towards offsetting the cost of maintenance and debt service for the parcel.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, for each such offense, be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days. Each day that a violation exists shall be considered a separate offense.
This article shall not affect any governmental agency, specifically the Parking Authority of the City of Pittston, or any other City-Council-designated agency.
[Amended 3-16-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-1[1]]
This article shall apply to all parking lots, commercial and private, presently in existence in the Central Business District in the City of Pittston. After the passage of this article, all present owners of parking lots in the designated area shall become subject to the provisions of this article, effective immediately upon final reading.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).