Chapter 10.24
BICYCLES

Sections:

10.24.010    Definitions.

10.24.020    Administration and enforcement.

10.24.030    License and registration—Issuance authority—Term.

10.24.040    License and registration—Recordkeeping.

10.24.050    License and registration—Tag and card issuance.

10.24.060    License and registration—Renewal.

10.24.070    License and registration—Fee.

10.24.080    License and registration—Damaging or alteration prohibited.

10.24.090    Rental agency responsibility.

10.24.100    Sale of bicycles—Transfer of license.

10.24.110    Responsibility of parent, guardian or employer.

10.24.120    Riding on sidewalks prohibited.

10.24.130    Impoundment of bicycles.

10.24.140    Sale of impounded bicycles.

10.24.150    Violation—Penalty.

10.24.010 Definitions.

A.    Whenever in this chapter the following terms are used, they shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:

“Bicycle” means any device upon which a person may ride, which is propelled by human power through a system of belts, chains or gears, having either two or three wheels, one of which is at least twenty (20) inches in diameter, or having a frame size of at least fourteen (14) inches, or having four or more wheels.

“Bicycle license” means any indicia designed to be affixed to the bicycle by adhesive or other means and bears a unique number.

“Chief of police” means the chief law enforcement officer of the city.

“Community services officer (CSO)” means any person authorized by city ordinance to enforce state and city laws and whose authority is vested under separate city ordinance.

“Operator” means that person who is actually engaged in the act of propelling, guiding or handling the bicycle at any given time.

“Owner” means that person in whose name the title of the bicycle is vested.

“Police officer” means any person employed by the city whose primary duty is enforcement of laws of the state and city and whose authority is vested under Part 2, Title 3, Chapter 4.5 of the California Penal Code.

“Rental agency” means any person engaged in the business of offering for rent bicycles for use by the public.

B.    In addition to the definitions set forth in this section, all definitions of words and phrases set forth in the Vehicle Code of the state are incorporated in this section as though set forth in full in this section. (Prior code § 10.16.010)

10.24.020 Administration and enforcement.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by the chief of police or his designee. (Prior code § 10.16.020)

10.24.030 License and registration—Issuance authority—Term.

A.    The police department of the city is authorized and directed to issue upon written application, a bicycle license which shall be valid for a period of three years.

B.    The police department shall have the authority to refuse to register any bicycle found to be in unsafe mechanical condition. (Prior code § 10.16.030)

10.24.040 License and registration—Recordkeeping.

The police department shall maintain licensing records in accordance with Section 39005 of the California Vehicle Code. (Prior code § 10.16.040)

10.24.050 License and registration—Tag and card issuance.

A.    The police department shall issue sequentially numbered license tags of a type furnished by the state, along with the registration card.

B.    The license tags shall be axed upon the bicycle as prescribed by the police department.

C.    Each bicycle shall be required to be individually licensed. (Prior code § 10.16.050)

10.24.060 License and registration—Renewal.

Bicycle licenses shall be renewed uniformly on January 1st of the third year following the year of registration. Renewal of a bicycle license shall be indicated by a supplementary adhesive device affixed parallel to and above or below the original registration tag. (Prior code § 10.16.060)

10.24.070 License and registration—Fee.

Fees for license and renewal tags provided for in this chapter shall be set by resolution and may be amended at such time and in such manner as the city council deems advisable. (Prior code § 10.16.070)

10.24.080 License and registration—Damaging or alteration prohibited.

A.    It is unlawful for any person to tamper with, destroy, mutilate or alter the bicycle license, renewal tag, or the identifying mark the police department may place on any bicycle frame licensed under this chapter.

B.    Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the police department from affixing a permanent number on the frame of bicycles on which no serial number can be found or on which the number is illegible or insufficient for identification purposes. (Prior code § 10.16.080)

10.24.090 Rental agency responsibility.

A.    All persons engaged in the business of renting bicycles shall be responsible for the safe condition of all bicycles offered for rent, and shall be responsible for equipping bicycles with proper safety equipment as required by the Vehicle Code and this chapter.

B.    Rental agencies shall be exempt from licensing requirements. (Prior code § 10.16.090)

10.24.100 Sale of bicycles—Transfer of license.

A.    Whenever any person sells or otherwise disposes of a bicycle, he or she shall endorse upon the registration certificate previously issued for such bicycle a written transfer of same, setting forth the name, address, telephone number of the transferee, date of transfer, and signature of the transfer, and shall deliver the registration certificate, so endorsed, to the police department within ten days.

B.    Any person who purchases or otherwise acquires possession of a bicycle shall within ten days of taking possession apply for the transfer of license to his or her name. (Prior code § 10.16.100)

10.24.110 Responsibility of parent, guardian or employer.

A.    It is unlawful for any person who is a resident of this city for a period of more than thirty (30) days, to operate or use a bicycle upon any of the streets, alleys, or public highways of the city without first obtaining from the police department a license therefor.

B.    The parent of any child, the guardian of any ward, or any employer shall not authorize or knowingly permit any child or ward or employee to violate any provisions of this chapter. (Prior code § 10.16.110)

10.24.120 Riding on sidewalks prohibited.

No person shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in the city. (Prior code § 10.16.120)

10.24.130 Impoundment of bicycles.

The police department is empowered to impound any abandoned bicycles found upon any street, alley, public highway or public parking facility of this city. For purposes of this section, though not by way of limitation, any unregistered bicycle found unattended on any street, alley, public highway, or public parking facility within this city shall be presumed to have been abandoned. (Prior code § 10.16.130)

10.24.140 Sale of impounded bicycles.

The police department is authorized and empowered to sell at public auction any bicycles impounded as a result of this chapter which have not been redeemed within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such impound. Persons redeeming bicycles, who are residents of the city, shall comply with all requirements of this chapter and as required by law. (Prior code § 10.16.140)

10.24.150 Violation—Penalty.

A.    It is unlawful for a person to operate a bicycle in the city contrary to any laws pertaining to the operation of bicycles on public highways, city streets, and public parking facilities.

B.    Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction and upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 39011.

C.    Such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate violation thereof, for each day during any portion of which any violation hereof is committed, continued or permitted and shall be punishable as provided in this section. (Prior code § 10.16.150)