Title
Amending Chapter 160, Traffic Code, Parking Meter Zones, to authorize the traffic engineer to enforce the provisions of Section 152.10, as amended in a companion ordinance, and to amend language to accommodate changes in technology.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1.
Chapter 160 is hereby amended to read as follows:
Chapter 160. - Parking Meter Zones
Sec. 160.01. - Parking meter zones.
The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to install, or cause to be installed, parking meters within a "parking meter zone," which shall consist of such areas, specific streets or parts of streets and specific locations on described streets as are approved by city council resolution under Section 152.10 (b), or as otherwise authorized and provided under Section 152.10(a).
Sec. 160.02. - Supervision of meters.
The installation, upkeep and repair of parking meters shall be under the supervision of the traffic engineer.
Sec. 160.03. - Parking restrictions.
(a) Parking meter regulations. When parking meters have been installed indicating the metered area, no vehicle other than a commercial vehicle shall remain parked at any time during metered hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, in the metered area in any one (1) parking meter space for longer than the period of time specifically set out for the lawful use of said metered area for the charge imposed.
(b) Other parking restrictions may supersede parking meter regulations. Parking at parking meters during metered hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Saturday shall be specifically subject to other partial or absolute prohibition against parking as may have been established for a zone pursuant to the provisions of this traffic code. Examples of such partial or absolute prohibitions within parking meter zones include but are not limited to sanitation bans, rush hour bans, handicapped parking restrictions or other restrictions.
(c) Alternate effective hours in parking meter zones. When determined by the traffic engineer that public necessity so requires, the traffic engineer is hereby authorized to designate effective hours for specific parking meter locations different than the effective periods specified in this section. The traffic engineer shall post appropriate signs at each of such locations setting forth the specific hours governing the parking meter location and shall maintain a complete listing of these locations.
Sec. 160.04. - Holidays.
No parking meter shall be in operation on Sundays nor upon the following holidays: New Year's Day (January 1 and the federally observed holiday), Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4 and the federally observed holiday), Labor Day, Veterans Day (November 11 and the federally observed holiday), Thanksgiving Day, day following Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day (December 25 and the federally observed holiday). Parking limitations imposed by parking meters shall not be in effect upon such days.
Sec 160.05. - Use of parking meter space.
Any vehicle parked in a metered parking space shall be parked parallel to the curb, and in a manner that such vehicle does not infringe upon another metered space. Trucks and other commercial vehicles using parking meters shall park in such a manner that the least number of metered spaces are occupied.
Sec. 160.06. - Payment required.
No person shall stop, stand or park or cause to stop, stand or park any vehicle in any place serviced by a parking meter without payment of the meter fee, and no person shall allow or cause any vehicle under his or her care or charge to remain in any such metered space beyond the time permitted by such meter except as provided for in the following sections, 160.08 and 160.09. Any such violation shall be a petty misdemeanor.
Sec 160.07. - Malfunctioning parking meter.
In accordance with the parking meter instruction information affixed to the parking meter no person shall park any vehicle in a parking meter space where the parking meter is malfunctioning. Parking at a malfunctioning meter is a parking violation and subject to citation.
Sec. 160.08. - Commercial vehicles.
(a) Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., clearly designated commercial vehicles may park in a parking meter space without payment of the fee for the loading or unloading of merchandise, but shall leave such space promptly upon completion of that operation and shall not park for more than thirty (30) minutes at any one time.
(b) Clearly designated commercial vehicles may park at spaces indicated by signs, which may be supplemented by curb and sidewalk markings, as a loading zone for the purpose of loading or unloading but shall leave such space promptly upon completion of that operation, and shall not park for more than thirty (30) minutes at any one time.
(c) For purposes of this section, "clearly designated commercial vehicle" shall mean a vehicle possessing a certificate of registration for a for-hire motor carrier of property issued by the Minnesota Department of Transportation or City of Saint Paul special parking permit issued permit pursuant to chapter 164 of this Code placed between the driver's side dashboard and the windshield of the vehicle.
(d) Current fees will be increased by the cost of living index factor used by the licensing department on a yearly basis.
Sec 160.09. - Parking meter use by physically disabled.
A physically disabled person may exercise his or her parking privileges in accordance with chapter 157.10 and state law in a metered parking space without obligation to pay the meter fee in Saint Paul, but must follow the time restrictions officially posted for the physically disabled. The maximum time limit allowed for the physically disabled at a parking meter is four (4) hours unless otherwise posted. The requirements of 160.11 apply to the physically disabled.
Sec. 160.10. - Extending parking time.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited in the parking meter a coin or to use any other payment method a debit card for the purpose of increasing or extending the parking time of any vehicle beyond the legal parking time limit which has been established for the parking space adjacent to which said parking meter is placed.
Sec. 160.11. - Reparking in same space.
It shall be unlawful for any person or operator of a motor vehicle, who has parked a vehicle in a particular parking meter space for the time allowed, to again park the same vehicle in the same parking meter space until two (2) hours have elapsed after expiration of the time allowed, or to move the same vehicle to a parking space within two (2) blocks of their initial metered space in accordance with section 152.09(b).
Sec. 160.12. - Slugs, etc.
It shall be unlawful to deposit or cause to be deposited in any parking meter any slug, device or metallic substitute for a coin of the United States of America, or to use or cause to be used any type of payment card or other payment method that is not valid under this code.
Sec. 160.13. - Tampering with meter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deface, injure, tamper with, open, or willfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter installed under the provisions of this chapter.
Sec. 160.14. - Interference with use of meters.
When the construction, remodeling or repair of any building in the metered area shall, in the opinion of the traffic engineer, interfere with the use of or make it unsafe to use any parking meter space or spaces on any street adjacent to said building or when, in the opinion of the traffic engineer, construction work or special events make it impractical or undesirable to use any parking meter space or spaces adjacent to or near such construction work or special events, such parking meter spaces shall be closed to parking. The organization or persons responsible for or requesting such closing of parking meter space shall pay to the city the sum equal to the hourly rate of the closed metered space for an eight fourteen-hour period for each day the metered space is closed, and all costs necessary to provide the closure.
Sec. 160.15. - Separate offenses.
Each hour that a vehicle remains parked in a parking meter space in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed a separate offense hereunder.
Sec. 160.16. - Parking enforcement officers (PEOs) and community liaison officers (CLOs).
All duly appointed parking enforcement officers (PEOs), community liaison officer (CLOs), as amended from time to time, parking meter collectors, parking meter crew leaders, and parking meter repair personnel are hereby empowered, authorized and directed to issue citations for parking meter and other parking violations. Such citations shall be in a form approved by the Ramsey County District Court and to have the same force and effect as though issued by a police officer or other peace officer.
Section 2.
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days following its passage, approval and publication.