For the purposes of this title, the definitions detailed in section 321.1, Code of Iowa, and any revisions thereof are adopted in full by the City and incorporated as part of this title, to the extent the same are not in conflict with the following:
ALLEY: | A street or highway intended to provide access to the rear or side of lots or buildings in urban areas and not intended for the purpose of through vehicular traffic. |
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE: | Vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles, ambulances, and emergency vehicles owned by the United States, this State, any subdivision of this State, or any Municipality of this State, and privately owned vehicles as are designated or authorized by the Director of Transportation under Iowa Code section 321.451. |
BICYCLE: | Any pedal-powered vehicle upon which the human operator sits. |
BUSINESS DISTRICT: | The territory contiguous to and including a highway when fifty (50) percent or more of the frontage thereon for a distance of three hundred (300) feet or more is occupied by buildings in use for business. |
CROSSWALK: | A marked or unmarked route, providing an accessible path to travel from one side of the street to the other. That portion of a street ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections. Any portion of a street distinctly indicated for pedestrians crossing by pavement markings or signage. |
DOUBLE PARKING: | Parking on the roadway centerline side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb, or in the absence of a curb at the edge of a street. |
DRIVER OR OPERATOR: | Every person who is in actual physical control of a vehicle upon a highway. |
INTERSECTION: | The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two (2) highways which join one another at or approximately at right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. |
MOTOR VEHICLE: | Every vehicle which is self-propelled and not operated upon rails. The term “car” or “automobile” shall be synonymous with the term “motor vehicle”. |
MULTI-USE TRAIL: | Any paved or smooth gravel or soil pathway dedicated for walking and bicycling that is separated from motor vehicle traffic. |
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD: | Whenever certain hours are named herein, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time, whichever shall be in current use in this City at the time. |
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES: | Any sign, signal, marking, or other device used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic, placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, highway, private road open to public travel, multi-use trail or sidewalk by authority of a public agency or official having jurisdiction, or, in the case of a private road open to public travel, by authority of the private owner or private official having jurisdiction. |
OVERSIZED VEHICLES: | Vehicles that exceed seven (7) feet in height or eight (8) feet in width or twenty-five (25) feet in length. |
PARK OR PARKING: | An unoccupied vehicle, upon a parking lot, public right-of-way, street, or alley except when the operator is temporarily stopping for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers, or loading or unloading merchandise, or an involuntary stopping of the vehicle by reason of causes beyond the control of the operator of the vehicle or in compliance with a duly authorized order from a peace officer. |
PARKING LOT: | Real estate purchased, leased or otherwise acquired for the use as a parking lot or other off street parking area for the parking of vehicles. |
PARKWAY: | A continuous area of public land comprising a way of approach or access for pedestrian or park vehicular passage, and which shall be improved with paths, drives, plantings or other recreational features in a parklike atmosphere. |
PEDESTRIAN: | Any person afoot, traveling by use of a mobility and ambulatory aid, or riding a bicycle. |
PERSON: | Every natural person, firm, partnership, association or corporation. Where the term “person” is used in connection with the registration of a motor vehicle, it shall include any corporation, association, partnership, company, firm, or other aggregation of individuals which owns or controls such motor vehicle as actual owner, or for the purposes of sale or for renting, whether as agent, salesperson, or otherwise. |
POLICE DEPARTMENT: | Municipal agency responsible for enforcing State and local laws, detecting and preventing crime, and maintaining the peace within the City limits of Mason City. |
POLICE OFFICER: | Officers authorized to enforce laws or to make arrests. |
PRIVATE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY: | Every way or place in private ownership and use for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons. |
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY: | The area of real property in which the City has a dedicated or acquired right-of-way interest in the real property. The entire width between property lines open to public use as a matter or right for purposes of vehicular or pedestrian traffic including any unimproved portions thereof. |
RAILROAD: | A carrier of persons or property upon cars, operated upon stationary rails. |
RAILROAD TRAIN: | An engine or locomotive with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails. |
RESIDENCE DISTRICT: | The territory contiguous to and including a highway not comprising a business, suburban, or school district where forty (40) percent or more of the property upon such highway for a distance of three hundred (300) feet is occupied by dwellings or by dwellings and buildings in use for business. |
RIGHT-OF-WAY [ASSIGNMENT]: | The permitting of vehicles and/or pedestrians to proceed in a lawful manner in preference to other vehicles or pedestrians by the display of a sign or signal indications. |
ROADWAY: | That portion of a street (paved or unpaved) designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel. The entire width of an alley with no curb. |
SAFETY OR DEADMAN THROTTLE: | A device which, when pressure is removed from the engine accelerator or throttle, causes the motor to be disengaged from the driving tract. |
SCHOOL DISTRICT: | The territory contiguous to and including the highway for a distance of two hundred (200) feet in either direction from a school ground. |
SIDEWALK: | The improved portion of public right-of-way dedicated to pedestrian circulation. |
SNOWMOBILE: | Any self-propelled motor vehicle designed for travel on snow, ice or natural terrain steered by wheels, skis or runners. |
STANDING: | The practice of a driver keeping a vehicle in a stationary position while continuing to occupy the vehicle. |
STOP: | Complete cessation of movement. When prohibited, means any stopping of a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal. |
STREET OR HIGHWAY: | The portion of a public right-of-way situated between the outside edges of the curbs, or in the absence of a curb, the outside edges of the roadway. |
SUBURBAN DISTRICT: | All other parts of the City not included in the business, school or residence districts. |
THROUGH STREET: | Every highway or portion thereof at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is required by law to stop before entering or crossing the same and when stop signs are erected as provided in this title or such entrances are controlled by a peace officer or official traffic control device. |
TRAFFIC: | Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances either singly or together while using any street for purposes of travel. |
TRAILER: | Every vehicle without motive power designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle. |
VEHICLE: | Any device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway. (Ord. 11-14, 9-20-2011; amd. Ord. 23-12, 10-3-2023) |