Chapter 12.20
TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS

Sections:

12.20.010    Official Signs Designated—Determination Authority.

12.20.020    Character of Signals.

12.20.030    Location of Signals.

12.20.040    Placement, Maintenance and Operation.

12.20.050    Hours of Operation.

12.20.060    Obedience to Traffic Signals.

12.20.070    Obedience to Traffic Signs.

12.20.090    Warning and Directional Signs.

12.20.100    Regulatory Signs.

12.20.110    Distinctive Roadway Markings.

12.20.120    Lane Guide Lines and Other Pavement Markings.

12.20.130    Parking Space Markings.

12.20.160    Temporary Removal of Signs During Construction, Repair or Emergency.

12.20.170    Weight Limit Signs—Emergency Procedures.

12.20.180    Removal of Signs and Other Facilities—Director’s Authority.

12.20.220    Interference with Signs Deemed Misdemeanor.

12.20.010 Official Signs Designated—Determination Authority.

A.    The Council 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.

B.    The Council hereby determines that insofar as they are applicable to City highways, all warning, regulatory and direction signs appearing on the Uniform Sign Chart as approved by the California Sign Committee are official signs. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.020 Character of Signals.

The Council shall determine the character of all official traffic control signals. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.030 Location of Signals.

The Council shall designate at which intersections and other locations traffic shall be controlled by official traffic-control signals. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.040 Placement, Maintenance and Operation.

The Director shall place, maintain and operate or cause to be placed, maintained and operated, all official traffic-control signals authorized by the Council. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.050 Hours of Operation.

The Director 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. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.060 Obedience to Traffic Signals.

Every operator and every pedestrian shall comply with and obey any indication, as set forth in the California Vehicle Code, presented by any traffic signal upon any highway placed under the authority of the Council. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.070 Obedience to Traffic Signs.

Every operator and every pedestrian shall comply with and obey every instruction appearing on any traffic sign or other marking, which sign or marking has been erected or placed by authority of the Council or Director. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.090 Warning and Directional Signs.

The Director may place and maintain all official warning and directional signs necessary to properly warn and guide traffic. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.100 Regulatory Signs.

The Director shall place all regulatory signs and other markings required or authorized either by this Title or by finding of the Council. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.110 Distinctive Roadway Markings.

Whenever the State Department of Transportation determines and designates a distinctive roadway marking which shall indicate no driving over, the Director is authorized to designate by such markings those streets or parts of streets where the volume of traffic, or the vertical or other curvature 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 similar markings and signs placed by the Department of Transportation pursuant to provisions of the State Vehicle Code. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.120 Lane Guide Lines and Other Pavement Markings.

The Director may place appropriate traffic guide lines 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. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.130 Parking Space Markings.

The City Engineer may install and maintain parking space markings to indicate parking space adjacent to the curb where authorized parking is permitted. When such parking space markings are placed in the highway, subject to other and more restrictive limitations, no vehicle shall be stopped or left standing other than within a single space unless the size or shape of such vehicle makes compliance impossible. Further, no person shall park, or cause to be parked, any vehicle within any facility except between lines indicated where vehicles shall be parked, and no person shall so park any vehicle so as to use or occupy more than one such marked parking space. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89; amend. Ord. 93-16, 9/28/93)

12.20.160 Temporary Removal of Signs During Construction, Repair or Emergency.

Whenever because of the construction, alteration, repair or improvement of any highway, or temporary detour, or because of other emergency situation, a traffic complication will be created by compliance with provisions of this Title and that the Director so finds, the Director may either remove or cover up any sign or other traffic marking which requires such compliance. While such sign or other marking is removed or covered up, the effect of such provision of this Title is suspended. At the end of such emergency, unless otherwise determined by the Council, the Director may replace or uncover such sign or marking. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.170 Weight Limit Signs—Emergency Procedures.

If a weight limit is suspended pursuant to this Title and a different weight limit is necessary, the Director erect and maintain during the emergency appropriate signs. At the end of the emergency, the Director may remove such temporary signs and uncover and restore the original signs unless the Council otherwise determines. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.180 Removal of Signs and Other Facilities—Director’s Authority.

The Director may remove traffic signals and necessary appurtenances and other traffic devices, such as flashers, when such removal becomes necessary because of new construction, intersection reconstruction, modernization of traffic signal system, or because of driveway construction or relocation. When such construction, intersection reconstruction, modernization of traffic signal system or relocation has been completed, the Director need not replace such traffic flashers or other appurtenances which have been rendered unnecessary by the new construction, intersection reconstruction, modernization of traffic signal system, or because of driveway construction or relocation. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)

12.20.220 Interference with Signs Deemed Misdemeanor.

Every person who, without permission of the Director 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. (Ord. 89-12, 6/27/89)