(a) It shall be unlawful for the driver of a vehicle to stop, stand or park such vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or with the direction of a police officer or traffic signal:
(1) Within an intersection;
(2) On a crosswalk;
(3) Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb, or within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless otherwise indicated by signs or marks;
(4) Within 25 feet of the driveway or entrance to any fire station;
(5) Within 15 feet of any fire hydrant;
(6) In front of any private driveway;
(7) In a designated bicycle lane that is identified with pavement markings and/or signs.
(8) On any sidewalk;
(9) On any curb;
(10) On any median strip;
(11) On any landscaped or planted area within the right-of-way of any street, highway or roadway;
(12) Alongside of or opposite any street excavation or obstruction, when such stopping or parking shall obstruct traffic;
(13) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge of a street, highway or roadway, except in such instances as double parking may be allowed by the regulations of this chapter;
(14) At any place where official traffic signs have been erected prohibiting standing or parking.
(b) No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon any public vehicular area, street, highway or roadway in any area designated as a fire lane. This subsection includes designated fire lanes in shopping center or mall parking lots and all other public vehicular areas. However, persons loading or unloading supplies or merchandise may park temporarily in a fire lane located in a shopping center or mall parking lot as long as the vehicle is not left unattended. The prima facie rule of evidence created by G.S. 20-162.1 is applicable to prosecutions for violation of this section. The owner of a vehicle parked in violation of this subsection shall be deemed to have appointed any state, county or municipal law enforcement officer as his agent for the purpose of arranging for the transportation and safe storage of such vehicle. No law enforcement officer removing such a vehicle shall be held criminally or civilly liable in any way for any acts or omissions arising out of or caused by carrying out or enforcing any provisions of this subsection, unless the conduct of the officer amounts to wanton misconduct or intentional wrongdoing.
(c) Violation of this section shall be an infraction and shall be punishable as provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-4.
(Code 1965, §§ 28-95, 28-105; Ord. No. 2024, § 1(a), 4-27-93; Ord. No. 4576, §§ 2, 3, 4-25-17; Ord. No. 4910, § 2, 11-9-21)
State law reference(s)—Similar provisions, G.S. 20-162.