TITLE SEVEN: PARKING

CHAPTER 351: PARKING GENERALLY

Section

351.01   Police may remove illegally parked vehicle

351.02   Registered owner prima-facie liable for unlawful parking

351.03   Prohibited standing or parking places

351.04   Manner of parallel parking; disabled parking

351.05   Manner of angle parking

351.06   Selling, washing or repairing vehicle upon roadway

351.07    Unattended vehicles; duty to lock ignition, remove key, set brake and the like

351.08   Opening vehicle door on traffic side (Recodified)

351.09   Truck loading zones

351.10   Bus stops and taxicab stands

351.11   Parking in alleys and narrow streets; exceptions

351.12   Prohibition against parking on streets or highways

351.13   Continuous operation of engine prohibited

351.14   Parking unlicensed motor vehicle on public right-of-way prohibited

351.15   Parking time limit on municipal parking lot

351.16   Fire lanes

351.17   Snow emergency routes

351.18   Parking prohibitions on private property; private tow-away zones

351.19   Waiver

351.99   Penalty

Cross-reference:

   Lights on parked or stopped vehicles, see § 337.09

   Parking near stopped fire apparatus, see § 331.27

   Police may remove ignition key from unattended vehicle, see § 303.03

Statutory reference:

   Owner nonliability, lease defense, see R.C. § 4511.071

§ 351.01 POLICE MAY REMOVE ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLE.

   (a)   Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle standing upon a highway in violation of R.C. § 4511.66 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the officer may move the vehicle, or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move the same, to a position off the paved or improved or main traveled part of the highway.

   (b)   Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle unattended upon any highway, bridge or causeway, or in any tunnel, where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic, the officer may provide for the removal of the vehicle to the nearest garage or other place of safety.

(R.C. § 4511.67)

§ 351.02 REGISTERED OWNER PRIMA-FACIE LIABLE FOR UNLAWFUL PARKING.

   In any hearing on a charge of illegally parking a motor vehicle, testimony that a vehicle bearing a certain license plate was found unlawfully parked as prohibited by the provisions of this Traffic Code, and further testimony that the record of the Ohio Registrar of Motor Vehicles shows that the license plate was issued to the defendant, shall be prima facie evidence that the vehicle which was unlawfully parked, was so parked by the defendant. A certified registration copy, showing that fact, from the Registrar shall be proof of ownership.

§ 351.03 PROHIBITED STANDING OR PARKING PLACES.

   (a)   No person shall stand or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to comply with the provisions of this title, or while obeying the directions of a police officer or a traffic-control device, in any of the following places:

      (1)   On a sidewalk, except as provided in division (b) of this section;

      (2)   In front of a public or private driveway;

      (3)   Within an intersection;

      (4)   Within ten feet of a fire hydrant;

      (5)   On a crosswalk;

      (6)   Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;

      (7)   Within 30 feet of, and upon the approach to, any flashing beacon, stop sign or traffic-control device;

      (8)   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 a different length is indicated by a traffic- control device;

      (9)   Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing;

      (10)   Within 20 feet of a driveway entrance to any fire station and, on the side of the street opposite the entrance to any fire station, within 75 feet of the entrance when it is properly posted with signs;

      (11)   Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when the standing or parking would obstruct traffic;

      (12)   Alongside any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;

      (13)   Upon any bridge or elevated structure upon a highway, or within a highway tunnel;

      (14)   At any place where signs prohibit stopping;

      (15)   Within one foot of another parked vehicle; and

      (16)   On the roadway portion of a freeway, expressway or thruway.

(R.C. § 4511.68(A))

   (b)   As used in this section, STREET LAWN shall be defined as the grassy area located between the street and sidewalk.

(Ord. 2004-102, passed 8-9-2004)

   (c)   A person is permitted, without charge or restriction, to stand or park on a sidewalk a motor-driven cycle or motor scooter that has an engine not larger than 150 cubic centimeters, a low-speed micromobility device, or a bicycle or electric bicycle, provided that the motor-driven cycle, motor scooter, low-speed micromobility device, bicycle, or electric bicycle does not impede the normal flow of pedestrian traffic. This division does not authorize any person to operate a vehicle in violation of R.C. § 4511.711, or any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

   (d)   Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(R.C. § 4511.68(B), (C))