§ 15-262. Fire lanes and fire lane designations.

(a)

When signs are erected or the pavement is marked giving notice thereof, no person shall stop, leave or park a vehicle at any time upon any portion of a public or private street, highway, roadway, alley, or driveway set forth in section 15-493, schedule V, pertaining to fire lanes. In emergencies the chief of police or his representatives are authorized and empowered to establish and designate fire lanes to provide unobstructed access for fire apparatus and emergency vehicles.

(b)

It shall be unlawful for any person to stop, park or leave a vehicle in or upon, or to obstruct in any manner, any fire lane so designated by the chief of police and marked with appropriate signs or markings.

(c)

The presence of any vehicle in or upon or obstructing in any manner any fire lane in violation hereof shall be prima facie evidence that the person in whose name such vehicle is registered committed such violation. If the vehicle is operated by someone other than the registered owner thereof, the registered owner shall furnish the name, address and operator's license number of the person operating the vehicle at the time the violation occurred to the chief of police within three working days from the time of receipt of a notice of the violation from the police department. If the registered owner shall fail to furnish such information within the time provided above, the registered owner shall then be deemed to have committed the violation. The report in writing from the registered owner of the name of the person having operated the vehicle shall be prima facie evidence that the person named committed the violation.

(d)

Members of the police department shall have the same authority to remove a vehicle stopped in, parked in, or obstructing a fire lane, and they shall follow the same procedure as set forth in section 15-277.

(e)

Fire lanes so designated by the chief of police shall be posted with appropriate signs or markings as specified by the chief of police in order that the public will be aware of the existence of such fire lanes. In cases of fire lanes established on private property, the owner thereof shall provide such signs or markings at the owner's expense and within 30 days after the owner shall have been notified of the designations by the chief of police. In cases of fire lanes established on public property, the chief of police shall provide with signs or markings at the expense of the city. If the owner of such property does not comply within 30 days of such notification or such other time as the chief of police or his representative shall provide, for good cause shown, not to exceed 90 days, the chief of police shall close access to such property until such signs or markings are posted.

(f)

Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of the section shall be subject to the penalties provided for violating the provisions of this Code, provided that the fine for the violation of this section shall be $50.00.

(Code 1973, § 14-151; Ord. No. 2233, Art. I, 1-27-92)