The streets of the Borough of Media were, for the most part, not built with the intention of allowing parking along the sides. Most streets where built before the advent of motor vehicles, a day when most people either walked or moved about by horse or horse and buggy. Needless to say, those horses and buggies were not stored on the street for long periods of time. As a courtesy, with the growth of the automobile, municipalities have allowed parking on streets. At all times, however, regulation of that parking has remained within the powers of those municipalities. The right of such regulation has never been successfully challenged. As the years passed the necessity for the automobile grew. In the years since the Korean War, the auto has been looked upon as one item that each family had to own; in the last decade many families have operated more than one vehicle. Congestion on the streets and growing inconvenience to residents, as well as the impedance of normal and necessary traffic flow, has been the inevitable consequence of the Borough's normal urban development. In the Borough of Media, the county seat of Delaware County, this condition has been heightened by the growth of the county government and related professional offices without provision for the necessary parking by the great number of cars brought in by this growth. The situation has reached the point where Borough residents are unable, in many parts of the Borough, to find parking near their homes. Most of these people do not have garages and lack enough yardage to construct parking. This most seriously affects our senior citizens who are unable to shop or carry on other routine business for fear of losing parking that they do have or of not finding parking upon their return. Another point of increasing significance is the effect on the environment of heavy vehicular traffic. The noise, dirt, litter and pollution created by the hundreds of cars that visit the Borough is unhealthy to the Borough and its residents both aesthetically and physically. With all of this in mind, this chapter is designed to increase the quality of life in the Borough's older, more crowded sections; to preserve the safety of children and other pedestrians; to promote traffic safety and the peace, good order, comfort, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of the Borough; to encourage commuters to carpool or use mass transit; and to encourage those agencies and establishments contributing to increased traffic to help promote additional parking facilities.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Media 7-19-1984 by Ord. No. 761. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 11-20-2003 by Ord. No. 981; 11-20-2025 by Ord. No. 1175]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
The Borough Secretary and/or his designee.
A natural person domiciled in the Borough of Media whose residence abuts any of the designated spaces in the residential permit parking area (RPPA).
Any officer employed by the Borough to enforce the terms of this chapter or any other parking ordinance.
A natural person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation.
A permit in the form of a digital record which is registered to the license plate of a vehicle issued by the Borough electronically through authorized parking services software to provide parking by an eligible resident for on-street parking within the residential parking program area (RPPA).
A way intended for general public use to provide means of travel for vehicles and pedestrians. The word shall include the words "road," "highway" and "thoroughfare."
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices used exclusively upon rails or tracks or devices propelled solely by human power.
[Amended 12-19-1985 by Ord. No. 775; 7-17-1986 by Ord. No. 789; 10-16-1986 by Ord. No. 792; 6-18-1987 by Ord. No. 801; 9-16-1987 by Ord. No. 804; 11-19-1987 by Ord. No. 808; 1-21-1988 by Ord. No. 812; 10-20-1988 by Ord. No. 817; 11-17-1988 by Ord. No. 819; 2-16-1989 by Ord. No. 826; 2-18-1999 by Ord. No. 934; 3-16-2000 by Ord. No. 941; 2-20-2003 by Ord. No. 971; 11-20-2003 by Ord. No. 981; 1-15-2004 by Ord. No. 985; 3-18-2004 by Ord. No. 986; 3-18-2004 by Ord. No. 987; 1-20-2005 by Ord. No. 999; 12-21-2006 by Ord. No. 1015; 2-15-2007 by Ord. No. 1021; 6-18-2009 by Ord. No. 1063; 7-15-2010 by Ord. No. 1074; 10-21-2010 by Ord. No. 1076; 11-18-2010 by Ord. No. 1078; 12-15-2011 by Ord. No. 1089; 9-17-2015 by Ord. No. 1118; 4-20-2023 by Ord. No. 1162; 11-20-2025 by Ord. No. 1175]
The residential parking program ("RPP") shall be as follows:
A.
A district known as the "residential parking program area" ("RPPA") is hereby created in the Borough of Media.
(1)
The RPPA shall be divided into three separate zones based on geography, defined as follows:
(a)
NW-1 Residential Parking Zone ("NW-1"): The NW-1 Residential Parking Zone shall consist of all property located within the Borough of Media bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Jackson Street and Providence Road (PA-252); thence south along the west side of Jackson Street to its intersection with Front Street; thence west along the north side of Front Street to the Borough boundary with Upper Providence Township; thence north along the Borough boundary with Upper Providence Township to its intersection with Providence Road (PA-252); thence east along the south side of Providence Road to the point of beginning.
(b)
NE-2 Residential Parking Zone ("NE-2"): The NE-2 Residential Parking Zone shall consist of all property located within the Borough of Media bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Jackson Street and Providence Road ("PA-252): thence south along the east side of Jackson Street to its intersection with Front Street; thence east along the north side of Front Street to the Borough boundary with Nether Providence Township; thence north and west along the Borough boundaries with Nether Providence Township to their intersection with Providence Road (PA-252); thence west along the south side of Providence Road to the point of beginning.
(c)
S-3 Residential Parking Zone ("S-3"): The S-3 Residential Parking Zone shall consist of all property located within the Borough of Media bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Front Street and Jackson Street; thence south along both sides of Jackson Street to the Borough boundary with Nether Providence Township; thence west and north along the Borough boundaries with Nether Providence Township and Upper Providence Township to their intersection with Front Street; thence east along the south side of Front Street to the point of beginning.
(2)
Residential parking permits shall be issued only to eligible residents of the Borough of Media. Each permit shall authorize an eligible resident to park in the spaces within zones NW-1, NE-2, or S-3, as designated in Subsection B, that abut the street on which the eligible resident's dwelling is located. Violations of this section shall be enforced by § 211-4.
B.
The designated residential parking spaces within each zone of the RPPA covered by this chapter shall be as follows:
(1)
NW-1 designated spaces:
(a)
The north and south sides of Fourth Street from a point even with the easterly side of Grubb Street west to Olive and on the north side of Fourth Street from Olive Street to Orange Street.
(b)
The north and south sides of West Second Street between Citron Street and Lemon Street.
(c)
The east and west sides of the 400 block of North Olive Street.
(d)
The south side of the 300 block of West Third Street.
(e)
The 300 block of West Fourth Street.
(f)
Nine designated spaces located on the 200 block of North Lemon Street in the area between posted signs.
(g)
Two designated parking spaces located on the north side of the 400 block of West Third Street in the area between posted signs.
(h)
The west side of Citron Street between Second Street and Amber Street.
(i)
Three designated parking spaces located on the north side of the unit block of West Third Street in the area between posted signs.
(j)
Three designated parking spaces located on the west side of the 200 block of North Plum Street in the area between posted signs.
(k)
Four designated parking spaces located on the 300 block of Amber Street in the area between posted signs.
(l)
Three designated parking spaces located on the south side of the unit block of West Fourth Street between Jackson Street and Grubb Street in the area between the posted signs.
(m)
Amber Street between North Lemon Street and North Orange Street.
(2)
NE-2 designated spaces:
(a)
The north side of Front Street to a point commencing 160 feet east of the east side Monroe running to the east to Edgemont Avenue.
(b)
The east side of the 600 block of North Jackson Street.
(c)
Two designated parking spaces located on the north side of the 100 block of East Third Street and two designated parking spaces located on the south side of the 100 block of East Third Street.
(d)
Three designated parking spaces located on the south side of the unit block of East Third Street in the area between posted signs.
(e)
Twelve designated parking spaces located on the south side of the unit block of East Second Street in the area between posted signs.
(f)
Six designated parking spaces located on the north side of the unit block of East Front Street in the area between posted signs.
(3)
S-3 designated spaces:
(a)
South Avenue between Jefferson Street and Franklin Street.
(b)
The west side of Jackson Street between Franklin Street and Jefferson Street.
(c)
The east side of the 300 block of South Olive Street.
(d)
The east and west sides of the 400 block of South Avenue.
(e)
The south side of the unit block of East Franklin Street.
(f)
The west side of the 300 block of South Plum Street.
(g)
Six designated parking spaces located on the south side of the 400 block of West Front Street in the area between posted signs.
(h)
Two designated parking spaces on the south side of Franklin Street between Plum Street and Olive Street.
(i)
One designated parking spaces located on the south side of the unit block of West Franklin Street in the area between posted signs.
(j)
The north side of Lincoln Street between Edgemont Street and Radnor Street.
C.
Permits issued under this chapter shall be obtained in the following manner and at the fees set forth below:
(1)
Residential parking permits shall be obtained through the Borough's authorized parking services software and shall be issued at an annual fee of $5 per vehicle for up to two vehicles, and $15 per vehicle for three or more vehicles.
(2)
Guest parking permits shall be obtained through the Borough's authorized parking services software. Guest permits are issued at no cost, limited to two per residence at any one time, and must be renewed every seven days.
(3)
Special permits shall be reviewed by the Borough Secretary and issued through the Borough's authorized parking services software free of cost.
D.
The eligibility for permits provided by this chapter shall be as follows:
(1)
Any eligible resident shall be entitled, upon application through the Borough's authorized parking services software, to receive a residential parking permit for each vehicle that eligible resident owns or has a right to possess. Joint owners shall be treated as one owner. The applicant shall present one item constituting proof of residency and one item constituting proof of ownership or right to possession of a vehicle. If proof of a residence abutting a street in the RPPA and right to possession of a vehicle is properly demonstrated to the Borough, the Borough shall then issue a permit for the residential parking zone in which the resident's dwelling is located.
(2)
No permit issued hereunder shall be transferable. A residential parking permit shall become invalid when the permit holder moves out of the RPPA, and the permit holder shall promptly notify the authorized parking services software of the change of residence. If a permitholder changes residence from one zone within the RPPA to another, the zone designation may be updated through the authorized parking services software upon submission of proof of new address, provided that the new dwelling abuts the street containing the designated parking spaces within the new zone. Any eligible resident desiring to transfer the permit from one vehicle to another may do so through the authorized parking services software.
(3)
Guest permits. Each single-family home or apartment abutting a street in the RPPA is eligible to be issued up to two guest cards at any one time, and must be renewed every seven days. An applicant for guest permit must present proof of residency as required by Subsection D(1) above.
(4)
Special permits. Applications for special permits to be used for limited hours during special events in the RPPA shall be made through the Borough's authorized parking services software. Such applications shall be reviewed and approved by the Borough Secretary through that software, and approved permits shall be issued through that software.
(a)
Such application must note the purpose of the event, the date and times, the number of vehicles expected and the name of the responsible person to contact with respect to said event.
(b)
The Borough Secretary shall grant special permits for special events so long as he finds that such action will not pose a threat to the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Borough of Media and the surrounding community or create a serious inconvenience to other residents of the RPPA or defeat its goals.
(c)
When permission is granted, the Borough Secretary shall notify the enforcement officers.
(d)
Special permits for special events which are granted by the Borough Secretary are valid for no longer than 24 hours and shall be so designated.
E.
The only persons exempt from the provision of this section shall be:
[Amended 12-21-2006 by Ord. No. 1015; 11-20-2025 by Ord. No. 1175]
A.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $25 plus the cost of prosecution. It shall be the duty of the enforcement officers of the Borough to report all violations of any provision of this chapter, indicating, in each case, the section thereof violated, the license number of the vehicle involved in such violation, the location where the violation took place, the time of such violation and any other facts that might be necessary in order to secure a clear understanding of the circumstances attending such violation. The enforcement officer making such reports shall also attach to said motor vehicle a notice that such vehicle was parked in violation of this chapter, which notice shall contain instructions to the owner or operator of such vehicle that if he or she shall report to the Borough of Media and pay, for the use of the Borough, the sum of the fine within 72 hours after the time of such notice, the same shall save such violator from prosecution and from the costs attendant therewith.
B.
When an enforcement officer has reason to believe that a guest permit is not being used in accordance with the purpose, intention or provisions of this chapter, the Borough Secretary shall be notified. The Borough Secretary shall then send a letter to the possessor of the subject permit, informing that person that the permit is being used improperly. If the violation(s) continue(s), the Borough Secretary may revoke the guest permit(s), so long as the possessor of the same is afforded an opportunity at an informal conference with the Borough Secretary to explain his or her position. If a guest permit is revoked, the possessor of the same shall deliver it to the Borough Secretary. Parking in the RPPA with a revoked guest permit shall be the same as parking with no guest permit or residential permit. Violators shall be ineligible for guest permit issuance for one year.