Township of Upper St. Clair Police

Parking

PENNSYLVANIA VEHICLE CODE ---

Section 3351. Stopping, standing and parking outside business and residence districts.

General rule - Outside a business or residence district, no person shall stop, park or stand any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the roadway when it is practicable to stop, park or stand the vehicle off the roadway. In the event it is necessary to stop, park or stand the vehicle on the roadway or any part of the roadway, an unobstructed width of the highway opposite the vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles and the vehicle shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet in each direction upon the highway.
Exception for disabled vehicles - This section and sections 3353 (relating to prohibitions in specified places) and 3354 (relating to additional parking regulations) do not apply to the driver of any vehicle which is disabled in such a manner and to such an extent that it is impossible to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving the vehicle in that position.

Section 3352. Removal of vehicle by or at direction of police.

Outside business and residence districts - Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle in violation of any of the provisions of section 3351 (relating to stopping, standing and parking outside business and residence districts), the officer may move the vehicle, or cause the vehicle to be moved, or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move the vehicle, to a position off the roadway where the vehicle will not interfere unduly with the normal movement of traffic or constitute a safety hazard.
Unattended vehicle obstructing traffic - Any police officer may remove or cause to be removed to a place of safety any unattended vehicle illegally left standing upon any highway, bridge, causeway or in any tunnel, in such position or under such circumstances as to interfere unduly with the normal movement of traffic or constitute a safety hazard.
Removal to garage or place of safety - Any police officer may remove or cause to be removed to the place of business of the operator of a wrecker or to a nearby garage or other place of safety any vehicle found upon a highway under any of the following circumstances:
1. Report has been made that the vehicle has been stolen or taken without the consent of its owner.
2. The person or persons in charge of the vehicle are physically unable to provide for the custody or removal of the vehicle.
3. The person driving or in control of the vehicle is arrested for an alleged offense for which the officer is required by law to take the person arrested before an issuing authority without unnecessary delay.
4. The vehicle is in violation of section 3353 (relating to prohibitions in specified places) except for overtime parking.
5. The vehicle has been abandoned as defined in this title. The officer shall comply with the provisions of subsection (d) and Chapter 73 (relating to abandoned vehicles and cargos).
Notice to owner prior to removal -
1. Prior to removal of an abandoned vehicle bearing a registration plate, certificate of inspection or vehicle identification number plate by which the last registered owner of the vehicle can be determined, the police department shall send a notice by certified mail to the last registered owner of the vehicle informing the owner that unless the vehicle is moved to a suitable location within seven days of the date notice is mailed, the vehicle will be removed under this section and held at a suitable facility where it may be reclaimed by the owner in accordance with the provisions of section 7306 (relating to payment of costs upon reclaiming vehicle). If the abandoned motor vehicle does not bear an identifiable registration plate, certificate of inspection or vehicle identification number plate, the notice may be secured to the vehicle.
2. If, within the seven-day period, the owner so requests, the owner shall be given an opportunity to explain to the police officer or department why the owner believes the vehicle should not be removed. If the police officer or department determines that the vehicle shall, nonetheless, be removed, the owner shall be given an additional 48 hours to remove the vehicle, have it removed or demand a hearing, which shall conform to the requirements of 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. B (relating to practice and procedure of local agencies). The police officer or department shall inform the owner of the right to a hearing by delivering to the owner a notice warning the owner that, unless the vehicle is removed or a hearing is demanded, the owner shall be subject to the provisions of section 7306. If, as a result of the hearing, it is determined that the vehicle will be removed, the owner shall be given an additional 48 hours to remove the vehicle or have it removed. The hearing shall be before a civilian officer or employee of the municipality in which the vehicle is located.
3. The provision for notice set forth in this subsection is applicable only if the vehicle is abandoned upon a highway and is not in violation of subsection (b) or section 3351(a) or 3353. Notice under this subsection is in addition to any other notice requirements provided in Chapter 73.

Section 3353. Prohibitions in specified places.

General rule - Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to protect the safety of any person or vehicle or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall:
1. Stop, stand or park a vehicle:
  1. On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street except that:
    1. A pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2) (relating to parking).
    2. Standing or parking for the purpose of loading or unloading persons or property may be authorized by local ordinance, but the ordinance shall not authorize standing or parking on State designated highways except during off-peak traffic-flow hours as determined by department regulations.
  2. On a sidewalk except that a pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2).
  3. Within an intersection.
  4. On a crosswalk.
  5. Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by official traffic-control devices.
  6. Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic.
  7. Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel.
  8. On any railroad tracks.
  9. In the area between roadways of a divided highway, including crossovers.
  10. At any place where official signs prohibit stopping.
2. Stand or park a vehicle:
  1. In front of a public or private driveway.
  2. Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant./li>
  3. Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
  4. Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic-control signal located at the site of a roadway.
  5. Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station or, when properly sign posted, on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of the entrance.
  6. Where the vehicle would prevent the free movement of a streetcar.
  7. On a limited access highway unless authorized by official traffic-control devices.
  8. At any place where official signs prohibit standing.
3. Park a vehicle:
  1. Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.
  2. At any place where official signs prohibit parking.
Unattended vehicle on private property -
1. No person shall park or leave unattended a vehicle on private property without the consent of the owner or other person in control or possession of the property except in the case of emergency or disablement of the vehicle, in which case the operator shall arrange for the removal of the vehicle as soon as possible.
2. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to private parking lots unless such lots are posted to notify the public of any parking restrictions and the operator of the vehicle violates such posted restrictions. For the purposes of this section "private parking lot" means a parking lot open to the public or used for parking without charge; or a parking lot used for parking with charge. The department shall define by regulation what constitutes adequate posting for public notice.
Property owner may remove vehicle - The owner or other person in charge or possession of any property on which a vehicle is parked or left unattended in violation of the provisions of subsection (b) may remove or have removed the vehicle at the reasonable expense of the owner of the vehicle. Such person who removes a vehicle left parked or unattended in violation of the provisions of subsection (b) shall have a lien against the owner of the vehicle, in the amount of the reasonable value of the costs of removing the vehicle. Any city, borough, incorporated town or township may, by ordinance, provide for rates to be charged for removal of vehicles and for municipal regulation of authorized towing services.
Restrictions by appropriate authorities - The department on State-designated highways and local authorities on any highway within their boundaries may by erection of official traffic-control devices prohibit, limit or restrict stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on any highway where engineering and traffic studies indicate that stopping, standing or parking would constitute a safety hazard or where the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles would unduly interfere with the free movement of traffic.
Penalty - Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $15.

Section 3354. Additional parking regulations.

Two-way highways - Except as otherwise provided in this section, every vehicle standing or parked upon a two-way highway shall be positioned parallel to and with the right-hand wheels within 12 inches of the right-hand curb or, in the absence of a curb, as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder.
One-way highways - Except as otherwise provided in this section, every vehicle standing or parked upon a one-way highway shall be positioned parallel to the curb or edge of the highway in the direction of authorized traffic movement with its right-hand wheels within 12 inches of the right-hand curb or, in the absence of a curb, as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder, or with its left-hand wheels within 12 inches of the left- hand curb or, in the absence of a curb, as close as practicable to the left edge of the left-hand shoulder.
Angle parking - Local authorities may permit angle parking on any highway after an engineering and traffic study has determined that the highway is of sufficient width to permit angle parking without interfering with the free movement of traffic, except that on a State-designated highway prior approval of the department shall also be obtained.
Handicapped persons and disabled veterans -
1. When a motor vehicle bearing a handicapped or severely disabled veteran plate or displaying a handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking placard as prescribed in this title is being operated by or for the transportation of the handicapped person or severely disabled veteran, the driver shall be relieved of any liability for parking for a period of 60 minutes in excess of the legal parking period permitted by local authorities except where local ordinances or police regulations provide for the accommodation of heavy traffic during morning, afternoon or evening hours.
2. At the request of any handicapped person or severely disabled veteran, local authorities may erect on the highway as close as possible to their place of residence a sign or signs indicating that that place is reserved for the handicapped person or severely disabled veteran, that no parking is allowed there by others, and that any unauthorized person parking there shall be subject to a fine.
3. 1. Except for persons parking vehicles lawfully bearing a handicapped or severely disabled veteran registration plate or displaying a handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking placard when such vehicles are being operated by or for the transportation of a handicapped person or a severely disabled veteran, no person shall park a vehicle on public or private property reserved for a handicapped person or severely disabled veteran which property has been so posted in accordance with departmental regulations which shall require a sign stating the penalty amount indicated in subsection (f), a sign indicating that vehicles in violation of the subsection may be towed and require that signs be replaced when they become either obsolete or missing with all costs to replace the necessary signs to be borne by the persons responsible for signing the particular location. Any vehicle which is unlawfully parked in a designated handicapped parking area may be removed from that area by towing and may be reclaimed by the vehicle owner upon payment of the towing costs.
  2. Local authorities shall have the power and may, by ordinance or resolution, authorize handicapped persons and severely disabled veterans to issue statements to violators or violating vehicles for violation of subparagraph (i). The form of the statement shall be as prescribed by the local authorities. (Chgd. by L.1992, Act 174(11), eff. 2/16/93.)
Unauthorized use - An operator of a vehicle bearing a handicapped or severely disabled veteran plate or displaying a handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking placard shall not make use of the parking privileges accorded to handicapped persons and severely disabled veterans under subsection (d)(3) unless the operator is handicapped or a severely disabled veteran or unless the vehicle is being operated for the transportation of a handicapped person or severely disabled veteran.
Penalty - Any person violating subsection (a), (b)or (d)(1) is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $15. Any person violating subsection (d)(2) or (3) or (e) is guilty of a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $200.
Special penalty; disposition -
1. In addition to any other penalty imposed under this section, any person who is convicted of violating subsection (d)(2) or (3) shall be sentenced to pay a fine of $50.
2. All fines collected under this subsection shall be disposed of as follows:
  1. Ninety-five percent shall be paid to the Department of Revenue, transmitted to the Treasury Department and credited to the Department of Public Welfare for use for the attendant care program.
  2. Five percent shall be paid to the municipality in which the offense occurred.

(Subsection (g) added by L.1994, Act 170(3), eff. 2/26/95.)

(Chgd. by L.1990, Act 84(2), eff. 9/8/90.)

Department of

Police Protection

Department of

Police Protection

Parking

Section 3351. Stopping, standing and parking outside business and residence districts.

Section 3353. Prohibitions in specified places.

Section 3354. Additional parking regulations.