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Town of Chelmsford, MA
Middlesex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Chelmsford 1954 by Art. 74. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Trailers and trailer camps — See Ch. 158.
Unregistered vehicles — See Ch. 180.
Traffic rules and orders — See Ch. 203.
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 $20 for each and every offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 174-2, Closing of Pond Street, added 4-26-1956 STM by Art. 3, was repealed 5-3-2007 ATM by Art. 15.
[Added 5-12-1977 STM by Art. 3; amended 4-26-1978 ATM by Art. 28; 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 46]
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a marine or recreational vehicle powered by an engine, including snowmobiles, on any portion of Freeman Lake at any time.
[Added 5-21-1979 ATM by Art. 62]
A. 
It shall be unlawful to leave any motor vehicle unattended within the limits of any private way furnishing means of access for fire apparatus to any building.
B. 
Fire lanes.
[Amended 5-5-1986 ATM by Art. 28]
(1) 
It shall be unlawful to obstruct or park a motor vehicle in any fire lane, such fire lane to be designated by the Chief of the Fire Department and to be posted as such. Said fire lane shall be not less than 18 feet wide for all buildings in any shopping center, bowling alley, theater, nursing home, office building or other public building.
(2) 
The establishment of fire lanes as set forth above shall be at the sole discretion of the Chief of the Fire Department, and fire lanes shall run from the wall of the building or any overhang of the building or any sidewalk adjacent thereto. Any fire lane in excess of 18 feet wide shall have the approval of the property owner or person in control of such property.
(3) 
The Chief of the Fire Department shall notify all record owners of the designation of fire lanes.
(4) 
The record owner of each building, upon notification of the designation of a fire lane by the Chief of the Fire Department, shall provide markings and signs that comply with specifications and plans approved by the Fire Chief.
[Amended 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 46]
C. 
The Police Department and all members thereof assigned to traffic duty are hereby authorized to remove and tow away, or have removed and towed away by commercial towing service, at the sole expense of the owner of said motor vehicle, any motor vehicle left unattended or parked in any designated fire lane or within the limits of any private way furnishing means of access for fire apparatus to any building. Motor vehicles so towed away shall be stored in a safe place and restored to the owner or operator thereof upon payment by the owner or operator of the expenses incurred in said removal and storage.
D. 
Violations of this article shall be punishable by a fine of $25.
[Amended 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 46]
E. 
In the absence of the operator of any motor vehicle violating any provision of this section, it shall be deemed prima facie evidence that the registered owner of such vehicle was the operator.
[Added 5-5-1980 STM by Art. 14]
[Added 5-13-1985 ATM by Art. 32]
A. 
It shall be unlawful to park a motor vehicle in a parking space reserved and designated for use by vehicles of handicapped persons, whether located on public or private ways or properties, unless authorized to do so by the terms of this section or the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
B. 
A fine of $200 shall be imposed for the unauthorized parking of a motor vehicle in a space reserved and designated for use by vehicles of handicapped persons, pursuant to the authority of MGL c. 40, § 21.
[Amended 4-29-1993 ATM by Art. 30; 4-26-2010 ATM by Art. 16]
C. 
The Police Department and all members thereof assigned to traffic duty are hereby authorized to remove and tow away, or have removed and towed away by commercial towing service, at the sole expense of the owner of said motor vehicle, any motor vehicle left unattended or parked in a parking space reserved and designated for use by a vehicle of a handicapped person, unless said vehicle shall be designated as a vehicle of a handicapped person. Motor vehicles so towed away shall be stored in a safe place and restored to the owner or operator thereof upon payment by the owner or operator of the expenses incurred in said removal and storage.
D. 
Number of spaces to be provided.
(1) 
The person or body that has lawful control of a public or private way or of improved or enclosed property used as off-street parking areas for businesses, shopping malls, theaters, auditoriums, sporting or recreational facilities, cultural centers, residential dwellings or for any other place where the public has a right of access as invitees or licensees shall reserve parking spaces in said off-street parking areas for any vehicle owned and operated by a handicapped person whose vehicle bears the distinguishing license plate authorized by MGL c. 90, § 2, according to the following formula:
Total Number of Spaces
Number of Handicapped Spaces
More than 15 but not more than 25
1
More than 25 but not more than 40
5% of such spaces but not fewer than 2
More than 40 but not more than 100
4% of such spaces but not fewer than 3
More than 100 but not more than 200
3% of such spaces but not fewer than 4
More than 200 but not more than 500
2% of such spaces but not fewer than 6
More than 500 but not more than 1,000
1 and 1/2% of such spaces but not fewer than 10
More than 1,000 but not more than 2,000
1% of such spaces but not fewer than 15
More than 2,000 but less than 5,000
3/4 of 1% of such spaces but not fewer than 20
More than 5,000
1/2 of 1% of such spaces but not less than 30
(2) 
Parking spaces designated as reserved under the provisions of Subsection D(1) shall be:
(a) 
Identified by the use of above-grade signs with white lettering against a blue background bearing the words "Handicapped parking; special plate required. Unauthorized vehicles may be removed at owner's expense";
(b) 
As near as possible to a building entrance or walkway;
(c) 
Adjacent to curb ramps or other unobstructed methods permitting sidewalk access to a handicapped person; and
(d) 
Twelve feet wide or two eight-foot-wide areas with four feet of crosshatch between them.
E. 
Violation of Subsection D shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, General Penalty.
[Amended 10-21-1999 ATM by Art. 46]
F. 
In the absence of the operator of any motor vehicle violating any provisions of this section, it shall be deemed that the registered owner of such vehicle was the operator.
G. 
Any motor vehicle bearing a handicapped parking permit or motor vehicle registration plate designating the vehicle as one used by a handicapped person shall be authorized to park in a designated handicapped parking space. The Chief of Police, his or her designee or the Town Clerk may issue a temporary handicapped parking permit to any person upon application with supporting medical affidavit signed by a licensed physician designating the applicant as physically handicapped. Said temporary permit shall be issued with an expiration date not to exceed 180 days from the date of issue and shall be displayed in the front right windshield of any vehicle parked in a designated handicapped parking space.
[Amended 4-29-1993 ATM by Art. 30]
H. 
The unauthorized use of a temporary permit shall be punishable by a fine of $100.
[Amended 4-29-1993 ATM by Art. 30]
I. 
Each day that any violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
[Added 10-15-2001 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
It shall be unlawful to obstruct or otherwise adversely affect the unrestricted flow of traffic or safe travel of any pedestrian in any fire lane, handicap parking space, exterior accessible route (as defined in CMR 521, Sec. 5.5) or sidewalks within the Town of Chelmsford. The depositing or displaying of goods, snow, wares, or other items shall constitute an obstruction of the designated areas.
B. 
Individuals, business or property owners responsible for any such obstruction shall be subject to a fine of $100 for said violation for the first offense. Subsequent violations within one year of the first offense shall be subject to a fine of $200.
{END OF CHAPTER}