Chapter 12.29
CRUISING

Sections:

12.29.010    Definitions.

12.29.020    Designation of traffic congestion area.

12.29.030    Cruising prohibited in traffic congestion area.

12.29.040    Penalties.

12.29.050    Exemptions.

12.29.010 Definitions.

(a)    “Cruising” is the repeated passage of a motor vehicle on or across a portion of a street or way open to the public.

(b)    “Traffic congestion area” is any portion of a street or way open to the public affected by traffic congestion caused in whole or in part by cruising, and declared to be a “traffic congestion area” by the chief of police or his or her designee.

(c)    The “chief of police” means the chief of the city police department or his or her designee. (Ord. 3251 § 1 (part), 1991)

12.29.020 Designation of traffic congestion area.

(a)    The chief of police may declare all or a portion of a street or way open to the public to be a “traffic congestion area” when:

(1)    Traffic congestion has slowed average vehicle speed to less than one-half the posted speed limit; and

(2)    The congestion significantly interferes with passage of vehicles being driven to and from locations within the area; and

(3)    The congestion is likely to prevent or substantially delay emergency vehicles from responding to locations within the area, or from passing through the area; and

(4)    The congestion is caused in whole or in substantial part by cruising.

(b)    When a street or way open to the public is designated a traffic congestion area, officers of the police department shall post signs identifying it as a traffic congestion area and notifying drivers that passage of a motor vehicle more than one time in the same direction within a two-hour period is a violation of law.

(c)    The designation of a street or way open to the public as a traffic congestion area shall remain in effect for a period of four hours, unless withdrawn earlier or extended for additional four-hour periods by the chief of police. (Ord. 3251 § 1 (part), 1991)

12.29.030 Cruising prohibited in traffic congestion area.

No person shall drive or permit a motor vehicle under his or her control to be driven within a posted traffic congestion area in the same direction more than one time within a two-hour period. (Ord. 3251 § 1 (part), 1991)

12.29.040 Penalties.

Violations of Section 12.29.030 are punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in jail for not more than ninety days, or both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 3251 § 1 (part), 1991)

12.29.050 Exemptions.

This chapter shall not apply to:

(1)    Any publicly owned vehicle of any city, county, public district, state, or federal agency.

(2)    Any vehicle licensed for public transportation, including but not limited to buses and taxi cabs.

(3)    Any in-service emergency vehicle.

(4)    Any vehicle being driven by a resident of the traffic congestion area, or any vehicle being driven within the traffic congestion area for necessary commercial or medical reasons. (Ord. 3251 § 1 (part), 1991)