City of Coldwater, MI Chapter 440 Parking

§ 440.01 General limitations and prohibitions.

[Ord. No. 236, passed 12-17-1962; Ord. No. 328, passed 9-22-1975]

(a) Parking in central business district. The Chief of Police, with the approval of the City Manager, shall have the authority to establish motor vehicle parking time limits and parking areas on the public streets and parking lots within the Central Business District, as shown on the Zoning Map provided for in the City of Coldwater Zoning Code. Such parking areas shall be designated by signs setting forth the maximum parking time limits and the days and hours such time limits are effective.

[Amended 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. 863]

(b) (Reserved)[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection (b), Commercial vehicles in City lots, was repealed 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 679.

(c) (Reserved)[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Former Subsection (c), Parking on sidewalks, passed 12-17-1962 by Ord. No. 328, was repealed 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 679.

(d) Parking contrary to signs and markings. Parking contrary to parking control signs or markings in any City parking lot or street is prohibited.

(e) Impounding. Vehicles may be impounded for a violation of this section, and the owner of any vehicle impounded shall pay, in addition to such fines as may be levied, the cost of such impounding and storage of the vehicle before the vehicle may be released.

§ 440.02 through § 440.02. (Reserved)440.02. (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former §§ 440.02 and 440.03 were repealed 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 679.

§ 440.03 Parking in electric vehicle charging space.

[Added 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. 863]

(a) Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV)

Any vehicle that operates on electric energy derived from an off-board source that is stored in the vehicle’s battery or batteries. For purposes of this ordinance, this term shall include fully electric vehicles as well as hybrid vehicles that run on both electricity and fossil fuels that can be charged by plugging in to a City-provided compatible electrical outlet at a City-provided electric vehicle charging station.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

When an electric vehicle is parked at an electric vehicle charging station and is connected to the charging station equipment by the City-supplied plug.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION

Equipment that has as its primary purpose the transfer of electric energy by conductive or inductive means to a battery or other storage device located onboard an electric vehicle. As used in this ordinance, this term is limited to those electric charging stations provided by the City for public use (accessible to all electric vehicles during posted hours) including alternating current charging with voltage between 120 and 240 volts and direct current charging with voltage greater than 240 volts.

(b) Authorized EV charging space parking. An electric vehicle may be parked or left standing during any posted time limits at a marked electric vehicle charging station parking space while plugged in to an electric vehicle charging station and actively charging.

(c) Unauthorized parking prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle at an electric vehicle charging station parking space if the vehicle is not actively charging. This prohibition shall be enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Any vehicle found in violation of this ordinance may be subject to towing at the vehicle owner’s expense.

(d) Signage and notification. The City of Coldwater shall install clear and conspicuous signage at all electric vehicle charging stations and adjacent parking spaces including the prohibition of unauthorized parking and the potential consequences of a violation.

(e) Exemptions. Vehicles are exempt from this ordinance if they are actively engaged in the charging process. Emergency and law enforcement vehicles are exempt from this ordinance while engaged in official duties.

§ 440.04 Parking on school-owned land.

[Ord. No. 296, passed 3-22-1971]

(a) The Traffic Engineer of the City of Coldwater, with the approval of the City Manager, upon receiving advice from the designated officials of the Coldwater Community Schools, shall determine no parking zones, limited parking zones, reserved parking zones and such other zone control as he or she may determine, and shall erect appropriate signs, furnished by Coldwater Community Schools, so indicating such controlled zones. All erection and maintenance costs for such signs shall be paid by the Coldwater Community Schools.

(b) Coldwater Community Schools officials may issue parking permits granting permission to park in restricted or reserved areas, which permits, when issued, shall be displayed as directed on such permits.

(c) (Reserved)[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection (c) was repealed 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 679.

(d) School officials shall be responsible for the initial verification of a suspected violation of this section. If a violation of this section is indicated, the City Police Department shall be notified and thereupon may investigate the suspected violation and issue a violation notice if such violation is continuing in a police officer's presence.

[Amended 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. 863]

§ 440.05 Parking Violations Bureau.

[Ord. No. 236, passed 12-17-1962]

A Parking Violations Bureau is hereby established as part of the Police Department of the City.

§ 440.06 through § 440.08. (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former §§ 440.06, 440.07 and 440.08 were repealed 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 679.

§ 440.99 Penalties.

(a) A violation of any provision of this chapter shall be deemed to be a civil infraction.

(b) Should any police officer of the City have reason to believe that a provision of this chapter may have been violated, said officer may proceed, in the discretion of the officer, either by issuing a parking violation notice and affixing the same to the vehicle in violation, or by commencing a civil infraction action against the person whom the officer believes to be responsible. If a parking violation notice is issued with respect to an alleged violation hereof, and the penalty as stated thereon is paid as provided herein, no action shall be commenced with respect to said alleged violation. Should the penalty as provided on the parking violation notice not be paid in accordance herewith, the officer may proceed to bring a civil infraction action with respect to said violation notice.

[Ord. No. 385, passed 4-26-1982]

(c) The penalty to be paid by the owner or operator of a vehicle with respect to which a parking violation notice is issued is as follows:

[Ord. No. 520, passed 12-27-1995; amended 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. 863]

(1) For parking in violation of a posted handicapped parking space: $50.

(2) For any other violation of this chapter: $25.

(d) Should the court find a person to be responsible in a civil infraction action brought for a violation of this chapter, the court may impose a civil fine of up to $100, but no less than $50, plus such costs as the court may deem appropriate, up to $100, in addition to the civil fine.

[Ord. No. 385, passed 4-26-1982; amended 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. 863]

(e) In the event the owner or operator of a vehicle on which is placed a parking violations notice does not pay a fine within 21 days of the time of the alleged violation, a civil infraction action may be commenced. Failure of the Police Department to give, or an owner or operator of a vehicle to receive, a parking violation notice, shall not prevent the issuance of a civil infraction citation for an overtime parking violation.

[Ord. No. 417, passed 10-27-1986]