A.
The
Council hereby determines that insofar as they are applicable to City
streets, all warning, regulatory and direction signs appearing on
the Uniform Sign Chart as approved by the California Traffic Control
Devices Committee are official signs.
B.
The
Transportation Engineer shall determine and designate the character
of all official warning, regulatory and direction signs other than
those signs for which specifications are established by the Vehicle
Code.
(Prior code §31.18; Ord. 2713, 1959)
Except as outlined in Sections 10.08.060 and 10.24.020, the Transportation Engineer shall have the power and duty to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained official traffic control devices when and as required under the traffic laws of the City to make effective the provisions of said laws.
(Prior code §31.19; Ord. 2713, 1959)
Whenever the Vehicle Code of the State of California requires
for the effectiveness of any provisions thereof that traffic control
devices be installed to give notice to the public of the application
of such law, the Transportation Engineer is authorized to install
or cause to be installed the necessary devices subject to any limitations
or restrictions set forth in the law applicable thereto.
(Prior code §31.20; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer may also place and maintain or cause
to be placed and maintained such additional traffic control devices
as he or she may deem necessary to regulate traffic or to guide or
warn traffic, but he or she shall make such determination only upon
the basis of traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations
and in accordance with such standards, limitations and rules as may
be set forth in the traffic laws of the City, or as may be determined
by ordinance or resolution of the Council.
(Prior code §31.21; Ord. 2713, 1959)
No provision of the Vehicle Code of the State of California
or of this title for which signs are required shall be enforced against
an alleged violator unless appropriate signs are in place and sufficiently
legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person, giving notice
of such provisions of the traffic laws.
(Prior code §31.22; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer shall install official traffic signals
at those intersections and other places where traffic conditions are
such as to require that the flow of traffic be alternately interrupted
and released in order to prevent or relieve traffic congestion or
to protect life or property from exceptional hazard.
(Prior code §31.23; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer shall ascertain and determine the
locations where such signals are deemed by him or her to be necessary
for the preservation of the public safety by resort to field observations,
traffic counts and other traffic information as may be pertinent.
(Prior code §31.24; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer may temporarily remove traffic signals
and necessary appurtenances and any other sign or device when such
removal becomes necessary because of street, utility or sewer construction
or because of driveway construction or relocation. When such construction
or relocation has been completed, the Transportation Engineer shall
replace the required signals, appurtenances, signs or devices.
(Prior code §31.25; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer is authorized to place distinctive
roadway markings as described in Section 525.2(21459) of the Vehicle
Code on those streets or parts of streets where the volume of traffic,
alignment or width of the roadway renders it hazardous to drive on
the left side of such markings or signs and markings. Such markings
or signs and markings shall have the same effect as set forth in Section
525.2(21459) of the Vehicle Code.
(Prior code §31.26; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer may place appropriate traffic guidelines
dividing highways into the number of traffic lanes that is proper
and necessary and to place such other pavement markings as are necessary
to direct vehicular movements in accordance with requirements of this
title and the California Vehicle Code.
(Prior code §31.27; Ord. 2713, 1959)
If the Transportation Engineer has erected any sign or placed
on the pavement any markings pursuant to a finding of the Council
that facts existed necessitating the traffic regulation or prohibition
indicated by such sign or markings, and the Council finds that such
regulation or prohibition no longer is necessary, the Transportation
Engineer shall remove such sign or markings.
(Prior code §31.28; Ord. 2713, 1959)
If the Transportation Engineer has erected any sign or placed
on the pavement any markings pursuant to his or her finding that facts
existed necessitating the traffic regulation or prohibition indicated
by such sign or markings, and he or she finds that such regulations
or prohibition no longer is necessary, he or she shall remove such
sign or markings.
(Prior code §31.29; Ord. 2713, 1959)
Every person who, without permission of the Transportation Engineer
to do so, removes, defaces, damages, or causes the removal, defacement,
or damage of any sign erected pursuant to this title is guilty of
a misdemeanor.
(Prior code §31.30; Ord. 2713, 1959)
The Transportation Engineer shall determine the hours and days
during which any traffic control device shall be in operation or be
in effect, except in those cases where such hours or days are specified
in this title or established by order of the Council.
(Prior code §31.31; Ord. 2713, 1959)
A.
The
operator of any vehicle, and any pedestrian using the streets, shall
obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable
thereto, placed in accordance with this title, unless otherwise directed
by a Police Officer, subject to the exemptions granted the driver
of an authorized emergency vehicle when responding to emergency calls.
B.
The
operator of any vehicle and every pedestrian using the streets shall
obey the instructions of any barrier or sign erected by any of the
public departments of this City, or public utilities of this City,
or by any other person pursuant to law.
(Prior code §31.32; Ord. 2713, 1959)
No person shall operate a pedestrian push button signal, other
than a pedestrian for the purpose of immediately crossing the roadway.
(Prior code §31.33; Ord. 2713, 1959)
It is unlawful for any person to place or maintain or display any device, other than an official warning or directional sign, or sign erected under competent authority, upon or in view of a street, which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official warning or directional sign or signal or which attempts to direct or regulate movement of traffic, parking, or the acts of operators. Any such device shall be a public nuisance and subject to penalty under Chapters 1.25 and 1.28 of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code. The Chief of Police may remove or cause to be removed any display, sign, or device deemed to be an immediate traffic hazard without notice.
(Prior code §31.34; Ord. 2713, 1959; Ord. 5697, 2015)
It is unlawful for any person to apply to a curb or street on
any street in the City any paint or markings which shall tend to mislead
operators of vehicles into believing that the same is an official
traffic parking or loading zone marker, or no parking area.
(Prior code §31.34a; Ord. 2713, 1959)
A.
Any
provision of this title which regulates traffic or delegates the regulation
of traffic upon State Highways in any way for which the approval of
the State Department of Public Works is required by State law, shall
cease to be operative six months after receipt by the City Council
of written notice of withdrawal of approval of the State Department
of Public Works.
B.
Whenever
this title delegates authority to a City officer, or authorizes action
by the City Council to regulate traffic upon a State Highway in any
way which by State law requires the prior approval of the State Department
of Public Works, no such officer shall exercise such authority nor
shall such action by the City Council be effective with respect to
any State Highway without the prior approval in writing of the State
Department of Public Works when and to the extent required by Division
9 and Division 11 of the Vehicle Code.
(Prior code §31.34b; Ord. 2713, 1959)
