§ 66-32. Traffic engineer; city manager authority concerning parking.

(a)

The office of traffic engineer is hereby established. The traffic engineer shall be appointed by the city manager or his or her designee and shall exercise the powers and duties provided in this chapter. In the absence of such appointment, or at such times as the traffic engineer may be absent from the city or incapable of performing his duties, the duties and powers of the traffic engineer shall be vested in a duly appointed assistant traffic engineer, or if none, or if such assistant be absent from the city or incapable of performing his duties, such duties shall be vested in the chief of police, or other city official as determined and authorized by the city manager.

(b)

It is the general duty of the traffic engineer, or chief of police if no traffic engineer is appointed, to plan and determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic control devices; to plan and direct the operation of traffic on the streets of the city, including parking areas; to conduct investigations of traffic conditions; to cooperate with other city and state officials and make recommendations for the improvement of traffic movement and conditions, including improvements in streets; and to carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of the city or as directed by the city manager or the city council.

(c)

The traffic engineer or such duly appointed representative is hereby authorized to:

(1)

Place and maintain, or remove, traffic control signs, signals, lane markings, and other devices, and shall determine the hours and days during which any traffic control device shall be in operation or be in effect, when and as required under the traffic ordinances of the city to indicate and carry out the provisions of such ordinances, and may place and maintain such additional traffic control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate traffic under the traffic ordinances of the city and under state law to regulate, warn or guide traffic, provided no stop sign or traffic control signal shall be erected or maintained at any location so as to require the traffic on any state highway to stop before entering or crossing any intersecting highway, unless approval in writing has first been obtained from the state department of transportation. In all respects, all traffic control signs, signals and devices shall conform to the manual and specifications as approved by the department of transportation. All signs and signals required under this chapter for a particular purpose shall be uniform as to type and location throughout the city. All traffic control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic control devices.

(2)

Designate streets, or parts of streets, as through streets, and place and maintain a stop sign on each and every street intersecting such through street, except at those intersections which are controlled by automatic signals or other traffic control devices. Such designations shall be made when required by the public safety.

(3)

Determine and designate intersections where a particular hazard exists upon other than through streets, and determine whether vehicles shall stop or yield the right-of-way at one or more entrances to any such intersection, and shall erect a stop or yield sign at every place where he shall find a stop or yield required, except at those intersections which are controlled by automatic signals or other traffic control devices.

(4)

Prohibit the use of the roadway by farm tractors, trailers and semitrailers, and by trucks or other commercial vehicles, and impose limitations as to the weight thereof on designated streets where in his opinion the public safety is concerned, but such prohibitions and limitations shall not become effective until notice thereof is given by means of appropriate signs placed on such streets.

(5)

Designate certain streets as truck routes to be used for the expeditious and convenient movement of farm tractors, trailers, semitrailers, trucks and other commercial vehicular traffic, and give notice thereof by means of appropriate signs placed along such streets. Such designations shall be made when required by the public safety.

(6)

Place markers, buttons, pavement markings or signs within or adjacent to intersections and thereby require and direct that a different course from that specified in this chapter be traveled by vehicles turning at an intersection.

(7)

Mark lanes upon the roadway of any street where he shall find that a regular alignment of traffic is necessary in the interests of safety and efficiency, or at such places as he may find to be advisable, consistent with the traffic ordinances of the city and state law.

(8)

Designate and maintain, by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the surface of the roadway, within the jurisdiction of the city, crosswalks at those places where he shall find that there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and when he shall further find that the existence of a crosswalk will reduce that danger.

(9)

Establish safety zones of such kind and character and at such places where he shall find that there is particular danger to the pedestrians, and which are consistent with state law, and where he shall find that the existence of a safety zone will reduce that danger.

(10)

Determine those streets or intersections of such streets from which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right turn, left turn or U-turn, and shall place proper signs upon such streets and at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between the hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event such hours shall be plainly indicated on the signs, or the signs may be removed when such turns are unrestricted. Such determination shall be made when required by the public safety.

(11)

Recommend the one-waying of any streets, roadways or alleys within the city, and install and maintain upon any of the one-way streets, roadways or alleys or parts of streets, as approved by ordinance, signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulation shall be effective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be placed at every intersection where movement of traffic in the opposite direction is prohibited.

(12)

Determine and designate, based on an engineering study and criteria established by the state department of transportation, maximum or minimum speed limits different from 30 miles per hour upon any of the streets or parts of streets described by ordinance, and install and maintain signs giving notice thereof, and no such regulation shall be effective unless such signs are in place.

(13)

Determine the location of angle parking zones, and stripe and maintain appropriate markings indicating such zones and giving notice thereof upon any of the streets or parts of streets described by ordinance.

(14)

Declare and establish whenever he shall find that the public safety and convenience are best served thereby, any street or part thereof as a play street, and place appropriate signs and barricades enclosing the roadway indicating and helping to protect the street.

(15)

Erect signs on any sidewalk or street prohibiting the riding of bicycles thereon by any person.

(16)

Establish bus stops, bus stands, taxicab stands, or stands for other passenger common carrier motor vehicles on such public streets, in such places and in such number as he shall determine to be of the greatest benefit and convenience to the public. Every such bus stop, bus stand, taxicab stand or other stand shall be designated by appropriate signs.

(17)

Determine the location of passenger and freight curb loading zones, and place and maintain appropriate signs indicating such zones and stating the hours during which such restrictions are applicable. Such determination shall be made when required by the public safety.

(18)

Erect signs in each block limiting the parking time and duration on certain streets and giving notice thereof, when the public safety so requires.

(19)

Prohibit or restrict the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on any street of the city, and erect signs giving notice thereof, when, in his opinion, such stopping, standing or parking of vehicles interferes with the movement of traffic thereon.

(20)

Prohibit parking upon either or both sides of any street adjacent to any school property, and erect signs giving notice thereof, when such parking, in his opinion, would interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation.

(21)

Designate, by proper signs, places not exceeding 100 feet in length in which the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles would create an especially hazardous condition or would cause unusual delay to traffic.

(22)

When the public safety requires it, prohibit parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 20 feet or upon one side of a street when the width of the roadway does not exceed 30 feet, and erect signs giving notice thereof.

(23)

When the public safety requires it, designate certain places where parking shall be prohibited at all times, and erect signs giving notice thereof.

(24)

Prohibit all-night parking, and erect signs giving notice thereof, upon any street or portion thereof, whenever in his opinion such prohibition is necessary or advisable in the interest of public safety.

(d)

The city manager or his designee is hereby authorized to:

(1)

Designate parking enforcement specialists with the authority to enforce all state, county, and municipal laws and ordinances governing parking within the boundaries of the municipality.

(2)

Operate the parking program; designate staff responsible for managing the program; and establish procedures related to same.

(3)

In cooperation with the traffic engineer and the parking program manager, ensure the installation and maintenance of proper signage and pavement markings as needed to properly identify parking zones in any of the streets or parts of streets and in any city-owned or leased and operated parking lot.

(4)

Determine the location of reserved parking spaces in any city-owned or leased and operated parking lot designated as a reserved parking zone by city council by ordinance and as listed in section 66-105.

(5)

Determine the location of metered parking spaces within metered parking zones which have been approved as such by city council by ordinance and which are listed in section 66-101. Within the metered parking zones install and maintain as many parking meters as necessary to aid in the regulation, control and inspection of the parking of vehicles. The parking meters may be of whatever type as determined by city council.

(6)

Determine the parking time and duration permitted on streets and in city-owned or leased and operated parking areas; and establish times of enforcement of parking.

(7)

Recommend to city council fees for reserved and metered parking which shall be established by city council by separate resolution. Such fees shall be subject to periodic review and adjustment by city council.

(8)

In cooperation with the engineer and the parking program manager, authorize the temporary closure or blocking of parking spaces as needed to facilitate parades or emergency services.

(Code 1961, §§ 20-28, 20-29; Code 1985, § 23-22; Ord. No. 2773, § 7, 8-19-97; Ord. No. 5530, § 1, 6-6-06; Ord. No. 2012-15, § 3, 1-3-12; Ord. No. 2014-7, § 4, 12-17-13)

State law reference

Powers of local authorities, F.S. § 316.008.

Cross reference

Departments, officers and employees, § 2-191 et seq.