Chapter 10.40
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND TRUCK ROUTES
Sections:
10.40.010 Designating truck routes – Use required when.
10.40.020 Vehicles over five tons damaging streets – Pneumatic tires required.
10.40.030 Miscellaneous parking regulations.
10.40.040 Vehicle weight limits on city streets.
10.40.110 Designation of streets restricted as truck routes.
10.40.010 Designating truck routes – Use required when.
A. Certain streets or portions of a street may hereafter, by amendment of this chapter or adoption of other ordinances, be declared to be truck traffic routes for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight certain of five tons or any vehicle exceeding an overall total length or height, if such length has been deemed unsafe by the city engineer. Weight shall mean maximum gross weight, including the weight of any truck, trailer and load thereon. Length shall include total overall length, including any tractor, trailer or other vehicle or projection therefrom. When and after appropriate signs have been installed designating such streets and highways as truck routes, the driver of any vehicle which exceeds any such maximum gross weight certain or the driver of any vehicle, which vehicle exceeds such overall length certain, shall drive on such route or routes, and none other, within the city, except only when necessary to traverse another street or streets to a destination for a purpose of loading or unloading freight, but then only by such deviation from the nearest truck route as is reasonably necessary to reach such destination. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the California State Public Utilities Commission. Certain streets or portions of streets may hereafter, by amendment of this chapter, or the adoption of other ordinances, be declared to be limited to the use of vehicles not exceeding a maximum gross weight and/or not exceeding a total overall length.
B. The city engineer may, based on roadway weight capacities (including bridges or other related facilities), recommend lower weight limits on certain roadways or portions of roadways. Any such recommendation shall be duly approved by ordinance of the city council in accordance with this chapter.
C. Certain streets or portions of streets may hereafter be designated and declared, by resolution of the city council, to be limited to the use of vehicles not exceeding a total overall length or weight, as a temporary emergency measure to protect the surface or structure of such or where the surface or structure of such streets is in such condition as to render the use thereof by vehicles in excess of such limitations so established a threat to safety of persons and/or property; provided, that no such limitation so established by resolution shall be valid and enforceable for a longer period than one year. When and after appropriate signs have been installed designating such streets so limited to traffic not in excess of a weight certain or length certain, vehicles in excess of such weight or length shall not drive on such streets or portions thereof, except when necessary to traverse such streets to a destination for the purpose of loading and/or unloading freight. The provisions of this section shall not apply to passenger buses under the jurisdiction of the California State Public Utilities Commission. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.015 Signage required.
Any regular or emergency truck route or limitation designated in accordance with this chapter shall be appropriately signed before such route or limitation can take effect, in accordance with California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 35701(b). (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015).
10.40.020 Vehicles over five tons damaging streets – Pneumatic tires required.
No persons shall operate any vehicle over five tons of gross weight without pneumatic tires on any street within the city unless a written permit authorizing such is obtained from the traffic engineer; and provided, that the traffic engineer may require posting of a sufficient cash or corporate surety bond to insure the repair of damage to any street by such vehicles. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.030 Miscellaneous parking regulations.
A. No person shall park any commercial vehicle, truck, or trailer, or vehicle with trailer that has a manufacturer’s plate-rated capacity of more than a combined gross vehicle weight of five tons, in or on any street within any residence or business district within the city, except while loading or unloading property when such vehicle is parked in connection with the performance of service to or on property in the block in which such vehicle is parked and for such time as is reasonably necessary to complete such permitted service.
B. This section shall not apply to use of a street as necessary for the purpose of making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares and merchandise from or to any building or structure located on the restricted street or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling or construction of any building or structure upon the restricted street for which a building permit has previously been obtained. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.040 Vehicle weight limits on city streets.
Whenever any ordinance of this city designates and describes any street or portion thereof as a street the use of which is permitted by any commercial vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of five tons, the city traffic engineer is authorized to designate such street by appropriate signs as “truck route” for the movement of vehicles exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of five tons. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.050 Route restrictions.
When any such truck routes are established and designated by appropriate signs the operator of any vehicle exceeding a maximum gross weight limit of five tons shall drive on such routes and none other except as otherwise provided by city ordinance or in the California Vehicle Code. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.060 Reserved.
(Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.070 Tow-away authority.
The chief of police is authorized to remove any vehicle over the gross weight of five tons parked on a city street which has not been designated as a truck route which is in violation of this chapter or the California Vehicle Code; and further provided, that signs are posted giving notice of the removal pursuant to the requirements of the California Vehicle Code. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.080 Reserved.
(Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.090 Reserved.
(Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.100 Reserved.
(Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.110 Designation of streets restricted as truck routes.
The following streets are designated as “truck routes” within the city of Cotati:
A. Old Redwood Highway between East Cotati Avenue and Gravenstein Highway; and
B. East Cotati Avenue; and
C. Gravenstein Highway. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015: Ord. 785 § 1(part), 2006).
10.40.120 Exemptions.
The following vehicles are exempt from the provisions of this chapter:
A. Passenger stage corporations (PSC) (per CVC Section 35701) under the jurisdiction of the California State Public Utilities Commission. A PSC provides transportation service to the general public on an individual-fare basis, including passenger buses. Most PSCs operate a fixed route, scheduled service, or an on-call, door-to-door airport shuttle-type service.
B. Garbage vehicles (per CVC Section 35701). Vehicles used for the collection and transportation of garbage and rubbish.
C. Local deliveries (per CVC Section 35703). Vehicles making deliveries only by such deviation from the nearest truck route as is reasonably necessary to reach such destination in the city limits. Deliveries shall be demonstrated by a bill of lading or other acceptable documentation.
D. Construction (per CVC Section 35703). Vehicles required to perform construction off of designated truck routes, as demonstrated by an awarded construction contract by the city or a building permit issued by the city. Construction vehicles shall only deviate from the nearest truck route as is reasonably necessary to reach the destination in the city limits.
E. City Council Authorization. The city council may authorize, through a duly approved resolution, a one-time exemption for special events within the city. Special events may require posting of a bond or other surety to repair any damage that may occur, as determined by the city engineer.
F. Public safety vehicles. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015).
10.40.130 Penalties.
Violations of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor, subject to citation and fines. (Ord. 855 § 1(part), 2015).