Section 737.022. Authority of director of public safety to promulgate certain traffic regulations

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Occupy or use," with respect to a public way, means to create parking spaces and install, repair, maintain, replace, and operate parking meters or other similar devices for the purpose of providing on-street parking.

(2) "Public agency" includes any county, municipal corporation, port authority, regional transit authority, airport authority, or transportation improvement district created pursuant to the laws of this state.

(3) "Public parking franchise" means a property right and privilege to occupy and use one or more public ways for the operation of an on-street parking system in all or in one or more portions of the area within the corporate limits of a municipal corporation or to construct, install, repair, maintain, and operate parking meters or other devices or facilities on public property owned or controlled by the municipal corporation.

(4) "Public way" means the surface of, and the space within, through, on, across, above, or below, any public street, road, highway, lane, path, alley, court, sidewalk, boulevard, parkway, or drive owned or controlled by a municipal corporation.

(B) In order to expedite the flow and direction of traffic, to eliminate congestion on public ways, and to provide for the safety of passengers in motor vehicles and pedestrians, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation may by ordinance make and issue, or, in the case of the legislative authority of a city, authorize the director of public safety to make and issue rules and regulations concerning:

(1) The number, type, and location of traffic control devices and signs;

(2) The regulation or prohibition of parking on public ways or public property;

(3) The regulation of the right-of-way at intersections of streets, alleys, and highways;

(4) The regulation or prohibition of turns at intersections;

(5) The creation, abolition, and regulation of through routes and truck routes;

(6) The creation, abolition, and regulation of pedestrian crosswalk and safety zones;

(7) The creation, abolition, and regulation of bus loading and unloading zones and business loading zones;

(8) The creation, abolition, and regulation of traffic lanes, and passing zones;

(9) The regulation of the direction of traffic on public ways and the creation and abolition of one way public streets, roads, alleys, courts, or drives;

(10) Such other subjects as may be provided by ordinance, which shall not be limited by the specific enumeration of subjects by this section.

(C) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation having rules and regulations with respect to parking on public ways or public property for the purposes specified in division (B) of this section may establish and maintain reasonable fees and charges for the privilege of parking in locations permitted by those rules and regulations and may construct, install, maintain, repair, replace, and operate parking meters or other devices or facilities on public ways and public property for the collection of those fees and charges. The operation of meters, devices, and facilities may be managed and operated by municipal officials and employees or by any other person or public agency retained by the municipal corporation for those purposes, as determined by the legislative authority.

(D) As an alternative to the operation of parking meters, devices, and facilities in the manner specified in division (C) of this section, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation having rules and regulations with respect to parking on public ways or public property for the purposes specified in division (B) of this section may grant to a person or public agency a public parking franchise permitting that person or agency to occupy and use certain public ways or to construct, install, maintain, repair, replace, and operate parking meters or other devices or facilities on public property on and subject to terms and conditions specified in a franchise agreement approved by the legislative authority; provided, that no such public parking franchise shall be granted for a term of more than thirty years. The legislative authority may require the person or public agency receiving such a public parking franchise to pay to the municipal corporation a lump sum fee, a periodic fee, or both for the property rights and privileges granted. Public parking franchises shall be subject to regulation by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation and shall not be deemed to be a public utility or an entity otherwise subject to regulation by any state agency or commission.

(E) Rules and regulations made and issued in accordance with division (B) of this section shall be issued in the manner and subject to the conditions and limitations as prescribed by ordinance of the legislative authority of such city. Copies of rules and regulations issued pursuant to this section, when certified by the director of public safety, shall be competent evidence in all courts. Violation of any such rules and regulations shall be as specified by the legislative authority, either a criminal misdemeanor punishable as provided by the ordinances of such municipal corporation or a civil infraction for which a charge is prescribed. The enforcement of rules and regulations violations of which constitute criminal misdemeanors shall be by authorized law enforcement officers.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 11-01-1965