City.
The City of Bellville, Texas.
Commercial vehicle.
Shall have the same meaning as the definition of "commercial motor vehicle" contained in Texas Transportation Code, section 548.001(1), as it exists or may be amended.
Local commercial vehicle.
Any commercial vehicle whose origin or final destination is within the city limits, as they exist or may be amended.
Motor vehicle.
Shall have the same meaning as the definition of "motor vehicle" contained in Texas Transportation Code, section 642.001(1), as it exists or may be amended.
Personal trailer.
A wheeled device made to be hauled without cost by a noncommercial motor vehicle upon a street, road or highway, and includes a horse trailer, dog trailer, car trailer, motorcycle trailer, boat trailer, lawn equipment trailer, gooseneck trailer, and any other noncommercial trailer designed and intended to be used to carry animals, boats, large items, or motor-driven means of transportation.
Recreational vehicle.
A portable vehicle designed for a temporary or short-term occupancy for travel, recreational or vacation uses, including but not limited to vacation travel trailers, converted buses, tent trailers or similar devices used for temporary portable housing.
Through commercial vehicle.
Any commercial vehicle not defined as a local commercial vehicle.
(Ordinance 1690 adopted 5/16/2023)
(a) 
No person shall operate any commercial vehicle upon any public street, except upon such streets as are designated as truck routes. Whenever any street designated as a truck route is being repaired or is otherwise temporarily out of use, the city administrator or his/her designee is authorized to designate alternate truck routes for such periods as may be necessary.
(b) 
This article shall not apply to:
(1) 
Recreational vehicles and personal trailers;
(2) 
Street construction, maintenance and repair vehicles engaged in the construction, maintenance, or repair of city streets;
(3) 
Vehicles used by public utility companies engaged in providing or expanding their service(s) within the city or repairing facilities within the city;
(4) 
Authorized emergency vehicles responding to emergency calls or on official business;
(5) 
Vehicles used or operated by the city performing city business;
(6) 
Vehicles used or operated by the Bellville Independent School District performing BISD business; or
(7) 
Vehicles used by any city franchisee for the franchisee's approved activities.
(c) 
Commercial vehicles restricted to designated truck routes under this section 12.05.002 may depart from such truck routes where:
(1) 
It is necessary to load or unload merchandise at locations situated off designated truck routes within the city boundaries; provided, however, such vehicles shall not leave a designated truck route until they have reached a turning-off point that can be described as the shortest practical distance to the destination of the vehicle within the city boundaries which is consistent with the reasonable operation of the vehicle; or
(2) 
It is necessary to travel to or from a vehicle terminal or place of vehicle repair so long as such vehicle proceeds by the most direct route practical from the truck route to the terminal or place of vehicle repair.
(d) 
Local commercial vehicles restricted to designated truck routes under this section 12.05.002 may depart from such truck routes under the following circumstances:
(1) 
For the purpose of delivering or picking up goods, wares, materials, and/or merchandise or returning to its established place of business or home. When a local commercial vehicle enters a street or alley as herein permitted, such vehicle shall enter such street or alley at the intersection nearest the point of pickup or delivery or its established place of business or home and return to the truck route by the nearest route.
(2) 
Where more than one pickup or delivery off the designated truck route is required, a local commercial vehicle other than a diesel-powered tractor or tractor-trailer combination shall not be required to return to the truck route after each individual pickup or delivery if the next pickup or delivery is less than one-half mile from the preceding pickup or delivery, but in any event the vehicle shall return to the truck route upon the completion of all pickups and deliveries.
(e) 
No person shall operate a commercial vehicle, except as exempted in subsection (b), on any street not designated as a truck route without having in their possession a log book, delivery slip, bill of lading, or other evidence of destination or point of origin for such vehicle in the city.
(f) 
The following streets and roadways or sections of streets and roadways within the city limits are designated as truck routes:
(1) 
All state highways including but not limited to State Highways No. 36 and No. 159;
(2) 
FM 529; and
(3) 
FM 1456.
(g) 
The city administrator shall erect, or cause to be erected, appropriate signage or markings providing identification of designated truck routes or other prohibited areas.
(Ordinance 1690 adopted 5/16/2023)
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, or permit to be operated, a commercial vehicle upon any street, road or alley within the city, except that such commercial vehicle may travel or be operated on a street designated as a truck route or pursuant to an authorized activity or exemption in this article.
(Ordinance 1690 adopted 5/16/2023)
(a) 
Any person, firm, corporation or entity who violates this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00).
(b) 
Each day's violation or use of streets not designated as a truck route within the same day shall constitute a separate offense. The penal provisions under this article shall not preclude the city from filing suit to enjoin the violation. The city retains all legal rights and remedies available to it pursuant to local, state and federal law.
(Ordinance 1690 adopted 5/16/2023)