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Palo Alto Overview
Palo Alto Municipal Code
PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Title 2 ADMINISTRATIVE CODE*
Title 3 RESERVED
Title 4 BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS*
Title 5 HEALTH AND SANITATION*
Title 6 ANIMALS
Title 7 RESERVED
Title 8 TREES AND VEGETATION
Title 9 PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY*
Chapter 9.04 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Chapter 9.06 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.07 SAFE STORAGE OF FIREARMS
Chapter 9.08 GUNS AND EXPLOSIVES
Chapter 9.09 PUBLIC NUISANCE
Chapter 9.10 NOISE*
Chapter 9.12 LOUDSPEAKERS
Chapter 9.14 SMOKING AND TOBACCO REGULATIONS*
Chapter 9.16 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.17 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.20 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.22 IMPERSONATING PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Chapter 9.24 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.26 PRIVATE PATROL SERVICE*
Chapter 9.28 HOTELS AND ROOMING HOUSES
Chapter 9.32 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.40 AIRCRAFT
Chapter 9.44 SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS, OR CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN PUBLIC PARKING LOTS*
Chapter 9.45 SOLICITATION IN STREETS, COMMERCIAL PARKING AREAS, AND IN AND ADJACENT TO DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES
Chapter 9.48 OBSTRUCTING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS
Chapter 9.50 GRAFFITI
Chapter 9.56 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES*
Chapter 9.57 RESERVED*
Chapter 9.60 CIVIC CENTER BLOCK REGULATIONS
Chapter 9.64 REGULATION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES*
Chapter 9.65 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL REGISTRY PROGRAM
Chapter 9.68 RENTAL HOUSING STABILIZATION
Chapter 9.70 RESALE CONTROLS FOR UNITS ORIGINALLY FINANCED WITH MORTGAGE REVENUE BONDS
Chapter 9.72 MANDATORY RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF DISPUTES BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND TENANTS
Chapter 9.73 CITY POLICY AGAINST ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION
Chapter 9.74 DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FAMILIES WITH MINOR CHILDREN IN HOUSING*
Chapter 9.76 MOBILEHOME PARK CONVERSION
Chapter 9.78 MOSQUITO ABATEMENT
Chapter 9.79 NEWSRACKS*
Title 10 VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC*
Title 11 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCEDURE
Title 12 PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
Title 13 IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE*
Title 14 RESERVED
Title 15 FIRE PREVENTION*
Title 16 BUILDING REGULATIONS*
Title 17 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE*
Title 18 ZONING*
Title 19 MASTER PLAN*
Title 20 PRECISE PLANS*
Title 21 SUBDIVISIONS AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAND*
Title 22 PARKS*
ORDINANCE LIST AND DISPOSITION TABLE
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9.60.030   Obstructing entrances, exits and free passage.
   (a)   No person shall block any entrance or exit.
   (b)   No person shall impede the progress of any person lawfully entering or exiting any structure nor shall any person obstruct the free passage of any other person.
(Ord. 4575 § 2 (part), 1999)
9.60.040   Permitted uses of Civic Center Plaza.
   (a)   Civic Center Plaza is primarily designated for civic and governmental uses and for access to City Hall and its parking garage. General public use of the Civic Center Plaza is permitted for political, demonstrative, educational, and recreational purposes except to the extent that it conflicts with these civic and governmental uses. For the purpose of providing security, access, and noninterference with the civic and governmental uses within City Hall, no person may use those portions of Civic Center Plaza within fifteen feet of City Hall for political, demonstrative, educational or recreational purposes. The city manager may take any measures that are reasonably necessary to prevent such general use by the public for political, demonstrative, educational, and recreational purposes from disrupting or interfering with either civic and governmental uses or other conflicting uses by the general public.
   (b)   Commercial activities and commercial solicitation not associated with and supportive of city programs or city-sponsored activities are prohibited within the Civic Center Plaza.
   (c)   No person shall discard any litter or other material which presents a slipping hazard or environmental hazard or which damages or defaces any surface in Civic Center Plaza.
   (d)   No person shall drive, park, place or erect on the Civic Center Plaza or surrounding sidewalks of the Civic Center Block any vehicle or object (including without limitation maintenance and construction vehicles, supplies, and equipment, scaffolds, stages, platforms or other structures) which is determined by the director of public works to exceed safe weight limits for the structural slab and supports of the Civic Center Plaza and surrounding sidewalks; no person shall drive or place on the Civic Center Plaza or surrounding sidewalks of the Civic Center Block any vehicle or object exceeding two hundred fifty pounds without first obtaining the review and approval of the director of public works.
   (e)   Camping is prohibited, and it shall be unlawful for any person to camp on Civic Center Plaza. "Camping" is defined as the use of Civic Center Plaza for living accommodation purposes such as sleeping or making preparations to sleep (including the laying down of bedding for the purpose of sleeping), storing personal belongings, employing any fire or heating device, erecting or using any tents or shelter or other structure or vehicle for sleeping, doing any digging or earth breaking, or carrying on cooking activities. "Camping" also means residing in or using the Civic Center Plaza for living accommodation purposes, as exemplified by remaining for prolonged or repetitious periods of time not associated with ordinary political, congregational, recreational, or social uses with one's personal possessions (including but not limited to clothing, sleeping bags, bedrolls, blankets, sheets, luggage, backpacks, kitchen utensils, cookware, and similar material), sleeping or making preparations to sleep, storing personal belongings as above defined, or cooking or consuming meals. These activities constitute camping when it reasonably appears, in light of all the circumstances, that a person is using Civic Center Plaza as a living accommodation regardless of that person's intent or the nature of any other activities in which they might also be engaging.
(Ord. 4575 § 2 (part), 1999)
9.60.050   Damage to city property.
   No person other than a city employee or city contractor in the performance of public duty shall:
   (a)   Attach to or place upon any structure or surface any sign, card, display or other similar device;
   (b)   Climb or mount any pole, structural support, canopy, retaining wall, tree, or structure (including elevator housings, raised planters, and air vents);
   (c)   Remove, destroy, injure, mutilate or cut any tree, plant, shrub, bloom or flower.
(Ord. 4575 § 2 (part), 1999)
9.60.060   Bicycles, skateboards, etc.
   No person shall operate any bicycle, roller skates or blades, skateboard or other locomotive device, whether propelled by engine or human effort, provided that motor vehicles may be operated on vehicle ramps and bicycles may be walked on vehicle ramps. This section shall not apply to any person using a locomotive device necessitated by his physical handicap. Violations of this section shall constitute an infraction.
(Ord. 4575 § 2 (part), 1999)
9.60.070   Alcoholic beverages prohibited.
   (a)   No person shall consume any alcoholic beverages and/or possess any bottle, can, or other receptacle containing any type of alcoholic beverage which has been opened, or a seal broken or the contents of which have been partially removed in the Civic Center Block.
   (b)   This section shall not apply to the consumption of wine and/or beer in the Civic Center Plaza which wine and/or beer have been provided by authorized persons at any event at which such wine and beer are served and for which the city manager has specifically authorized in advance the serving of wine and beer. The city manager or designee may impose reasonable terms and conditions on any authorization given pursuant to this section, including, but not limited to, requiring insurance coverage indemnifying the city, its officers, agents and employees from all liability associated with or arising from the event. The city manager or designee may deny authorization for the serving of wine and beer at an event which poses in the exercise of the city manager's reasonable discretion, a disruption in the general area due to increased noise, traffic or any other threat to the public health, safety, convenience or welfare.
(Ord. 4575 § 2 (part), 1999)