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.
(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;
(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)