| 1. True. The longest a vehicle can be parked
on a public street is 72 hours. The vehicle must be driven every
72 hours to avoid citation or towing of the vehicle. To report
vehicles that have been parked in excess of 72 consecutive hours
in one location, or to report inoperable vehicles on the street,
call the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement number at 615-4778. A Community
Service Officer in the Police Department will follow up.
2. False. Boats count as vehicles and must abide by the same
Municipal Code. This means they cannot be "parked"
on the street for more than 72 consecutive hours. They can
be stored on the driveway, front yard or side yards, but they
must be stored on all-weather surfaces like gravel, concrete,
stones, bricks, etc.
3. False. Abandoned, disabled, dismantled or inoperable vehicles
cannot be stored on private property areas that are visible
from the public right-of-way. This includes your driveway,
front yard or side yard that is visible to the public right
of way (street or sidewalk). Inoperable can be anything ranging
from a flat tire to an engine missing.
4. True. Parking of any vehicle is prohibited on lawn or
dirt surfaces. It must be on an all-weather surface such as
gravel or cement, not on any of the "required landscape
areas" of residential property (temporary parking for
washing your vehicle is not enforced). To report illegally
parked vehicles on landscaped areas of residential properties
or for more information on this topic, call the City's Code
Enforcement Office at 615-2460.
5. True. Canopy/tents in the front yard are generally not
allowed in the City of Santa Clara. They are considered to
be "detached accessory structures" prohibited in
the 20-foot front yard setback or 15-foot street side yard
setback of a corner lot. For more information, contact the
City's Code Enforcement Office at 615-2460.
6. False. Parking laws are enforceable without warning to
the owner of the vehicle. The brightly colored warning stickers
you may have seen on vehicles in Santa Clara are used frequently
for the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program, but law enforcement
personnel may also use them to get voluntary compliance from
a potential parking violator prior to citing or towing the
vehicle. Every situation is different and it is up the judgment
of the responding officer on how to best handle and resolve
the situation.
7. False. The 72-hour limit on street parking also applies
to residents parking in front of their homes. If you are planning
to be gone from your home for more than 72 hours, be sure
to move your vehicle off the street or have someone you trust
move your vehicle for you within 72 hours. This will insure
that you will not be warned, cited or potentially have your
vehicle towed while you are out of town.
8. False. There are no specific laws that regulate RV parking.
Parking laws consider RVs to be the same as a car or passenger
truck when parked on the street. City Parking Control Officers
have responded to calls regarding RVs being parked close to
a driveway or street corner making it difficult to see around
for those entering or exiting roadways. There is no law that
pertains specifically to this issue, but when Parking Control
Officers contact the owners, they typically are not aware
of the problem and voluntarily move the RV.
9. True. The Municipal Code prohibits the parking of any
commercial vehicles within 300 feet of a residential dwelling
for more than two hours.
10. True. Santa Clara residents who would like to have unwanted
vehicles taken away may dispose of relinquished vehicles through
a free service from local tow company operators. To arrange
for a vehicle to be surrendered and towed, residents should
contact the Santa Clara Police Department’s Permits Unit at (408) 615-4867. The program
is limited to passenger vehicles including sports utility
vehicles, vans and pick-up trucks. RVs, motor homes, boats,
motorcycles and oversized vehicles will NOT be accepted. |
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