Chapter 10.20
OVERWEIGHT LOADS AND TRUCK ROUTES1
Sections:
10.20.005 Maximum weight – Designation of limits – Violation and penalty.
10.20.010 Unlawful – When – Exception.
10.20.020 Permit – Required – Prerequisites.
10.20.050 Permit – Issuance – Restrictions.
10.20.060 Overload permit – Fees.
10.20.090 Oversize load – Fee.
10.20.100 Permit – Fee – Exemptions.
10.20.105 Action by police officer.
10.20.110 Violation – Penalty.
10.20.120 Truck routes established.
10.20.005 Maximum weight – Designation of limits – Violation and penalty.
A. In order to properly police and protect the city streets from damage due to excessive loads and weights on vehicles using city streets, only vehicles with a licensed maximum gross vehicle weight rating of 16,500 pounds or less (or in the case of combination vehicle and trailer, only those with a licensed maximum gross combined weight rating of 16,500 pounds or less) are allowed to travel on any city street other than those designated truck routes specified in PMC 10.20.120. The licensed maximum gross vehicle weight rating or a gross combined weight rating for any vehicle or combination of vehicle(s) and trailer(s) allowed on designated truck routes within the city of Pacific shall be 80,000 pounds.
B. The mayor and the public works committee are designated the proper authorities to decide and issue the load limit restrictions upon any given street in the city. Upon such designation by the mayor and public works committee, the community development director shall place load limit restriction signs upon the street or streets.
C. The community development director shall have the authority to temporarily close streets or restrict load limits at such time as any street is declared to be in danger and subject to breaking up and deterioration due to rains, freezing, earthquakes and similar circumstances. (Ord. 2008 § 3 (Exh. B), 2019; Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 952 § 1, 1984; Ord. 755 § 1, 1979; Ord. 385 §§ 1 – 3, 1965).
10.20.010 Unlawful – When – Exception.
It is unlawful, without a valid permit, to operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles and/or trailer(s) on any street or alley of the city with a gross vehicle weight rating or a gross combined weight rating exceeding the limits set forth in PMC 10.20.005. (Ord. 2008 § 3 (Exh. B), 2019; Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 952 § 2, 1984; Ord. 750 § 1, 1979).
10.20.020 Permit – Required – Prerequisites.
Each operator owner or owner’s agent desiring to operate or drive any vehicle or combination of vehicles on the streets and alleys of the city which will be in excess of the weight limits as set forth in PMC 10.20.005(A) must first obtain a permit from the city. Such permits may be obtained from the city clerk when the following requirements have been met:
A. An application stating the nature of the load;
B. The location by name and address of the job site and vehicle identification;
C. The application shall also give a reasonable estimate of the time in days that the permit will be required. Information as to whether it is a single trip or multiple trips must be stated;
D. The excess in pounds over the legal limit stated in PMC 10.20.005(A) must be determined;
E. The street or streets within the city upon which the overload vehicles will travel must be named and such routes must be acceptable to the city. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 952 § 3, 1984; Ord. 750 § 2, 1979).
10.20.030 Permit – Contents.
Overload permits will list the information contained in PMC 10.20.020(A) through (E) and will be issued only if and not before such information is provided. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 750 § 3, 1979).
10.20.040 Permit – Term.
Overload permits will be issued only for the length of time required to complete a particular job. No permit will be issued for more than one year. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 750 § 4, 1979).
10.20.050 Permit – Issuance – Restrictions.
The city, under authority granted to it under RCW 46.44.093, may issue or withhold such special overload permits at its discretion; or if such permit is issued, to limit the number of trips, or to establish seasonal or other time limitations within which the vehicle, vehicles or combination of vehicles described in the permit may be operated on the city streets indicated, or otherwise to limit or prescribe conditions of operation of such vehicle or vehicles when necessary to assure against undue damage to the road or street foundation surfaces or structures or safety or traffic and may require such undertaking or other security as may be deemed necessary to compensate for injury to streets, roads and roadbeds. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 750 § 5, 1979).
10.20.060 Overload permit – Fees.
There shall be a fee for overload permits as established by city resolution. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1375 § 16, 1998; Ord. 750 § 6, 1979).
10.20.070 Permit – Fee – Payment schedule.
Repealed by Ord. 1459. (Ord. 750 § 7, 1979).
10.20.080 Permit – Fee – Minimum.
Repealed by Ord. 1459. (Ord. 952 § 4, 1984; Ord. 750 § 8, 1979).
10.20.090 Oversize load – Fee.
Loads which are oversize shall be charged the fee for the overload permit without additional fees being assessed for the oversized features. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 750 § 9, 1979).
10.20.100 Permit – Fee – Exemptions.
A. The fees prescribed in this chapter shall not apply to any vehicle owned and operated by the state, any county within the state, or any city or town within the state, or by the federal government.
B. Travel to and from any permitted parking site shall not be for more than a minimum distance necessary. Owners or drivers of trucks or vehicles exceeding 80,000 pounds may obtain an annual permit from the public works department to park such a vehicle on property owned or occupied by them. The application for such permit shall be on a form provided by the city clerk’s office. If an owner or driver of such a vehicle wishes to park any vehicle weighing in excess of 80,000 pounds on the right-of-way adjacent to property owned or occupied by such individual, then the initial application for a permit to park the vehicle on the right-of-way shall state this fact, and the site where parking is proposed shall be reviewed by the public works administrator/engineer and the chief of police to make sure that the parking of such vehicle will not do any damage to the public right-of-way, impair access to and from the public right-of-way, obstruct traffic on any city street, or in any other way infringe on public interests. Such permit to park on city right-of-way shall be subject to annual review. There shall be a fee for such a permit as established by city resolution. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1375 § 17, 1998; Ord. 952 § 5, 1984; Ord. 750 § 10, 1979).
10.20.105 Action by police officer.
Whenever any police officer of the city shall have probable cause to believe that a vehicle is being driven in violation of this chapter, then such police officer is authorized to stop such vehicle and to direct that the vehicle be driven to the nearest state or local weighing station if the suspected violation involves the actual weight of the vehicle. (Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 952 § 7, 1984).
10.20.110 Violation – Penalty.
It is a civil infraction punishable by a fine as set forth in IRLJ 6.2 for violations of RCW 46.44.080 for any person or persons to violate or fail to comply with any provision of this chapter, or to misrepresent the size or weight or any load or vehicle in obtaining a permit as required under this chapter, or to violate or fail to comply with any condition or requirement of a permit issued under this chapter. (Ord. 2008 § 3 (Exh. B), 2019; Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000; Ord. 952 § 6, 1984; Ord. 750 § 12, 1979).
10.20.120 Truck routes established.
A. While traveling within the city, all vehicles, trucks, truck tractors, truck and trailer combinations or truck tractor and semitrailer combinations licensed for a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combined weight rating in excess of 80,000 pounds shall be restricted to the state highway system; all vehicles, trucks, truck tractors, truck and trailer combinations or truck tractor and semitrailer combinations licensed for a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combined weight rating less than 80,000 but in excess of 16,500 pounds shall be restricted to either the state highway system or to one of the truck routes set forth on the map attached to the ordinance codified in this section as Exhibit A; provided, such vehicles may make deliveries to a site not located immediately adjacent to a state highway or truck route via the shortest and most direct city arterial route between the nearest state highway or truck route and the delivery site, and such vehicles may not use city nonarterial streets except when traveling directly between the delivery site and the nearest arterial street, state highway, or truck route. Trucks making deliveries allowed under this section must comply with the load limits and permitting requirements set forth in this chapter.
B. The director of community development is authorized to place such signs as the director deems necessary to designate the city truck routes and to direct trucks to such routes. (Ord. 2008 § 3 (Exh. B), 2019; Ord. 1459 § 1, 2000).
For statutory provisions setting limits on size, weight and load for motor vehicles, see Chapter 46.44 RCW. For more provisions governing streets, see Title 13 of this code.