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Ordinance amending the Pittsburgh Code, Title Five: Traffic, Article VII: Parking, Chapter 541 General Parking Regulations by revising the title of Section 541.04 Passenger and Loading Zones to Section 541.04A, by adding a new Section 541.04B entitled Smart Loading Zones and by adding a new Section 541.04C entitled Smart Loading Zones Rates and Penalties.
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WHEREAS, The City of Pittsburgh received a $100,000 grant from Automotus, a company that developed automated curb management solutions for cities, to designate and install up to twenty (20) smart loading zones; and
WHEREAS, this grant will allow Pittsburgh Parking Authority to contract with Automotus to regulate and enforce smart loading zones; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Energy has awarded the City of Pittsburgh, along with the City of Los Angeles, Carnegie Mellon University, Automotus, and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, a $3.8 million grant beginning in 2022 to study curb use in business districts and implement technologies and policies that reduce emissions and accelerate electric vehicle adoption by commercial fleets; and
WHEREAS, Currently, there is no fee for a commercial vehicle to use a loading zone in the City of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Commercial delivery companies should pay fair rates, as residents and visitors driving personally owned vehicles do, to use the curb and street space in the City for commercial activities; and
WHEREAS, The Smart Loading Zone pilot program will allow the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to designate metered loading zones to explore policies and technology that can assist the Pittsburgh Parking Authority in more efficient and equitable enforcement of commercial loading zones; and
WHEREAS, The Smart Loading Zone pilot program seeks to facilitate regular parking turnover in busy commercial areas; reduce instances of double parking; promote the use of non-auto transportation; and decrease vehicular congestion and emissions.
The Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The Pittsburgh City Code, Title Five: Traffic, Article VII: Parking, Chapter 541 General Parking Regulations, Section 541.04 Passenger and Loading Zones is hereby amended by revising the title of Section 541.04 to 541.04A, and by adding a new Section 541.04B entitled Smart Loading Zones and by adding a new Section 541.04C entitled Smart Loading Zones Rates and Penalties as follows:
§ 541.04A PASSENGERS AND LOADING ZONES.
(A) The Director is hereby authorized to determine the location and effective hours of passenger zones and loading zones by the placement of appropriate signs.
(B) Passenger and loading zones shall be for the use of the general public.
(C) No operator of a vehicle shall stop, stand or park, and no owner of a vehicle shall permit the vehicle to stop, stand or park in any passenger zone for a period of time longer than is necessary for the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers.
(D) No operator of a vehicle shall stop, stand or park, and no owner of a vehicle shall permit the vehicle to stop, stand or park in any loading zone for a period of time longer than is necessary for the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers, or delivery or pick up and loading of merchandise or materials. In no case shall the stop for loading or unloading merchandise or materials in a loading zone exceed thirty (30) minutes.
(E) In places and hours when stopping for loading and unloading merchandise or materials is permitted, an operator may back a vehicle to the curb to take on or discharge loads, provided the Director has issued a permit for loading or unloading at the specific location.
(F) No operator of a vehicle shall load or unload and no owner of a vehicle shall permit the vehicle to be loaded or unloaded after the time permitted for loading or unloading on any street.
(G) No operator of any Commercial vehicle, camper, trailer unconnected to a vehicle, or boat shall permit the vehicle to park on any street for longer than two (2) hours, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. However, this provision shall not apply to the loading or unloading of commercial vehicles as otherwise provided by law. This Section shall not prohibit the parking of wheelchair-accessible vans on public streets. This Section does not apply to oversized vehicles, which are prohibited from parking in residential zoning districts as set forth in Section 541.04(H).
(H) Within residential zoning districts, it is unlawful for any person to park an Oversized vehicle or trailer unconnected to a vehicle on any public street for longer than two (2) hours, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. However, this provision shall not apply to the loading or unloading of Oversized or Commercial vehicles as otherwise provided by law or otherwise permitted by a validly obtained permit or variance. This Section shall not prohibit the parking of wheelchair-accessible vans on public streets.
§541.04B Smart Loading Zones
A. A Smart Loading Zone pilot program is hereby created and shall have a duration of one (1) year from the effective date of the implementing legislation.
B. A Smart Loading Zone is defined as a designated space along the curb dedicated to loading and unloading passengers, food, or goods, regulated, in part, by sensor, camera, and software technology.
C. The Director is hereby authorized to determine the location and effective hours of Smart Loading Zones by the placement of appropriate signs.
D. The maximum continuous legal time a vehicle may be parked in the same location within a Smart Loading Zone shall not exceed one (1) hour.
E. The Director shall cause appropriate signage to be installed and maintained in any location designated as a Smart Loading Zone pursuant to this section.
F. All Smart Loading Zones shall accompanied by signage advising the public of the presence of the sensor, camera, or software technology monitoring the Smart Loading Zone.
G. Any Smart Loading Zone established by this section shall be subject to the parking rates shown in Section 541.04C.
H. Vehicle operators parked in any Smart Loading Zone shall deposit payment in the manner prescribed on Smart Loading Zone signage and in accordance with Section 541.04C.
I. The Director is authorized to promulgate regulations as are deemed necessary or appropriate for the proper administration and enforcement of this section.
J. The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh may exercise all powers authorized by the City in Section 541.09 for purposes of enforcing compliance under this section.
§541.04C Smart Loading Zone Rates and Penalties
A. Smart Zones shall have the following parking rates:
|
Minutes |
Rate per minute |
Total maximum cost |
|
0-5 minutes |
$0.067 |
$0.33 |
|
5-15 minutes |
$0.134 |
$1.67 |
|
15-30 minutes |
$0.20 |
$4.67 |
|
30-60 minutes |
$0.267 |
$12.67 |
B. Whoever violates or fails to comply with any provision of Section 541.04B shall be subject to a penalty of up to forty dollars ($40.00) per violation and costs equivalent to the costs for summary offenses established by the governing authority as provided in the Judicial and Judiciary Code.