[HISTORY: Adopted 8-26-1974 Special Town Meeting, Art. 15
(Ch. VI of the Revised Bylaws). Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.
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.
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.
The provisions of this chapter shall 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.
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.
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 official 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.
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 sign will be clearly visible for a distance of at
least 75 feet to drivers approaching such an entrance.
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 or 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.
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 $50 for each and every offense.
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.
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 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 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.
No person shall park a vehicle otherwise than parallel to the
curb on any street.
No person shall park a vehicle other than a taxicab in any taxicab
stand for a period of time longer than 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 1/2 hour.
[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 15 minutes.
[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 MGL c. 40, § 22.
[Amended 5-3-2000 ATM, Art. 14]
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to park
on any street between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. for a period
of time longer than one 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.
[Added 5-2-1977 ATM, Art. 7; amended 5-7-2001 ATM, Art. 11]
No vehicles 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.
[Added 1-31-1983 STM, Art. 1]
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 $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 plate authorized by MGL C. 90. § 2, or permit issued by the Board of Selectmen. The appropriate number of spaces is between one and 50 pursuant to the formula provided in MGL C. 40, § 23, Subsection (a).
(2)
Description. Each space must:
(a)
Be 12 feet wide or two eight-foot areas with four 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 $250.
(5)
Authority to enforce. The Building Inspector shall have the authority
to enforce this subsection by actions in the District Court.
[Added 11-14-1983 STM, Art. 14]
Parking is prohibited in established fire lanes, including shopping
malls.
[Added 7-7-1986 STM, Art. 5]
No person shall park a vehicle in a handicapped parking zone
other than a person whose license plate identifies him as a handicapped
person, provided that no such person shall park in the designated
handicapped parking zone for more than three consecutive hours.
