Chapter 11.05
CRUISING
Sections:
11.05.010 Cruising prohibited.
11.05.020 Designation of no cruising area.
11.05.010 Cruising prohibited.
No person shall drive or permit a motor vehicle under his care, custody or control to be driven past a traffic control point two times in the same direction of travel within a two-hour period in a posted no cruising area. No violation shall occur except upon the second passage by the same traffic control point in the same direction of travel within the aforementioned two-hour period. (Ord. 1622 § 1 (part), 1988).
11.05.020 Designation of no cruising area.
A. No area shall be designated or posted as a no cruising area except upon the passage of a resolution by the Centralia city council specifically authorizing such designation and posting for a particular area.
B. The police chief or his designee shall determine when an area so designated by council resolution has become so congested by traffic as to present a danger of traffic congestion, obstruction of streets, sidewalks or parking lots, impediment of access to shopping centers or other buildings open to the public, or interference with the use of property or conduct of business in the area adjacent thereto or that emergency vehicles cannot respond in that area within a reasonable period of time. The police chief or his designee shall, upon making such a determination, direct that the no cruising signs shall be erected or installed and maintained until the congestion has lessened sufficiently to avoid the problems enumerated above in this section. (Ord. 1622 § 1 (part), 1988).
11.05.030 Definitions.
A. “Cruising” is defined as driving or permitting a motor vehicle under an individual’s care, custody or control to be driven past a traffic control point two times in the same direction of travel within a two-hour period in a posted no cruising area so as to contribute to traffic congestion, obstruction of streets, sidewalks, or parking lots, impediment of access to shopping centers or other buildings open to the public, interference with the use of property, the conduct of business in the adjacent area or the ability of emergency vehicles to respond in that area within a reasonable period of time.
B. A “traffic control point” as used in this section means any point or points within the no cruising area established by the police department pursuant to council resolution. (Ord. 1622 § 1 (part), 1988).
11.05.040 Signs.
At every point where a public street or alley becomes or provides ingress to a no cruising area there shall be posted a sign which designates no cruising areas. No person, without lawful authority to do so, shall remove, damage, obstruct or in any way interfere with such posted signs. (Ord. 1622 § 1 (part), 1988).
11.05.050 Exemptions.
This chapter shall not apply to in-service emergency vehicles, taxicabs for hire, buses and other vehicles being driven for business purposes. (Ord. 1622 §1 (part), 1988).
11.05.060 Violations.
Violations of this chapter shall be processed in the same manner as traffic infractions are handled under Washington State law, as now in force or hereafter amended, added to or deleted from, same being incorporated herein by this reference. A maximum civil penalty of five hundred dollars shall be imposed for the first violation hereof, of which two hundred fifty dollars shall not be suspended or deferred, and seven hundred dollars for each subsequent violation, of which three hundred dollars shall not be suspended or deferred. (Ord. 1622 § 1 (part), 1988).