In an attempt to increase public safety, the Los Angeles Fire and Transportation Departments created a program to remove illegally parked vehicles in posted locations within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ). The program was approved and fully supported by Los Angeles City Council on December 14, 2005. In subsequent months after approval, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Station Commanders were asked to survey their district and identify critical areas where parked vehicles could delay citizen evacuations and fire suppression efforts during a Brush Incident.
Moreover, Station Commanders were asked to identify right-of-way areas with limited space (narrow roads), hairpin turns, tight curves, and key intersections that, if not cleared of vehicles, may create a choke point. The information gathered was forwarded to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for reference and processing. The DOT made and posted 1,700 signs in the streets of Los Angeles since January 1, 2006.
An Ordinance adding a new Section 80.72 and amending Sections 80.76.2 and 89.60 of Chapter VIII of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit or limit parking on certain streets on Red Flag Alert days.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Division N of Chapter VIII of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is amended to add a new section 80.72 to read:
SEC. 80.72. PARKING PROHIBITED OR LIMITED ON CERTAIN STREETS ON RED FLAG ALERT DAYS
(a) Whenever, with reference to any street or portion of a street in the City of Los Angeles' Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the Fire Department determines that parking on one or both sides of the street would create a hazard to life or property by interfering with emergency vehicle access and resident evacuation during a major brush fire, the Department of Transportation is hereby authorized to install and maintain at that place signs giving notice that no person shall park a vehicle during a Red Flag Alert in the City of Los Angeles. The Department of Transportation is further authorized to include notice, on any sign that prohibits the parking of vehicles on Red Flag days, that vehicles parked in violation of the sign may be removed.
(b) It shall be unlawful, when authorized signs are in place giving notice, to park any vehicle on any of the streets or portions of streets in the City's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in violation of the signs.
(c) Signs prohibiting parking installed pursuant to this section are only enforceable on Red Flag Alert days in the City of Los Angeles as declared by the Mayor or his designee.
(d) The provisions of Section 88.01.1 of this chapter are not applicable to signs erected pursuant to this section.
Sec. 2. Division 0 of Section 80.76.2 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is amended to add the
following in numerical order:
SEC. 80.76.2. CIVIL PENALTIES
SECTION DESCRIPTION
80.72 PARKING ON RED FLAG DAY
Sec. 3. Division W of Section 89.60 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code is amended to add the following penalty provisions in numerical order:
SECTION DESCRIPTION FINE
(The Los Angeles Department of Transportation)
Sec. 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance and have it published in accordance with Council policy, either in a daily newspaper circulated in the City of Los Angeles or by posting for ten days in three public places in the City of Los Angeles: one copy on the bulletin board at the Main Street entrance to the Los Angeles City Hall; one copy on the bulletin board located at the Main Street entrance to the Los Angeles City Hall East; and one copy on the bulletin board located at the Temple Street entrance to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records.
I hereby certify that this ordinance was passed by the Council of the City of Los Angeles, at its meeting of
December 14, 2005
.
FRANK T. MARTINEZ, City Clerk
Approved
December 21, 2005
DECLARATION OF POSTING ORDINANCE
I, MARIA C. RICO, state as follows: I am, and was at all times hereinafter mentioned, a resident of the State of California, over the age of eighteen years, and a Deputy City Clerk of the City of Los Angeles, California.
Ordinance No. 177215 - Adding a new Section 80.72 & amending Sections 80.76.2 & 89.60 of Chapter VIII of the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit or limit parking on certain streets on Red Flag Alert days
- a copy of which is hereto attached, was finally adopted by the Los Angeles City Council on Dec. 14, 2005, and under the direction of said City Council and the City Clerk, pursuant to Section 251 of the Charter of the City of Los Angeles and Ordinance No. 1729591 on Dec. 30, 20051 I posted a true copy of said ordinance at each of three public places located in the City of Los Angeles, California, as follows: 1) One copy on the bulletin board at the Main Street entrance to Los Angeles City Hall; 2) one copy on the bulletin board at the Main Street entrance to Los Angeles City Hall East; 3) one copy on the bulletin board at the Temple Street entrance to the Hall of Records of the County of Los Angeles.
Copies of said ordinance were posted conspicuously beginning on Dec. 30, 2005 and will be continuously posted for ten or more days.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is t rue and correct.
Signed this 30th day of
December 2005
at Los Angeles, California.
Ordinance Effective Date:
Feb. 8, 2006
Council File No.
04-1530
