(a) The regulations set forth herein are hereby established for the purpose of guarding against the occurrence of fires and to assist in protecting the lives and property of residents of this City and assist in avoiding pedestrian and automobile accidents. Whenever the Director of Safety, on advice of the Chief of the Fire Department, determines that the parking of a motor vehicle or vehicles on public or private property does or will interfere with ready access to a structure or structures for the purpose of fighting fires thereon, or with ready access to a fire hydrant installed for the protection purposes of the premises, then the Director shall designate a reasonable area or areas leading to and adjacent to such structure or structures and fire hydrants as fire lanes.
(b) Following the designation of a fire lane as provided herein, the Director of Safety shall serve notice in writing, or cause notice served in writing to the owner or the authorized agent of the owner of the premises so designated as requiring certain fire lanes of the exact nature and extent of the fire lanes so required. The owner or authorized agent of the owner shall place, or cause to be placed or erected, adequate signs and markers to notify all persons of the existence and extent of such fire lane not later than ninety days after receipt of the notice. The owner or authorized agent of the owner shall maintain or cause to be maintained such signs and markers in legible condition. The design and location of the signs and markers referred to in subsection (b) herein shall be specified by the Director of Safety. The specifications therefor shall not be less than those required for such signs and markers on public highways, as set forth by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
(c) (1) No person shall park or permit to stand a motor vehicle in any fire lane designated as such pursuant to this section; nor within ten feet of any fire hydrant whether located on private or public property.
(2) No owner of premises whereon a fire lane has been designated, pursuant to this section shall fail to provide, erect, install and maintain the signs and markers as required herein within ninety days after receipt of notice to do so from the Director of Safety.
(3) Each day of failure to comply with the provisions of subsection (b) hereof shall be deemed a separate offense.
(Ord. 1983-36. Passed 5-23-83.)
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, whoever violates 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.
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