[Code 1962, § 17-122]
(a)
No vehicle shall be stopped in such a manner as to impede or render
dangerous the use of the highway by others except in the case of an
emergency as the result of an accident or mechanical breakdown, in
which case a report shall be made to the nearest police officer as
soon as practicable and the vehicle shall be removed from the roadway
to the shoulder as soon as possible and removed from the shoulder
without unnecessary delay. If such vehicle is not promptly removed,
such removal may also be ordered by a police officer at the expense
of the owner, if the disabled vehicle creates a traffic hazard.
(b)
No person shall leave any vehicle, attended or unattended, upon the
paved, improved or main-traveled portion of any highway, outside of
a business or residence district, when it is practicable to leave
such vehicle standing off the paved, improved or main-traveled portion
of such highway.
(c)
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no vehicle shall be
stopped except close to and parallel with the right-hand curb. In
no instance shall such vehicle be parked with the near wheels farther
than six inches from the curb.
(d)
The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vehicle owned
or controlled by the state department of highways or the City, while
actually engaged in the construction, reconstruction or maintenance
of highways.
[Code 1962, § 17-2]
(a)
The City Manager may classify vehicles with reference to parking
and may designate the time, place and manner such vehicles may be
allowed to park on City streets, and may make and enforce such additional
rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of this
article, as parking conditions may require. When any such parking
regulation is established, the City Manager shall cause to be erected
appropriate signs or markers so that an ordinarily observant person,
who may be affected by such regulation, will be aware of such regulation.
(b)
When any regulation is made pursuant to this section and when appropriate
signs or markers have been erected as required by this section, it
shall be unlawful for any person to violate any such regulation.
[Code 1962, § 17-119; amended by Ord. of 3-25-1985; Ord. No. 93-7, 10-25-1993]
(a)
No person shall park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict
with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police
officer or traffic-control device, in any of the following places:
(1)
On a sidewalk.
(2)
In front of or within three feet of a public or private driveway.
(3)
Within an intersection.
(4)
Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
(5)
On a crosswalk.
(6)
Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
(7)
Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing beacon, stop
sign or traffic-control signal located at the side of a roadway.
(8)
Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet
of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone,
unless a different length is indicated by official signs or markings.
(9)
Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad grade crossing.
(10)
Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station
and, on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station,
within 75 feet of the entrance when properly signposted.
(11)
Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when
such parking would obstruct traffic.
(12)
On the roadway side of any vehicle parked at the edge or curb
of a street.
(13)
Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a street or
highway or within a tunnel.
(14)
At any place where official signs prohibit parking.
(15)
In a fire lane designated as such by the Fire Chief and clearly
indicated as such by signs or by marking on the pavement or curb.
(b)
No person other than a police officer shall move a vehicle into any
such prohibited area or away from a curb such distance as is unlawful.
[Code 1962, § 17-121]
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or place any vehicle
upon or in any street, alley or parkway for the purpose of selling
or offering the same for sale or rent. No sign or lettering shall
be attached or placed upon any vehicle parked in or upon any public
street, alley or parkway of the City indicating that such vehicle
is offered for sale or for rent. It shall also be unlawful to park
any vehicle upon any street in a business district from which any
merchandise is being sold.
(b)
It shall be unlawful to park a vehicle at any time upon the highway
for the purpose of advertising any article of any kind, or to display
thereupon advertisements of any article or advertisement for the sale
of the vehicle itself.
[Code 1962, § 17-146]
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle across
any line or marking designating a parking space on a street, or to
park any vehicle in any way that the same shall not be wholly within
such a parking space, as designated by such lines or markings.
[Code 1962, § 17-127]
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the City
Manager may, when in his discretion the public interest so requires,
provide for angle parking on any street or portion thereof provided
such streets are marked so as to apprise an ordinarily observant person
of the regulation.
[Code 1962, § 17-200]
No lights need be displayed upon a vehicle parked upon a street,
whether attended or unattended, during the period from a half hour
after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, when such vehicle is parked
or stopped in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
[Ord. No. III, 9-12-1977]
At any place where official signs prohibit parking beyond a
certain period of time, it shall be unlawful for any person to park
a vehicle beyond the period of time so stated.
[Code 1962, § 17-128]
It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle having
no current state license tag on any highway or street in the City.
[Code 1962, § 17-123]
No vehicle shall be backed up to a curb, except during the time
actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise therefrom.
[Code 1962, § 17-129]
Where a loading and unloading zone has been set apart by the
City Manager, the following regulations shall apply with respect to
the use of such areas:
(1)
No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle for any purpose or
length of time, other than for the expeditious unloading and delivery
or pickup and loading of materials, in any place marked as a curb
loading zone during hours when the provisions applicable to such zones
are in effect. All delivery vehicles, other than regular delivery
trucks, using such loading zones shall be identified by the owner's
or company's name in letters three inches high on both sides of the
vehicle. In no case shall the stop for loading and unloading of materials
exceed 30 minutes.
(2)
The driver of a passenger vehicle may stop temporarily in a space
marked as a curb loading zone for the purpose of, and while actually
engaged in, loading or unloading passengers or bundles, when such
stopping does not interfere with any vehicle used for the transportation
of materials which is waiting to enter or is about to enter such loading
space.
[Code 1962, § 17-130]
Where a bus stop or taxicab stand has been set apart by the
City Manager, the following regulations shall apply as to the use
thereof: No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle other than
a bus in a bus stop, or other than a taxicab in a taxicab stand, when
such stop or stand has been officially designated and appropriately
signed; except that the driver of a passenger vehicle may temporarily
stop therein for the purpose of and while actually engaged in the
expeditious loading or unloading of passengers, when such stopping
does not interfere with any bus or taxicab waiting to enter or about
to enter such zone.
[Code 1962, § 17-135]
It shall be unlawful for any person to leave any vehicle parked
for more than 48 consecutive hours on any City-owned parking lot,
without first securing permission from the Chief of Police.
[Code 1962, § 17-136]
City-owned parking lots shall be clearly marked so as to indicate
individual parking spaces. It shall be unlawful for any person to
park any vehicle across any line or marking designating a parking
space, or to park any vehicle in any way that the same shall not be
wholly within a parking space as designated by any such lines or markings.
[Code 1962, § 17-137]
[Code 1962, § 17-120]
No person shall stand or park a vehicle on any private lot or
lot area without the express or implied consent of the owner thereof.
Whenever signs or markings have been erected on any lot or lot area,
contiguous or adjacent to a street, thoroughfare or alley, indicating
that no vehicles are permitted to stand or park thereon, it shall
be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle across any curb or lot
line or over any driveway from a street or alley into such lot or
area for the purpose of standing or parking such vehicle, or for any
person to stop, stand or park any vehicle in such lot or lot area.
[Code 1962, § 17-131; amended by Ord. No. 2005-4, 2-28-2005; 2-22-2010]
(a)
Whenever any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer is found on the
public streets or public grounds unattended by the owner or operator
and constitutes a hazard to traffic, or is parked in such manner as
to interfere substantially with the necessary maintenance or repairs
to such streets or public grounds, or is parked in such manner as
to be in violation of law, or whenever any motor vehicle, trailer
or semitrailer is left unattended for more than 10 days upon any public
property or privately owned property, other than the property of the
owner of such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, within the City,
or is abandoned upon such public property or privately owned property,
without the permission of the owner, lessee or occupant thereof, such
motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer may be removed for safekeeping
by or under the direction of a police officer to a storage garage
or area; however, no such vehicle shall be so removed from privately
owned premises without the written request of the owner, lessee or
occupant thereof.
(b)
For the purposes of this section, it shall be presumed that a motor
vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or part thereof is abandoned if it
lacks either a current state license plate, a current county, city
or town plate or sticker or a valid state inspection certificate or
sticker and has been in a specific location for 10 days without being
moved.
(c)
The person at whose request a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer
is removed from privately owned property under this section shall
indemnify the City against any loss or expense incurred by reason
of the removal, storage or sale thereof.
(d)
Each removal under this section shall be reported immediately to
the Chief of Police, who shall give notice to the owner of the motor
vehicle, trailer or semitrailer as promptly as possible. The owner,
before obtaining possession of the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer,
shall pay to the City all reasonable costs incidental to the removal
and storage and locating the owner of the motor vehicle, trailer or
semitrailer. Should the owner fail or refuse to pay the costs or should
the identity or whereabouts of the owner be unknown and unascertainable,
after a diligent search has been made, and after notice to the owner
at his last-known address and to the holder of any lien of record
in the office of the State Division of Motor Vehicles against the
motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, the Chief of Police may, after
holding the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer 60 days and after
due notice of sale, dispose of the same at public sale, and the proceeds
from the sale shall be forwarded by the Chief of Police to the Treasurer;
provided that, if the value of such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer
is determined, by three disinterested dealers or garagemen, to be
less than $50, which would be incurred by such advertising and public
sale, it may be disposed of by private sale or junked.
(e)
The Treasurer shall pay from the proceeds of a sale under this section
the cost of removal, storage, investigation as to ownership and liens
and notice of sale, and the balance of such funds shall be held by
him for the owner and paid to the owner upon satisfactory proof of
ownership.
(f)
If no claim has been made by the owner for the proceeds of a sale
under this section, after the payment of the above-mentioned cost
of $50, the funds may be deposited to the general fund or any special
fund of the City. Any such owner shall be entitled to apply to the
City within three years from the date of such sale and, if timely
application is made therefor, the City shall pay the same to the owner
without interest or other charges. No claim shall be made nor shall
any suit, action or proceeding be instituted for the recovery of such
funds after three years from the date of such sale.
[Code 1962, § 17-132]
The City Manager shall have the power to enter into contracts with the owner or operator of garages or places for the removal or storage of vehicles referred to in § 17-101. The contract shall provide for the payment by the City of reasonable charges for the removal and storage of such vehicles, shall require such owners or operators to deliver such vehicles to the owners thereof or their agents upon demand therefor and upon furnishing satisfactory evidence of identity and ownership or agency, and that the owners or operators of such garages or places of storage will indemnify the owners of such vehicles for injury or damage thereto resulting from the negligent removal or storage thereof; and such owners or operators shall be required to provide themselves with adequate liability insurance to cover such indemnity.
[Ord. of 1-26-1998]
In any prosecution charging that a vehicle has been parked in
violation of any provision of this chapter, proof that the motor vehicle
described in the complaint, summons, parking ticket or citation was
parked in violation of any provisions of this chapter, together with
proof that the defendant was at the time the registered owner of the
vehicle, shall constitute prima facie evidence that the registered
owner of the vehicle was the person who was parked at the place where
and for the time during which the violation occurred.
[Code 1962, § 17-138; amended by Ord. No. 168, 9-8-1980; Ord. of 3-9-1987; Ord. No. 88-4, 2-8-1988; Ord. of 1-26-1998; Ord. of 2-11-2002]
(a)
Unless otherwise provided, any person violating any of the provisions of this article or any parking regulation promulgated pursuant to § 17-86 shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $25 and shall pay the applicable costs of court.
(b)
However, unless otherwise provided, any person violating any of the provisions of this article or any parking regulation promulgated pursuant to § 17-86, who shall voluntarily waive his or her right to appear and be tried for the offense set forth in the citation, shall be punished by a fine of $10.
[Ord. of 1-26-1998; amended by Ord. No.
2005-4, 2-28-2005; 2-22-2010]
(a)
Every person receiving a citation that he has violated a provision of this article regulating parking or any parking regulation promulgated pursuant to § 17-86 may waive his right to appear and be tried for the offense set forth in the citation. Such waiver shall be effective upon voluntary payment of the fine specified for the violation to the office of the Treasurer within five days after receipt of the citation, or upon voluntarily placing the amount of the fine in a reply mail envelope and mailing it to the Treasurer, so that it is postmarked within 48 hours after receipt of the citation.
(b)
All uncontested parking citations paid pursuant to this section
shall be accounted for by the Treasurer. A contest by any person of
a parking citation shall be certified in writing, on an appropriate
form, to the City General District Court and the Chief of Police by
the Treasurer.
(c)
Whenever a reply mail envelope is used for transmitting cash,
check, draft or money order by mail to the office of the Treasurer,
the responsibility for receipt of the cash, check, draft or money
order by the Treasurer shall be that of the person receiving the parking
citation.
[Code 1962, § 17-137.1; amended by Ord. of 1-26-1998; Ord. of 2-11-2002]
(a)
The Chief of Police, or his designee, shall cause a summons or warrant
to be issued for delinquent parking citations.
(b)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (a) above, before any summons or warrant shall be issued for the prosecution of a violation of this article regulating parking or a parking regulation promulgated pursuant to § 17-86, the violator shall have been first notified by regular mail at his last known address or at the address shown for such violator on the records of the Division of Motor Vehicles, that he or she may pay the fine set forth hereinabove in § 17-103(b) for such violation within five days of receipt of such notice. The officer issuing such summons or warrant shall be notified if the violator fails to pay such fine within such time. The notice to the violator required by the provisions of this section shall be contained in an envelope bearing the words "Law Enforcement Notice" stamped or printed on the face thereof in type at least 1/2 inch in height.
[Ord. No. 185, 11-23-1981; amended by Ord. of 1-12-1998(1); Ord. of 1-26-1998]
(a)
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motor vehicle not displaying
either (i) disabled parking license plates, (ii) an organizational
removable windshield placard, a permanent removable windshield placard
or a temporary removable windshield placard issued pursuant to Code
of Virginia, § 46.2-1241, or (iii) DV disabled parking license
plates issued pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 46.2-739(B),
to park such vehicle in a parking space reserved for persons with
disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk.
(b)
It shall be unlawful for a person who is not limited or impaired
in his or her ability to walk to park a motor vehicle in a parking
space reserved for persons with disabilities that limit or impair
their ability to walk, except when transporting a person with such
a disability in the vehicle.
(c)
For the purpose of this section, the term "parking space reserved
for persons with disabilities that limit or impair their ability to
walk" shall mean those parking spaces that have been identified in
accordance with the provisions of Code of Virginia, § 36-99.11,
which requires that such signs be designed and constructed in conformity
with the Uniform Statewide Building Code, that they be identified
by the International Symbol of Accessibility, that they be above grade
and that the bottom edge be no lower than four feet nor higher than
seven feet above the parking surface.
(d)
Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction,
be punished by a fine of $100. A summons or parking ticket for such
an offense may be issued by any City police officer or any other uniformed
personnel employed by the City to enforce parking regulations without
the necessity of a warrant being obtained by the owner of any private
parking area.
(e)
In a prosecution charging a violation of this section, proof that
the motor vehicle described in the complaint, summons, parking ticket
or citation was parked in violation of this section, together with
proof that the defendant was at the time the registered owner of the
vehicle, shall constitute prima facie evidence that the registered
owner of the vehicle was the person who committed the violation.
(f)
No violation of this section shall be dismissed because of a property
owner's failure to comply strictly with the requirements for disabled
parking signs set forth in Code of Virginia, § 36-99.11,
provided that the space is clearly distinguishable as a parking space
reserved for persons with disabilities that impair their ability to
walk.
[Code 1962, § 17-140; amended by Ord. No. 88-3, 2-8-1988]
Restricted parking zones are established on the following streets
in the City:
(1)
Middle Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
(2)
Main Street between Jackson Street and Barrett Street.
(3)
Franklin Street between First Avenue and Fourth Avenue.
(4)
First Avenue between Franklin Street and Main Street.
(5)
Second Avenue between the City Hall parking lot entrance and Mechanic
Street.
(6)
Third Avenue between Franklin Street and Middle Street.
(7)
Fourth Avenue between Franklin Street and Middle Street.
(8)
Fifth Avenue between Franklin Street and Middle Street.
[Code 1962, §§ 17-142, 17-143; amended by Ord. No. 88-3, 2-8-1988]
Restricted parking on the streets set forth in § 17-111 shall be in effect between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
