§ 161-1. Enforcement authority.
§ 161-2. Temporary street closings authorized.
§ 161-3. Temporary parking prohibition authorized.
§ 161-4. Applicability.
§ 161-5. Exceptions.
§ 161-6. Authority to place and maintain signs.
§ 161-7. Effect of regulation relating to one-way streets.
§ 161-8. Placing of unofficial signs; removal.
§ 161-9. Tampering with signs and markings.
§ 161-10. Authority to locate bus stops; taxi stands.
§ 161-11. General parking prohibitions.
§ 161-12. Parking Parallel to curb.
§ 161-13. Parking in taxicab stand.
§ 161-14. Parking limit while loading or unloading.
§ 161-15. Parking time limited certain hours.
§ 161-16. Parking time limited on all streets.
§ 161-17. Parking in fire lanes prohibited.
§ 161-18. Handicapped parking areas.
§ 161-19. Shopping mall fire lanes.
§ 161-20. Parking time limited in handicapped zones.
[HISTORY: Adopted as Ch. VI of the 1974 bylaws. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Junk Automobiles – See Ch. 55.
Recreational Vehicles – See Ch. 166
Streets and Ways – See Ch. 153
Selectmen’s Traffic Rules and Regulations – See Ch. 204
§ 161-1. Enforcement authority.
It shall be the duty of officers designated by the Chief of Police to enforce the provisions of this chapter. Such officers are hereby authorized to direct all traffic either in person or by means of visible or audible signals in conformance with the provisions of this chapter, provided that in the event of a fire or other emergency, to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police and Fire Departments may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter.
§ 161-2. Temporary street closings authorized.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to close temporarily any street or highway in an impending or existing emergency or for any lawful assemblage, demonstration or procession, provided that there is reasonable justification for the closing of such street.
§ 161-3. Temporary parking prohibition authorized.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to prohibit, temporarily, parking on any street or highway or part thereof in an impending or existing emergency or for a lawful assemblage, demonstration or procession, provided that there is a reasonable justification for such prohibition. Vehicles parked in places where parking is prohibited temporarily may be moved by or under the direction of an officer.
§ 161-4. Applicability.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the operator of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, this commonwealth, county or town and it shall be unlawful for any such operator to violate any of the provisions of these rules and orders, except as otherwise provided by law.
§ 161-5. Exceptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to operators actually engaged in work upon a street or highway closed to travel or under construction or repair, to officers when engaged in the performance of public duties, nor to drivers of emergency vehicles while operating in an emergency and in performance of public duties when the nature of the work of any of these necessitates a departure from any section of this chapter. These exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any vehicle from the consequences of a reckless disregard of the safety of others.
§ 161-6. Authority to place and maintain signs.
The Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized, and as to those signs and signals required hereunder it shall be its duty, to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained all traffic signs, signals, markings and safety zones. All signs, signals, markings and safety zones shall conform to standards prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
§ 161-7. Effect of regulations relating to one way streets.
Sections relating to one-way streets shall be effective only during such time as a sufficient number of official signs are erected and maintained at each of the entrances to each one-way street so that at least one (1) sign will be clearly visible for a distance of at least seventy-five (75) feet to drivers approaching such an entrance.
§ 161-8. Placing of unofficial signs; removal.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain or to display upon or in view of any street any unofficial sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic sign, signal, marking or device which attempts to direct the movement of traffic or which hides from view any official sign or signal. The Chief of Police is hereby empowered to remove every such prohibited sign, signal, marking or device or caused it to be removed, without notice.
§ 161-9. Tampering with signs and markings.
Any person who willfully defaces, injures, moves, obstructs or interferes with any official traffic sign, signal or marking shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.) for each and every offense.
§ 161-10. Authority to locate bus stops; taxi stands.
The location of all bus stops, taxicab stands and service zones shall be specified by the Board of Selectmen, and in the case of taxicab stands the Board of Selectmen shall designate who may use them as such.
§ 161-11. General Parking Prohibitions.
A. No person shall park a vehicle in any of the following places, and vehicles found parked in violation of the provisions of this section may be moved by or under the direction of an officer and at the expense of the owner to a place where parking is permitted.
(1) Within an intersection.
(2) Upon any sidewalk.
(3) Upon any crosswalk.
(4) Upon the roadway in a rural or sparsely settled district.
(5) Upon a roadway where parking is permitted unless both wheels on the right side of the vehicle are within twelve (12) inches of the curb or edge of the roadway, except upon those streets which are designated as one-way streets. On such one-way streets, vehicles shall be parked facing in the direction designated for traffic and with both curbside wheels within twelve (12) inches of the curb or edge of the roadway.
B. The Board of Selectmen shall have the authority to prohibit parking on any street or other public property.
§ 161-12. Parking parallel to curb.
No person shall park a vehicle otherwise than parallel to the curb on any street.
§ 161-13. Parking in taxicab stand.
No person shall park a vehicle other than a taxicab stand for a period of time longer than fifteen (15) minutes except while actually engaged in loading or unloading, provided that such loading or unloading does not exceed a period of time longer than one-half (½) hour.
§ 161-14. Parking limit while loading or unloading in service zone.
[Amended 6-1-1992 ATM, Art. 23]
No person shall double park a vehicle upon any street except while actually engaged in loading or unloading, provided that such loading or unloading does not exceed fifteen (15) minutes.
§ 161-15. Parking Time Limited certain hours. [Amended 5-2-1988 ATM, Art. 10; 5-4-1989 ATM, Art. 27; 6-1-1992 ATM, Art. 22; 5-3-1999 ATM, Art. 18]
Parking time shall be limited to certain hours on specific streets as determined by the Board of Selectmen by regulations adopted pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 22.
§ 161-16. Parking time limited on all streets.[Amended 5-15-2000 ATM, Art. 14]
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park on any street between the hours of 1:00a.m. and 6:00 a.m. for a period of time longer than one (1) hour from November 15 to April 1 inclusive, except that vehicles acting in an emergency may be parked for an unlimited time on Main Street on any day. Any vehicle so parked may be removed at the owner’s expense.
§ 161-17. Parking in fire lanes prohibited. [Added 5-2-1997 ATM, Art. 7; Amended 5-7-2001 ATM, Art. 11]
No vehicle shall be left unattended within the limits of private ways furnishing means of access for fire apparatus to a building, nor shall vehicles be left unattended in private rights of way posted as fire lanes which furnish access for fire department personnel. The Fire Chief shall designate areas of private property as fire lanes at the request of the owner of the property or other person in control of the property.
§ 161-18. Handicapped parking areas. [Added 1-3-1983 STM, Art. 1]
A. Parking in designated handicapped spaces. It shall be unlawful for unauthorized persons to park in places specified for handicapped parking, as defined in MGL C. 90, § 2, in the following areas.
(1) Public parking areas.
(2) Private parking areas.
B. Specified number of reserved handicapped parking spaces. All municipal off-street parking areas shall have the specified number of reserved handicapped parking spaces as enumerated in MGL C. 40, § 21, Subsection 23(a). Said spaces shall have exactly the same size, shape, designation and location as required for private off-street parking areas in Subsection E.
C. Handicapped; parking spaces declared tow-away zones. Any vehicle parked in a designated handicapped parking space which does not have the proper distinguishing plates as required by MGL C. 90, § 2, or permit issued by the Board of Selectmen may be removed under the direction of a police officer as directed herein. This section shall apply to both public and private parking areas.
D. Fines. The fine for parking in designated handicapped areas is fifty dollars ($50.). [Amended 5-6-1991 ATM, Art. 8]
E. Handicapped parking: private off-street lots.
(1) All private off-street parking areas must contain properly designated parking places for any vehicle owned or operated by a disabled veteran or handicapped person whose vehicle bears the distinguishing license plates authorized by MGL C. 90, § 2, or permit issued by the Board of Selectmen. The appropriate number of spaces is between one (1) and fifty (50) pursuant to the formula provided in MGl C. 40, § 23, Subsection (a).
(2) Description. Each space must:
(a) Be twelve (12) feet wide or two (2) eight-foot areas with four (4) feet of crosshatch between them.
(b) Be identified by the use of above-grade signs with white lettering against a blue background bearing the words:
HANDICAPPED PARKING, SPECIAL PLATES REQUIRED. UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLES MAY BE REMOVED AT OWNER’S EXPENSE.
(c) Be as near as possible to a building entrance or walkway.
(d) Be adjacent to curb ramps or other unobstructed methods permitting sidewalk access to a handicapped person.
(3) Responsibility for implementation. The owner or person in possession of the private off-street parking area is responsible for implementing the requirements of this subsection.
(4) Violations. Violations of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.).
(5) Authority to enforce. The Building Inspector shall have the authority to enforce this subsection by actions in the District Court.
§ 161-19. Shopping mall fire lanes. [Added 11-14-1983 STM, Art. 14]
Parking is prohibited in established fire lanes, including shopping malls.
§ 161-20. Parking time limited in handicapped zones. [Added 7-7-1986 STM, Art. 5]
No person shall park a vehicle in a handicapped parking zone other than a person
whose license plated identifies him as a handicapped person, provided that no such
person shall park in the designated handicapped parking zone for more than three (3)
consecutive hours.
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