Horseback riding, mountain bicycling and outdoor walking and
hiking are major sports at Palm Springs. There are a large number
of pedestrians and riders who use and traverse the public property,
streets and ways and constitute a material part of the traffic thereon,
and it is essential to the public peace, health, safety and welfare
that such traffic other than vehicular be segregated and specifically
provided for year-round. In addition, there are certain other unpaved
trails within the desert and mountain areas located on public property
and subject to multiple use by the public, including horseback riding,
mountain bicycling and outdoor walking. Due to the steep and precipitous
terrain, and rocky, overgrown and narrow nature of portions of these
trails, they may be unsuited to certain types of use, or subject to
conflicts arising from multiple use. It is therefore essential to
the public peace, health, safety and welfare that the public use of
such trails be regulated as provided herein.
(Prior code § 7501; Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)
Those portions of public property, streets and ways designated in this chapter, marked as provided for in Sections
12.72.070 and
12.72.080, or added by resolution of the parks and recreation commission are set aside for the exclusive use of persons and animals, and shall be closed to vehicular traffic, other than bicycles, all year round.
(Prior code § 7502; Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)
The parks and recreation commission is authorized to designate unpaved mountain and desert trails on public property, by resolution, for controlled access and restricted use. Such trails or the portions thereof so restricted shall be marked as provided in Sections
12.72.070 and
12.72.080.
(Prior code § 7502.1; Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)
All paved portions of public property, streets and ways within
the city, except Palm Canyon Drive and the areas specifically described
in this chapter are hereby closed to use by horses (not drawing vehicles),
at all times, excepting only that such horses may cross same laterally
at intersections with public or private streets or ways. Horse-drawn
vehicles are not intended to be prohibited on paved ways.
(Prior code § 7503)
It is unlawful at all times for any person to drive, ride, allow
or stand any unattached horse on any paved portions of any public
property, streets or ways within the city excepting Palm Canyon Drive
and the areas specifically described in this chapter, and also excepting
lateral traversing thereof at intersections with public or private
streets or ways.
(Prior code § 7503.1)
It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand, park or place any vehicle, excluding bicycles, on or across any of the portions of public property, streets or ways described in this chapter, marked as provided in Sections
12.72.070 and
12.72.080 or added by resolution of the parks and recreation commission, year-round, other than on public or private streets and ways intersecting same, or to otherwise obstruct the use thereof.
(Prior code § 7504; Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)
The parks and recreation commission is authorized and directed
to appropriately mark and signpost at the entrances thereto and elsewhere
as it deems proper and necessary to designate same, the portions of
public property, streets and ways described in this chapter, and thereby
set aside for the exclusive use of persons and animals year round.
(Prior code § 7505; Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)
No provisions of this chapter for which signs or markings are
required shall be enforced against an alleged violator unless at the
time and place of the violation an official sign or marking is in
place and sufficiently legible and visible to be seen by an ordinarily
observant person.
(Prior code § 7506)
The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking,
placing and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any authorized
emergency vehicles as defined in the Vehicle Code of the state of
California.
(Prior code § 7507)
It is the duty of the officers of the police department to enforce
the provisions of this chapter.
(Prior code § 7508)
The parks and recreation commission is authorized to close trails
which are deemed too steep and precipitous for multiuse, or otherwise
restrict or limit use. The parks and recreation commission will make
every attempt to solicit input from concerned groups regarding these
trail closures. Upon closure, these trails may be limited to pedestrians
and horse riders only until such time as the trail may be modified
to safely accommodate pedestrians, horse riders and mountain bicycles.
(Ord. 1417 § 1, 1992)