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The Philadelphia Code
PHILADELPHIA HOME RULE CHARTER
THE PHILADELPHIA CODE
TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
TITLE 2. CITY-COUNTY CONSOLIDATION
TITLE 3. AIR MANAGEMENT CODE
TITLE 4. THE PHILADELPHIA BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND OCCUPANCY CODE
TITLE 4.1. ELECTRICAL CODE
TITLE 4.2. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE
TITLE 5. FIRE PREVENTION CODE
TITLE 6. HEALTH CODE
TITLE 7. HOUSING CODE
TITLE 8. PLUMBING CODE
TITLE 9. REGULATION OF BUSINESSES, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS
TITLE 10. REGULATION OF INDIVIDUAL CONDUCT AND ACTIVITY
TITLE 11. STREETS
TITLE 12. TRAFFIC CODE
CHAPTER 12-100. GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 12-200. ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER 12-300. SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS UPON USE OF VEHICLES AROUND WHEELCHAIR LIFT EQUIPPED VEHICLES
CHAPTER 12-400. RIGHT-OF-WAY REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-500. TURNING REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-600. STREET DIRECTION REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-700. BICYCLE LANES
CHAPTER 12-800. BICYCLE REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-900. PARKING REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-1000. PARKING METER REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-1100. MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER 12-1200. TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES
CHAPTER 12-1300. ENFORCEMENT AND OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 12-1400. PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE FOR VIOLATIONS
CHAPTER 12-1500. EFFECT OF TITLE
CHAPTER 12-1600. SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS UPON USE OF VEHICLES IN AREAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE FAIRMOUNT PARK COMMISSION
CHAPTER 12-1700. ACHIEVING DRIVING EQUALITY
CHAPTERS 12-1800 TO 12-2300. RESERVED
CHAPTER 12-2400. TOWING AND IMMOBILIZING OF PARKED OR ABANDONED VEHICLES
CHAPTER 12-2500. SNOW EMERGENCIES
CHAPTER 12-2600. CHESTNUT STREET TRANSITWAY
CHAPTER 12-2700. PERMIT PARKING DISTRICTS
CHAPTER 12-2800. ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUDICATION OF PARKING VIOLATIONS
CHAPTER 12-2900. CONTRACTOR PARKING
CHAPTER 12-3000. USE OF AN AUTOMATED RED LIGHT ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM TO PREVENT RED LIGHT VIOLATIONS
CHAPTER 12-3100. SELLING, LEASING, OR RESERVING OF PARKING SPACES ON PUBLIC STREETS PROHIBITED
CHAPTER 12-3200. FEE FOR LOCAL USE
CHAPTER 12-3300. SELF-PROPELLED MOBILITY DEVICES
CHAPTER 12-3400. USE OF AN AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM TO IMPROVE SAFETY
CHAPTER 12-3500. PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES
CHAPTER 12-3600. CAMERA-BASED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM FOR PARKING, STOPPING, AND STANDING VIOLATIONS THAT INTERFERE WITH MASS TRANSIT
TITLE 13. WATER AND SEWER
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING
TITLE 15. PARKS AND RECREATION
TITLE 16. PUBLIC PROPERTY
TITLE 17. CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT
TITLE 18. COMMERCE AND AVIATION
TITLE 19. FINANCE, TAXES AND COLLECTIONS
TITLE 20. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
TITLE 21. MISCELLANEOUS
TITLE 22. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT CODE
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§ 12-920. Permits for Hotel Loading Zones. 132
   (1)   The Department may designate a hotel loading zone upon the special request of a hotel when it is determined by the Department that such hotel loading zone is necessary and justified by traffic conditions, provided that no such zone shall be designated for a hotel that maintains an off-street passenger vehicle loading and unloading facility.
   (2)   A hotel loading zone shall consist of 20 feet of curb space directly adjacent to the hotel, and shall be available only to hotel customers, vendors, and persons making deliveries to or receiving deliveries from the hotel. The parking limit in a hotel loading zone shall be 30 minutes.
   (3)   The annual permit fee for such hotel loading zone shall be five hundred dollars ($500).
   (4)   The Department shall post signs indicating the location of each hotel loading zone for which a permit has been granted. The fee for installing such signs shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
   (5)   The Department may terminate any hotel loading zone permit and remove the signs erected if payment of the annual fee shall be thirty days in arrears, or whenever public convenience or necessity warrants such action; provided that 15 days' notice of such intended action shall be given to the person to whom the permit has been issued.
   (6)   A hotel that has obtained a valet parking zone permit pursuant to Section 12-917 may, upon the designation of a hotel loading zone and payment of the hotel loading zone permit fee required by subsection (3) herein, elect to surrender its valet parking zone permit to the Department, in which case the hotel shall be entitled to a pro rata refund of any fees paid pursuant to subsection 12-917(3).

 

Notes

132
   Added, Bill No. 110827 (approved December 21, 2011).
§ 12-921. Penalty. 133
   (1)   Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter shall be liable for payment of fines, costs and additional fees prescribed and assessed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 12-2800 of this Title.

 

Notes

133
   Amended, 1989 Ordinances, p. 72; renumbered, 1989 Ordinances, p. 99; renumbered, 1992 Ordinances, p. 859; renumbered, Bill No. 970403 (approved May 19, 1998). Renumbered from former Section 12-918 by Code editor because a new Section 12-918 was added by Bill No. 060761 (approved January 23, 2007). Renumbered, Bill No. 080276 (approved April 28, 2008); renumbered, Bill No. 110827 (approved December 21, 2011).
§ 12-922. Parking with Sun Screening Devices. 133.1
   (1)   Definitions.
      (a)   Sun Screening Device. In this section “sun screening device” refers to a sun screening device or other material which, if used by a person driving a motor vehicle, would constitute a violation of 75 Pa. C.S. § 4524(e).
   (2)   Prohibited Conduct. No person shall park any motor vehicle with a sun screening device on any public highway.
   (3)   Exemption. Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 12-2800 (“Administrative Adjudication of Parking Violations”) or any other provision of the Code to the contrary, a violation of this Section shall be dismissed upon a showing that, at the time a violation was issued pursuant to this Section, the motor vehicle at issue was subject to a valid certificate of exemption issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, consistent with 75 Pa. C.S. § 4524(e).

 

Notes

133.1
   Added, Bill No. 240158 (approved May 1, 2024), effective June 30, 2024.
§ 12-923. Smart Loading Zones. 133.2
   (1)   The Parking Authority shall install smart loading zones that include sensors, a camera-based parking enforcement system pursuant to Section 12-924, and such additional technology necessary to administer and enforce this section. Existing loading zones may be converted to smart loading zones as provided in this section. Smart loading zones are authorized at the following locations:
      (a)   South side of Walnut Street between 12th Street and 20th Street.
      (b)   North side of Sansom Street between 12th Street and Broad Street.
      (c)   North side of Sansom Street between 17th Street and 19th Street.
      (d)   North side of Chestnut Street between 12th Street and 20th Street.
   (2)   Motor vehicles may, upon payment of the fee of ten cents ($0.10) per minute, use smart loading zones for a period not to exceed one (1) hour.
   (3)   Vehicles may not stop, stand, or parking in a smart loading zone for more than three (3) minutes without payment as required in subsection (2) or longer than one (1) hour in any case.
   (4)   The Parking Authority shall install clear and conspicuous signage identifying each smart loading zone, including applicable penalties for use of the smart loading zone in violation of this Section.
   (5)   The Department of Streets may promulgate regulations providing for the location and parking restrictions applicable to each smart loading zone, unless otherwise provided for in this Section.

 

Notes

133.2
   Added, Bill No. 241063 (approved January 15, 2025), effective February 14, 2025.
§ 12-924. Camera-Based Parking Enforcement System. 133.3
   (1)   The following violations of this Title 12 relating to prohibitions on stopping, standing, and parking vehicles, shall be enforceable through violation notices based on recorded images produced by a fixed or mobile camera-based parking enforcement system:
      (a)   Subsection 12-913(1)(a)(.1) relating to double parking.
      (b)   Subsection 12-923(3) relating to smart loading zones.
      (c)   Subsection 12-2709(1) relating to resident permit parking.
   (2)   All aspects of administration and enforcement applicable to the parking violations identified through a camera-based parking enforcement system, including the applicable fines and penalties and the manner of response and appeal, as set forth in this Title 12 in connection with such offenses generally, shall apply to violations identified in violation notices issued based on such a camera-based parking enforcement system.
   (3)   Notwithstanding any provision of the Code to the contrary requiring placement of parking violation notices on the vehicle causing the violation, notices of violation pursuant to a camera-based parking enforcement system may be served by mail upon the registered owner of the vehicle.
   (4)   The Parking Authority shall prepare and mail a notice of violation addressed to the registered owner of a vehicle identified in a recorded image produced by a camera-based parking enforcement system as evidence of a violation of this Chapter.
      (a)   The notice of violation must include:
         (.1)   the name of the registered owner of the vehicle;
         (.2)   the registration number and state of issuance of the vehicle registration;
         (.3)   the date, time, and place of the violation;
         (.4)   identification of the Code sections under which the violation is charged;
         (.5)   the attestation set forth in subsection (b);
         (.6)   the penalty for the violation;
         (.7)   a copy of the recorded image(s) showing the vehicle, with date and time stamp;
         (.8)   the date on which the notice was mailed; and
         (.9)   instructions for return of the notice of violation, including method of paying fines, deadlines for response, and identification of penalties that may accrue for failure to respond.
      (b)   A violation notice issued based on a camera-based parking enforcement system shall be verified based on a review of the applicable camera images by an officer authorized to issue parking tickets under this Title, who shall attest that the officer has inspected the recorded images evidencing the violation and that the officer reasonably believes the information contained in the notice of violation to be true and correct.
   (5)   A violation notice issued based on a camera-based parking enforcement system shall be sent by first-class mail within thirty (30) days after the discovery of the identity of the registered owner, to the address of the registered owner as listed in the records of the Department of Transportation or other agency with responsibility for maintaining vehicle registrations in the jurisdiction in which the vehicle is registered, provided, however, that no notice of violation under this section shall be issued more than ninety (90) days after the commission of the offense. A manual or automatic record of mailing prepared in the ordinary course of business shall be prima facie evidence of mailing and shall be admissible in any judicial or administrative proceeding as to the facts contained therein.
   (6)   All aspects of administration and enforcement applicable to parking violations generally, as set forth in this Title 12, including the applicable fines and penalties and the manner of response and appeal, shall apply to violations identified in violation notices issued based on such a camera-based parking enforcement system, except as provided in this Section 12-924.
   (7)   Motor vehicle owner information obtained as a result of the operation of a camera-based parking enforcement system under this Section shall not be the property of the manufacturer or vendor of the camera-based parking enforcement system and may not be used for any purpose other than as prescribed in this Section.
   (8)   The compensation paid to the manufacturer or vendor of the camera-based parking enforcement system may not be based upon the number of violation notices issued or a portion or percentage of the fine generated by the notices. The compensation paid to the manufacturer or vendor of the equipment shall be based upon the value of the equipment and the services provided or rendered in support of the camera-based parking enforcement system.

 

Notes

133.3
   Added, Bill No. 241063 (approved January 15, 2025), effective February 14, 2025.