The traffic engineer of the city is authorized to install and maintain parking meters in the city in accordance with the following regulations:
(1) 
Each parking meter shall be placed upon the curb or alongside a parking space and shall indicate the time limit in effect for such parking space, the hours the limit is operative, and the appropriate coin which is required to be deposited.
(2) 
Each parking meter shall display an indicator and dial showing legal parking upon the deposit of an appropriate coin of the United States. The parking time allowed by the deposit of a coin shall be clearly indicated on the meter. Each meter shall continue operation from the time of depositing a coin until expiration of the appropriate parking time. At the end of that parking time, the meter shall indicate by the display of a signal that the lawful parking period has expired.
(3) 
Each parking meter shall be placed only in the parking meter zones, as hereinafter described, and shall be set to operate pursuant to the meter fee designated for the parking zone where the meter is installed.
(4) 
Parking meters will be used only for those parking spaces approved by resolution of the city council.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 92-05, sec. 2, adopted 1/28/92; 1957 Code, sec. 18-24)
Parking meter zones are hereby established for the purpose of defining those areas where parking meters can be located and the applicable fees and time limits. However, specific parking spaces where meters will be located are subject to the availability of funds for the purchase of the parking meter and the approval by resolution of the city council. The approval of parking meter zones shall not repeal or in any way affect those spaces where parking is prohibited or parking is limited by time or other police regulations adopted by ordinance or state law. The areas referred to as parking meter zones are more specifically described as follows:
(1) 
Zone A (Blue).
(A) 
Grant Avenue.
On both sides from 3rd Street to 4th Street.
(B) 
3rd Street.
On the north side of 3rd Street from Lee Avenue to Jackson Avenue, and on the south side of 3rd Street from Grant Avenue to Jackson Avenue.
(C) 
4th Street.
Both sides from Grant Avenue to Texas Avenue.
(D) 
Texas Avenue.
Both sides from 2nd Street to 3rd Street, west side from 3rd Street to 4th Street, and east side from 64 feet south of 4th Street to 3rd Street.
(2) 
Zone B (Red).
(A) 
Washington Avenue.
On the east side from 5th Street north 275 feet.
(B) 
5th Street.
On the north side of 5th Street from Washington Avenue to Sam Houston Avenue. On the south side of 5th from the alley east of Washington Avenue to Sam Houston Avenue.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 85-36, sec. 1, adopted 4/23/85; Ordinance 88-28, sec. 2, adopted 3/22/88; Ordinance 91-73, sec. 1, adopted 10/8/91; Ordinance 92-05, sec. 1, adopted 1/28/92; Ordinance 92-15, sec. 1, adopted 3/10/92; Ordinance 92-65, sec. 1, adopted 9/8/92; Ordinance 92-92, sec. 1, adopted 10/24/92; Ordinance 93-64, sec. 1, adopted 10/28/93; Ordinance 99-25, sec. 1, adopted 4/27/99; Ordinance 2002-52, sec. 1, adopted 11/26/02; Ordinance 2004-05, secs. 3, 4, adopted 1/27/04; Ordinance 2004-29, sec. 3, adopted 8/10/04; Ordinance 2005-13, sec. 2, adopted 5/24/05; Ordinance 2006-34, sec. 2, adopted 6/27/06; 1957 Code, sec. 18-25; Ordinance 2009-21, sec. 4, adopted 7/14/09; Ordinance 2011-11, sec. 2, adopted 5/10/11; Ordinance 2012-43, sec. 4, adopted 8/14/12; Ordinance 2022-27 adopted 9/27/2022)
The following lengths of time for parking a vehicle in a parking space, and the amounts of money charged for such lengths of time, respectively, are hereby established as follows:
(1) 
Zone A (Blue).
$0.50/120 minutes.
$0.25/60 minutes.
$0.10/20 minutes.
$0.05/10 minutes.
(2) 
Zone B (Red).
$0.35/120 minutes.
$0.25/90 minutes.
$0.10/30 minutes.
$0.05/15 minutes.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 88-28, sec. 1, adopted 3/22/88; Ordinance 91-73, sec. 2, adopted 10/8/91; 1957 Code, sec. 18-26)
(a) 
Limited parking time zones are hereby established for the purpose of defining time limits in parking on certain streets. On such streets, a vehicle may not be parked in a parking space within the zone for more than the time limit stated. Every time period violation shall constitute a separate offense. The approval of the limited parking time zones shall not repeal or in any way affect those spaces where parking is prohibited or parking is regulated by parking meters or other police regulations adopted by ordinance or state law.
(b) 
These zones shall be marked by appropriate signs and/or curb markings and shall consist of the following streets:
3rd Street. Both sides from Jackson Avenue to Hancock Avenue, and on the south side of 3rd Street from Grant Avenue to Lee Avenue.
4th Street. On the south side from Texas Avenue east for a distance of 153 feet, on both sides from Grant Avenue to a point 512 feet west of Lee Avenue, on the south side from a point 107 feet east of Sam Houston Avenue to Sam Houston Avenue.
5th Street. On the north side from the alley west of Alleghaney Avenue to Alleghaney Avenue.
6th Street. On the north side from Lincoln Avenue to Grant Avenue, and on the south side from Lee Avenue to 48 feet west of Texas Avenue, and on the south side from 48 feet east of Texas Avenue to the alley east of Texas Avenue.
7th Street. On the south side from Alleghaney Avenue to the alley east of Alleghaney Avenue, on the south side from Lee Avenue to Grant Avenue and on both sides from Grant Avenue to the alley east of Texas Avenue.
7th Street. On the south side from the alley east of Lee Avenue to Grant Avenue and on both sides from Grant Avenue to the alley east of Texas Avenue.
8th Street. North side from Lee Street to Grant Street.
Alleghaney Avenue. On the east side of Alleghaney from 5th Street to 6th Street and on the east side from 7th Street south a distance of 257 feet.
Alleghaney Avenue. On the west side from the north curbline of 5th Street north for a distance of 97 feet.
Grant Avenue. On both sides from 2nd Street to 3rd Street, and on both sides from 4th Street to 9th Street including two parking lots on Grant and 4th Street.
Jackson Avenue. Both sides from 3rd Street to 4th Street.
Lee Avenue. Both sides from 3rd Street to 4th Street, on the east side from the northeast curbline of 4th Street north for a distance of 160 feet, and on the west side from 5th Street to 6th Street.
Sam Houston Avenue. On the west side from 5th Street to 6th Street, and on the east side from 5th Street north for a distance of 50 feet, and on the west side from 4th Street to 5th Street.
Texas Avenue. On the east side from 4th Street south for a distance of 64 feet, and both sides from 4th Street to 8th Street.
Washington Avenue. On the west side from 5th Street to 6th Street.
(Ordinance 91-73, sec. 3, adopted 10/8/91; Ordinance 92-05, sec. 2, adopted 1/28/92; Ordinance 92-66, sec. 1, adopted 9/8/92; Ordinance 92-93, sec. 1, adopted 11/24/92; Ordinance 95-64, sec. 1, adopted 11/28/95; Ordinance 96-71, sec. 1, adopted 11/26/96; Ordinance 98-40, sec. 1, adopted 6/9/98; Ordinance 99-25, sec. 2, adopted 4/27/99; Ordinance 2000-08, sec. 1, adopted 4/11/00; Ordinance 2001-04, sec. 2, adopted 1/23/01; Ordinance 2002-39, secs. 4, 5, adopted 8/27/02; Ordinance 2002-52, secs. 2, 3, adopted 11/26/02; Ordinance 2004-05, secs. 5, 6, adopted 1/27/04; Ordinance 2005-13, sec. 3, adopted 5/24/05; Ordinance 2006-05, sec. 1, adopted 1/24/06; Ordinance 2006-34, sec. 3, adopted 6/27/06; 1957 Code, sec. 18-26.1; Ordinance 2009-21, sec. 5, adopted 7/14/09; Ordinance 2011-11, sec. 3, adopted 5/10/11; Ordinance 2012-03, sec. 5, adopted 1/24/12; Ordinance 2013-18, sec. 2, adopted 3/26/13)
It shall be an offense for any person to remove, tamper with or in any way alter a chalk mark placed on a vehicle by a meter control officer to enforce the time limits in the limited parking time zones.
(Ordinance 91-73, sec. 4, adopted 10/8/91; 1957 Code, sec. 18-26.2)
The parking meters and the limited parking time zones shall be in operation and enforced on all days except Saturdays, Sundays, and the holidays for New Year’s Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.), and Christmas. The hours of operation shall be 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in zone A and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in zone B. The hours of enforcement shall be 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the limited parking time zone. Parking meter limits will not be enforced on federal or state holidays observed by Ector County as set forth by the Ector County Commissioner Court.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 88-28, sec. 1, adopted 3/22/88; Ordinance 91-73, sec. 5, adopted 10/8/91; Ordinance 96-66, sec. 1, adopted 10/8/96; 1957 Code, sec. 18-27; Ordinance 2010-23, sec. 9, adopted 8/10/10)
(a) 
The operator of a motor vehicle is exempt from paying a parking meter fee and is exempt from the time limits imposed in the limited parking time zone and the failure to pay a parking meter fee or observe the time limits shall not be an offense under the following circumstances:
(1) 
The city or its duly appointed representative has issued a special permit to the operator who is registered for a convention or tourist activity approved by the city manager or his designated representative for a period not to exceed the period for the convention or tourist activity, and the permit is prominently displayed next to the front windshield on the driver’s side with the name of the operator and the period of time for which the permit is issued.
(2) 
The vehicle is assigned to employees of local, state or national law enforcement agencies and displays an official business permit issued by the chief of police or displays an original official business notice issued by the law enforcement agency on the driver’s side of the dashboard or is a marked vehicle with the emblem or lettering of the agency on the side of the vehicle. Official business permits shall cost twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and shall be valid from January 1st to December 31st each year. The cost of a permit obtained after January 1st of each year shall be two dollars ($2.00) per month remaining in the year at the time the permit is issued, including two dollars ($2.00) for the month the permit is issued.
(3) 
The vehicle is a maintenance vehicle marked with an emblem or lettering of the governmental entity or utility which is parked in a space while repairs are made in the street by a utility to its own equipment or facilities or by a governmental entity to its own equipment or facilities.
(4) 
The city or its duly appointed representative has issued a special permit to a person attending a class or event at the Municipal Plaza Building, for a period not to exceed the period of the class or event, and the permit is prominently displayed next to the front windshield on the driver’s side with the name of the operator and the period of time for which the permit is issued. The police chief must approve the form of the permit and the process for issuing the permit.
(b) 
The city manager is authorized to prescribe any other necessary terms, conditions or regulations by the administrative regulations or by contract that are not in conflict with this section to implement this section.
(Ordinance 89-62, sec. 1, adopted 8/22/89; Ordinance 91-72, sec. 2, adopted 10/8/91; Ordinance 96-41, sec. 1, adopted 6/25/96; 1957 Code, sec. 18-27.1)
It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any parking meter or cover any parking meter without first obtaining a permit and lockable covers from the city engineer. Any person who needs to remove or cover any parking meter during construction or other actions shall obtain a permit from the city engineer for no charge. It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy any parking space in the limited parking time zone for construction or renovation purposes without first obtaining a permit from the city engineer. In addition, such person shall place a deposit of twenty dollars ($20.00) for a single meter and twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for a double meter with the city engineer to obtain lockable covers to place on the parking meters. This shall be forfeited if the lockable covers are not returned within ten (10) days after the permit ends or if the lockable covers are returned in damaged condition. If the city engineer decides that the parking meter is likely to be damaged by the construction or other actions, he/she shall order the parking meter heads removed until the expiration of the permit. A charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meter for labor cost shall be made for meter head removal. Such removal shall be performed by city employees and no deposit will be required. Any person damaging any parking meter, parking meter pole, or parking sign during construction shall be liable for the cost of repair or replacement of the meter or pole.
(Ordinance 91-72, sec. 3, adopted 10/8/91; 1957 Code, sec. 18-27.2)
A juror is exempt from sections 12-3-50 and 12-3-51 of the city code, and it shall not be an offense when such juror parks a motor vehicle in an area approved by the city council and officially designated for juror parking by resolution, and there is displayed on the driver’s side of the dashboard, or presented to the municipal court, an official current juror permit issued by a judge conducting jury trials in the city. The police chief must approve the form of the permit and the process for issuing the permit. Said resolution designating juror parking shall be available in the office of the director of municipal court and the office of the city secretary.
(Ordinance 94-76, sec. 1, adopted 10/25/94; Ordinance 94-78, sec. 1, adopted 11/8/94; 1957 Code, sec. 18-27.3; Ordinance 2010-23, sec. 10, adopted 8/10/10)
When any vehicle shall be parked in any place alongside or next to which there is located a parking meter, the operator of such vehicle shall, upon entering such marked space, immediately deposit coins of the United States of America, of denominations designated on the parking meter, in the slot made therefor, in the parking meter alongside of or next to such parking space, and the parking space may then be used by such vehicle during the parking time limit for which such coin is payment. If the vehicle shall remain parked in any such parking space when the parking meter shall display a sign showing that the lawful parking period has expired, such vehicle shall be considered illegally parked and such parking of a vehicle shall be unlawful.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; 1957 Code, sec. 18-28)
(a) 
When signs are erected, curbs are painted or parking meters are installed at any place within the city giving notice of a time limit for parking a vehicle, it shall be unlawful for any operator of a vehicle to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle in his possession or under his control to remain in a parking space for a longer period of time than indicated by such sign or meter during the days and hours of operation indicated in section 12-3-46. The display of a sign showing illegal parking by any parking meter shall be prima facie evidence that such vehicle has been parked without payment or overtime and beyond the period of time for which payment has been made by deposit of a coin or coins in the parking meter alongside of or next to such parking space.
(b) 
Every two (2) hours any violation of this section shall continue shall be considered to be a separate offense.
(c) 
If any vehicle is found upon any roadway in violation of this section, and the identity of the operator cannot be determined, the owner or person in whose name such vehicle is registered shall be held prima facie responsible for such violation as provided in section 12-3-1.
(d) 
Meter control officers are authorized in the same manner as police officers to issue municipal court citations for violations of sections 12-3-2, 12-3-6, 12-3-7, 12-3-8, 12-3-9, 12-3-11, 12-3-12, 12-3-13, 12-3-44, 12-3-48, 12-3-51, and 12-3-111.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 91-72, sec. 1, adopted 10/8/91; 1957 Code, sec. 18-29)
(a) 
Depositing slugs.
It shall be unlawful and an offense to deposit, or cause to be deposited, in any parking meter, any slug, device or substitute for a coin of the United States of America currently in legitimate use as legal tender.
(b) 
Defacing or tampering with meter.
It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person, other than an authorized city employee or official, to deface, injure, tamper with, open, or willfully break, destroy or impair the proper use of any parking meter installed under the provisions of this chapter.
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; 1957 Code, sec. 18-30)
Any person violating the provisions of division 2 of this article or division 3 of this article shall be punished by a fine as provided in the following schedule:
(1) 
Violation of any offense not provided for in subsections (2) and (3) shall be punished by a fine that shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00).
(2) 
Violation of section 12-3-51, if paid within ten (10) days of the offense, shall be [punished by a fine of] three dollars ($3.00).
(3) 
Violation of section 12-3-51, if not paid within ten (10) days, shall be punished by a fine that shall be no less than ten dollars ($10.00) and shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00).
(Ordinance 84-96, sec. 1, adopted 9/25/84; Ordinance 88-28, sec. 1, adopted 3/22/88; Ordinance 91-72, sec. 4, adopted 10/8/91; Ordinance 2005-13, sec. 4, adopted 5/24/05; 1957 Code, sec. 18-31)