Parking permit rules & regulations

Sec. 32-69. Prohibited Parking; Parking Exemption Permits

1. Parking for certain purposes prohibited. No person shall park a vehicle upon a street, highway, or roadway for the principal purpose of:
   1. Displaying such vehicle for sale.
   2. Washing, greasing or repairing such vehicle, except for repairs necessitated by an emergency.
2. Obedience to signs and police officers. No person shall park a vehicle upon a street, highway or roadway:
   1. Where temporary signs are posted by the city reading "No Parking" as long as such signs are in place.
   2. Where permanent signs are posted by the city reading "No Parking," nor shall any person park a vehicle in violation of the time limits set forth on the posted signs restricting the parking in the area.
   3. When directed or ordered to proceed by any peace officer invested by law with authority to direct, control or regulate traffic.
3. Parking trailer or similar vehicle. No person shall leave or park a trailer or similar vehicle on any street or highway or right-of-way thereof for a longer period than which any other vehicle may park in such location pursuant to this article.
4. Parking in alleys. No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon any alley within the city; provided that this shall not prohibit the parking of such vehicle for less than a period of one hour along any such alley for the purpose of having access to any property abutting thereon for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise or other material when such access cannot conveniently be secured upon the property itself.
5. Parking in fire lane; blocking fire escape or exit. No person shall stop or park a vehicle in a designated fire lane without specific authority of the fire marshal or park a vehicle so as to block a fire escape or exit from any building, whether on private or public property.
6. Parking in handicapped space. No person shall park or obstruct or occupy with any motor vehicle any parking space on public or private property designated and posted as parking for handicapped persons pursuant to section 5502 of the state building code as amended, unless the vehicle prominently displays an insignia or certificate thereon issued by the department of motor vehicles pursuant to Minn. Stats. § 169.345, subd. 3.
7. Parking in pedestrian bicycle safety zone. No person shall park a vehicle in a pedestrian bicycle safety zone except under the following conditions:
   1. When directed to do so by a police officer or traffic control device.
   2. When issued a permit to do so by the chief of police.
      1. Such permit may be issued by the chief of police only to the resident owner or occupier of the residential property abutting a street or highway containing a pedestrian bicycle safety zone upon written application by such resident. Such application shall be submitted at least one week prior to the date the permit is desired, and shall state the name, address and telephone number of the applicant, the day and time for which the permit is requested, and the purpose for which the permit is sought. The residents of residential property located along the street or highway within 200 feet of each side of the applicant's property shall also give written approval of the requested temporary parking.
      2. The applicant shall also provide such other information as the chief of police may require and shall pay a fee as prescribed in section 16-81.
      3.  In no case shall such a permit be issued for longer than six hours. At the most, such permit shall allow parking only in the street or highway immediately in front of the applicant's property and the properties of those who have given written approval therefor. The chief of police may impose any other reasonable conditions on the issuance of the permit.
      4. At least one hour prior to the time parking is to be allowed, the police department shall cause to be placed at the boundaries of the areas in which parking is to be allowed temporary signs stating where, when and by whose authority parking is to be allowed.
      5. A violation of the conditions of the permit or of the terms of this section shall be a petty misdemeanor. The property owner and/or occupant to whom a permit was issued shall also be guilty of a petty misdemeanor if violations of the permit occur.
   3. If any emergency arises that prevents the person from following any other reasonable alternative to that of parking in such zones, in which case the parking shall be only for such time as will permit the person to relieve the emergency situation and move the vehicle.
8. Parking of trucks and commercial vehicles. No person shall park a vehicle of a registered gross weight of 12,000 pounds or more, or any truck, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, road tractor, or vehicle used to commercially haul garbage or rubbish, or any vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with more than two axles, on any street, highway or right-of-way which is not specifically designated as a county road or state highway, for longer than 15 minutes, unless the vehicle is in the process of being loaded or unloaded at such location. For the purposes of this subsection, terms defined in Minn. Stats. § 169.01 shall have the meanings ascribed to them in such statute.
9. Vehicles to be parked within designated spaces. Any vehicle parked in any area open to the public as a matter of right for the purposes of vehicular traffic shall be parked so as to conform with any stalls or positions for parking designated by sign, painted lines or instructions on the surface of the parking area, or otherwise designated. In such areas where any such designation exists, no person shall park any vehicle except in accordance with and entirely within a designated stall or position. No person shall park a vehicle contrary to regulations posted by the city pursuant to section 32-64 for the use of any such stalls or positions.
10. Interference with traffic movement. No vehicle shall be parked or allowed to stand in any area open to the public as a matter of right for the purposes of vehicular traffic so as to interfere with the movement of traffic thereon.
11. Parking exemption permits.
    1. The city police department may issue permits allowing a temporary exemption of this provision to any person who can demonstrate in writing to the satisfaction of the chief of police or his/her designate that such an exemption is necessary for any of the following:
       1. Construction areas where off-street parking is not available.
       2. Driveways being reconstructed, seal-coated, or otherwise serviced so as to render it temporarily unavailable for use by motor vehicles.
       3. The maximum number of vehicles are parked in the driveway of a residence.
       4. Medical physicians and/or health care nurses treating patients requiring emergency or 24-hour medical care.
       5. Out of town guests, where parking is not available in the driveway.
       6. Self-propelled motor home/recreational vehicles; excluding fifth wheel trailers, horse trailers, semi-trailers or any other non-motorized trailers.
       7. Vehicles temporarily rendered inoperable and awaiting removal.
       8.  Vehicles exceeding the maximum number of vehicles for a residence in situations in which a family crisis has occurred. Examples of family crisis for purposes of this exemption include, but are not limited to, a death in the family or hospitalization of family members.
    2. Each such permit issued shall only be valid for the vehicle, address, time period and exemptions specified thereon, and shall be displayed on the inside of the vehicle in front of the driver's seat so as to allow the printed material on the permit to be read from the outside of the vehicle if the vehicle is parked in the city pursuant to any such exemption.
    3. No vehicle displaying such a permit pursuant to the requirements of subsection (k)(2) of this section shall be parked more than one block from the address stated on the permit.
    4. The owner of any vehicle failing to display such a permit, or failing to do so pursuant to the requirements of subsection (k)(2) of this section, while the vehicle is parked in the city in violation of a provision for which an exemption has been granted shall lose the exemption and be in violation of that provision.
    5. No person, vehicle or address shall be allowed the benefits of such a permit for a period of more than two weeks in any calendar year; except under section 32-69(k)(1)g, the benefit of such a permit shall not exceed 48 hours in any calendar year.
    6. The granting of any such permit does not waive the requirements of any other provision of this article not specifically exempted on such permit, and the owner or operator of any vehicle for which such a permit is granted shall abide by all other provisions therein.
12. Parking of trailers. No person shall park a trailer upon a street, highway, or roadway under any of the following conditions:
    1. When there is in place any temporary sign posted by the city prohibiting such parking.
    2. Where a permanent sign is posted by the city prohibiting such parking, or in violation of any time limits set forth on any such sign.
    3. When directed or ordered to proceed by any peace officer invested by law with authority to direct, control, or regulate traffic.

(Code 1984, § 720:20; Ord. Number 03-29, § 1, November 15, 2003)