Revised Ordinances of Wallingford

Title 2: Town Highways
Chapter 2: Parking Regulations

§2201. AUTHORITY

Under the authority granted in Title 23 VSA, Sections 1007 and 1008, and Title 24 VSA Sections 1971 and 2291(1) (4) and (5), Title 24 VSA Chapter 59 and such other general enactments as may be material hereto, the Selectboard of the Town of Wallingford hereby adopts the following civil ordinance concerning traffic control.

§2202. PURPOSE

The purpose of these regulations is to promote safety, to provide good traffic flow, and to assist the town in the maintenance of streets and highways.

§2203. DEFINITIONS

The definitions of Title 23 VSA, Section 4 are incorporated by reference.

§2204. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING VEHICLES

(a)     No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of an enforcement officer or traffic-control device, or in any of the following places:

(1)   On a sidewalk;

(2)   In front of a public or private driveway;

(3)    Within an intersection;

(4)    Within six (6) feet of a fire hydrant;

(5)    On a crosswalk;

(6)    Within six (6) feet of a cross walk at an intersection;

(7)    Within thirty (30) feet upon the approach of any flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic-control signal located at the side of a roadway;

(8)    Within twenty-five (25) feet of the nearest rail of the intersection of a railroad and any town or state road, street or highway;

(9)    Within twenty (20) feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within seventy-five (75) feet of said entrance properly signposted);

(10)  Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing, or parking would obstruct traffic;

(11)  On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge of a street or highway;

(12)  Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel;

(13)   At any place where official signs prohibit stopping.

 (b)     No person shall move a vehicle into any such prohibited area.

 §2205. STOPPING, STANDING, PARKING NOT TO OBSTRUCT TRAFFIC

No person shall stop or park any vehicle or permit any vehicle to stand, except where necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with laws or the direction of an enforcement officer or traffic-control device, upon a street or alley in such a manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten (10) feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic.

§2206. PARKING FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES PROHIBITED

No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of:

(a)   Displaying such vehicle for sale

(b)     Washing, greasing, or repairing such vehicle except repairs necessitated by an emergency.

§2207. PARKING ADJACENT TO SCHOOLS

(a)     The Selectboard is hereby authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon either side or both sides of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in their opinion, interfere with traffic or cause a hazardous situation.

(b)     When official signs are erected indicating no parking upon either side of a street adjacent to any school property as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated place.

§2208. PARKING PROHIBITED ON NARROW STREETS

(a)    The Selectboard is hereby authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed twenty (20) feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs when the width of the roadway does not exceed thirty (30) feet.

(b)    When official signs prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized herein, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign.

§2209.  STANDING OR PARKING ON ONE-WAY STREET’S

The Selectboard is hereby authorized to erect signs upon the left hand side of any one-way street to prohibit the standing or parking of vehicles, and when such signs are in place, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon such left hand side in violation of any such sign.

§2210. STANDING OR PARKING ON ONE-WAY ROADWAYS

In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left hand side of such one way roadway unless signs are erected to permit such standing or parking.  The Town traffic engineer is authorized to determine when standing or parking may be permitted upon the left hand side of any such one-way roadway and to erect signs giving notice thereof.

§2211. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING NEAR HAZARD OR CONGESTED PLACES

(a)    The Selectboard is hereby authorized to determine and designate by proper signs, places not exceeding one hundred (100) feet in length in which the stopping, standing, or parking ofvehicles would create an especially hazardous condition or would cause unusual delay to traffic.

(b)    When official signs are erected at hazardous or congested places as authorized herein, no person shall stand, stop, or park a vehicle in any such designated place.

§2212. NO PARKING ZONES

Parking is prohibited at all times within the following zones:

(a)    All intersections of Town or state roads and Route 7, from the southern corner of Town Highway #3 south to Town Highway #17 (inclusive), except those described separately in this ordinance, will have marked “No Parking” zones extending 30-feet in either direction on Route 7 from the edge of the traveled portion of the entering road.

(b)    From the intersection of Route 7 and Town Highway #83, extending 50 feet south along Route 7.

(c)    From the intersection of Route 7 and Route 140, extending 30 feet east on both the north side and south side of Route 140.

(d)    From the intersection of Route 7 and Town Highway #17, extending 75 feet east on the north side. There will be a marked handicapped parking space on the south side of Town Highway #17 adjacent to the church’s handicap access ramp.

(e)    From the intersection of Route 7 and Route 140, extending 150 feet along the northbound lane of Route 7.

(f)     From the intersection of Town Highway #58 and Route 7, extending 150 feet north on the west side of Route 7.

(g)    From the intersection of Town Highway #9 and Route 7, extending 200 feet south on the east side of Route 7.

(h)    From the intersection of Town Highway #36 and Route 140-East, extending 15 feet east and west on Route 140-East.

(i)    From the intersection of Town Highway #10 and Route 140-East, extending 15 feet east and west on Route 140-East.

§2213. AUTHORITY TO REMOVE VEHICLES

(a)     In addition to such other penalties as may be provided for violation of the Ordinances of the Town of Wallingford, the Selectboard and the enforcement officers are hereby authorized to direct the removal of a vehicle from a street or highway to the nearest garage or other place of safety, or to a garage designated or maintained by the Town of Wallingford under the circumstances hereinafter enumerated:

(1)    When any vehicle is left unattended upon any highway, street, bridge, viaduct, or causeway, or in any tube or tunnel, where such vehicle constitutes a hazard or obstruction to traffic.

(2)    When a vehicle upon a highway is so disabled as to constitute an obstruction to traffic and the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are by reason of physical injury incapacitated to such an extent as to be unable to provide for its custody or removal.

(3)    When any vehicle is left unattended in violation of the Ordinances of the Town of Wallingford.

(b)   Whenever the Selectboard or enforcement officers remove a vehicle from a street as authorized in this Ordinance, the owner of such vehicle shall be required to pay a reasonable towing charge not to exceed $100.00 for such removal (payable to the operator who did the towing), and a storage charge not to exceed $10.00 per day (payable to the storage area owner/proprietor). All amounts to be assessed shall be paid prior to returning the impounded vehicle to the owner or proprietor thereof.

§2214. PROHIBITION OF ALL NIGHT PARKING

No person Shall park a vehicle upon any street, road, or highway within the Town of Wallingford except in compliance with law or the directions of an enforcement officer and, except physicians on emergency calls, between the hours of 11:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. for the period from November 15th each year through March 31st of the succeeding year.

§2215.  HANDICAPPED PARKING AREAS – PURPOSE

The Wallingford Selectboard finds and determines that the control and regulation of handicapped parking areas is necessary for the protection of the physically handicapped individuals.  The Selectboard may, at its discretion, modify the requirements contained herein if strict enforcement would cause undue hardship due to unusual conditions, provided the general objectives of these requirements are satisfied. Title 4, Chapter 1, “Handicapped Personnel Ordinance” is hereby repealed and replaced by this chapter.

§2216.  PARKING IN SPACES RESERVED FOR HANDICAPPED PARKING

No person shall park a motor vehicle in a space designated as parking for the handicapped without displaying a special handicapped plate or card issued by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, or as otherwise provided by law of the state in which the vehicle is registered.

§2217.  PERMITTED PARKING

A person whose vehicle displays a special handicapped plate or card described in §2129 of this chapter may park without fee for an unlimited period in a parking zone that is restricted as to the length of time parking is permitted. This section shall not apply to zones in which parking, standing, or stopping of all vehicles is prohibited, which are reserved for special vehicles, or where parking is prohibited by any parking ban.

§2218.  PENALTIES

A violation of this chapter shall be a civil matter enforced in accordance with the provisions of 24 VSA 1974a and 1977 et. seq. A civil penalty of not more than $500.00 may be imposed for a violation of this civil ordinance, and the waiver fee shall be set at $15.00 for the first offense, $30.00 for the second offense within a six-month period, and $45.00 for all subsequent offenses within a six-month period. Each day of a violation shall constitute a separate violation of this ordinance. Violators shall also be liable for all applicable towing and storage charges as described in §2213 of this chapter.

§2219. ENFORCEMENT

The Constables of the Town of Wallingford shall be the chief enforcement officers of this ordinance. The Selectboard may appoint a Municipal Enforcement Officer to assist in the enforcement of this ordinance.

§2220. SEVERABILITY

Each of the provisions of this ordinance is severable and if any provision is held invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions shall not be affected but shall remain in full force and effect.

§2221. EFFECTIVE DATE

This ordinance shall become effective sixty days after its adoption by the Wallingford Selectboard. If a petition is filed under 24 VSA 1973, the taking effect of this ordinance shall be governed by that statute.

Adopted 9/17/01

Wallingford Selectboard