HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Relating to Fire Lanes ORDINANCE NO. 2599
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF
THE CITY OF AMES , IOWA BY ADDING, TO CHAPTER
15 THEREOF A NEW ARTICLE IV TO BE ENTITLED
"FIRE LANES" FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING
ON PRIVATE PROPERTY DEVOTED TO PUBLIC USE
WHERE THE PARKING OF MOTOR VEHICLES OR OTHER
OBSTRUCTIONS WILL BE PROHIBITED SO AS TO PRE-
VENT INTERFERENCE WITH INGRESS AND EGRESS OF
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLES ;
REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES
IN CONFLICT HEREWITH TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CON-
FLICT; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED by the City Council for the City of Ames ,
Iowa that :
Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames ,
Iowa be and the same is hereby amended by adding to Chapter
15 thereof a new Article IV as follows :
Article IV Fire Lanes
"Section 15-4001 Purpose
The purpose of this article is to establish and pro-
mulgate regulations with respect to fire lanes .
These lanes are certain areas of private property
devoted to public use , where the parking of motor
vehicles or other obstructions may interfere with
the ingress and egress of fire department vehicles
or other emergency vehicles , at bowling lanes ,
theaters , hospitals , churches , and other tracts of
private property on to which the general public is
invited in large numbers . The location and width
of these lanes is described with specificity in
subsequent sections hereof.
Section 15-4002 Marking of Fire Lanes
Inasmuch as fire lanes are deemed to be of special
benefit to owners and tenants of buildings and
premises for which fire lanes are established, it
is hereby made a duty of such owners and tenants
to cause any curb or abutting of an established fire
lane to be painted yellow in color and to erect signs
at appropriate intervals along the length of the fire
lane so as to give notice to the public that parking
is prohibited by virtue of the area being an estab-
lished fire lane . The owners or tenants of any pre-
mises of which fire lanes are established may request
that the required markings be done by the City public
works department, and the City Manager may, if in his
judgment time and resources permit the doing of such
work by the public works department, direct that it be
done, provided that the cost of so doing be paid to the
City of Ames in advance of the work being done.
Section 15-4003 Parking and Obstructions Prohibited
Any person who shall park their vehicle in or in any
other way obstruct an established and marked fire lane
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor .
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Section 15- 4004 Towing of Vehicles
Vehicles found to be within an established and
marked fire lane may at the discretion of the Chief
of Police or on request of the Fire Chief , be towed
to the motor vehicle impoundment lot of the City of
Ames . Such vehicles shall be held at said impound-
ment lot until the costs of towing and storage are
paid. If such impounded vehicle is not claimed
after 14 days from the date of impoundment , it shall
be regarded as an abandoned vehicle and disposed of
in accordance with the procedures established by law
for the disposition of abandoned motor vehicles .
Section 15-4005 Locations authorized for establishment
of fire lanes
Fire lanes are established, where properly marked,
at the following locations in the City of Ames :
(a) At the North Grand Shopping Center, along the
East , North, and West sides of the main building
complex, exclusive of areas marked for loading
zones and customer parking drives .
(b) At the Lincoln Shopping Center , a lane 30 feet
in width from the curb along the North and West
sides of the main building complex.
(c) At the Twentieth Century Plaza, a lane thirty
feet in width from the curb along the east side
of the theater building .
(d) At the Wards Plaza , a lane 30 feet in width all
along the curb on the North side of the main
building complex and along such portions of the
curb on the West side of the main building
complex that is marked as a fire lane .
Section Two. Violation hereof shall constitute a
misdemeanor .
Section Three . All ordinances or parts of ordinances
in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of
such conflict .
Section Four . This ordinance shall be in full force
and effect from and after its passage and publication as
required by law.
Passed this 26th day of April 1977 .
f _J
Mary E. ul , City Clerk Lee Fe linger , Mayo