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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1136 04-26-1994ORDINANCE NO. 1136 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 70 "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS" OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF EULESS, TEXAS, AS AMENDED, BY THE ADDITION THERETO OF A NEW ARTICLE III "SOLICITATION'; PROVIDING CERTAIN DEFINITIONS; RESTRICTING AND PROHIBITING ROADSIDE SOLICITATIONS AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS; PROVIDING FOR A FINE OF UP TO $500.00 FOR EACH OFFENSE IN VIOLATION OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; PROVIDING A SAVING CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Euless, Texas, is charged with regulating the conduct of persons in or about the public streets of the City for the safety and general welfare of the residents of the City and persons travelling upon said streets; and WHEREAS, problems have been identified with persons attempting to solicit rides, employment, business or charitable contributions from the occupants of motor vehicles on certain city streets; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Euless finds that this practice is unsafe for both the person engaging in the solicitation and for persons travelling the roadways in motor vehicles; and WHEREAS, the activity of soliciting rides, business, employment or charitable contributions from the occupants of motor vehicles constitutes an impediment to the orderly and safe flow of traffic on certain streets hereinafter identified in the City of Euless, Texas; and WHEREAS, the interests of the City in maintaining the orderly and safe flow of traffic on the streets identified herein is found by the City Council of the City of Euless, Texas to be a significant governmental interest; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the regulations contained in this ordinance are narrowly tailored to avoid the disruptive nature of roadside solicitation while preserving the right of individuals to communicate ideas in absence of solicitation activities, and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Euless, Texas, finds that the regulations imposed hereby are necessary police power regulations for the protection of the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the City of Euless, of roadside solicitors and of motorists travelling the roadways of the City of Euless, Texas. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EULESS, TEXAS: ORDINANCE NO. i t m) PAGE I I. That Chapter 70 "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS" of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Euless, Texas, as amended, be hereby amended by the addition thereto of a new Article III 'SOLICITATION ", which article shall hereafter be and read as follows: ARTICLE III SOLICITATION Section 70-80 Definitions The following words and terms when used in this Article shall have the following meanings: Street or highway shall mean the entire width between the right —of —way lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. Roadway shall mean that portion of the public street which is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the curb, berm or shoulder. In the event that a public street includes two (2) or more separate roadways, 'roadway" means each roadway separately. Sidewalk shall mean that improved surface which is between the curblines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, and is improved and designed for or is ordinarily used for pedestrian travel. Median shall mean that area or portion of a divided street, road or highway within the City separating the two (2) roadways of said street, road or highway and shall be held to include the curb, if any, at the outer edge of said area. Curb shall mean the lateral lines of a roadway, whether constructed above grade or not, which are not intended for vehicular travel. Shoulder shall mean the portion of a highway that is: a. Contiguous to the highway; b. Designed or ordinarily used for parking; C. Set off from the roadway by different design, construction or marking; and d. Not intended for normal vehicular travel. Improved shoulder shall mean a paved shoulder. ORDINANCE NO. 1136 PAGE 2 Public right -of -way shall mean: a. That real property owned by the City, County, State or Federal Government or owned by a non - governmental entity or person, which property is dedicated to public use; b. Including but not limited to sidewalks, medians, curbs, shoulders, improved shoulders, roadways, walkways, paths and any other area so owned, dedicated, used or reserved for public use: C. Which is used or reserved for public use, including but not limited to use by vehicles, pedestrians and public utilities; and d. That is in the area extending from the right and left of the center line of a public street, roadway or highway to the nearest property line which marks the juncture of private property and public right -of -way. Section 70-81 Prohibited Acts A. A person commits an offense if he or she stands on or in any manner occupies a shoulder, improved shoulder, sidewalk, median or public right -of -way in the areas set out in Section 70 -82 to solicit or attempt to solicit a ride, employment or business or charitable contributions from the occupants of any vehicle, other than a lawfully parked vehicle. B. A person commits an offense if he or she stands on or in any manner occupies the shoulder, improved shoulder, sidewalk, median or public right -of -way in the areas set out in Section 70 -82 for the purpose of selling or offering for sale any product, property or service to the occupant of any vehicle, other than a lawfully parked vehicle. C. It is an exception to Subsections A and B that the person engages in such conduct with another pedestrian. D. This section does not relieve responsibility for compliance with V.A.T.C.S. Article 6701d, Section 81, Pedestrians on Roadways. E. This section does not relieve any person, firm or corporation from responsibility for compliance with any licensing, permitting or inspection provisions applicable to that person, firm or corporation or the business carried out by such person, firm or corporation, and contained elsewhere in this Code of Ordinances. Section 70-82 Prohibited Areas No person shall engage in the acts set forth in Section 70 -81A and B at any time; (a) Within 1000 feet (measured to and from the nearest corner of the intersecting street, highway or roadway measured along the curb, ORDINANCE NO. i c, PAGE 3 shoulder, improved shoulder or public right —of —way line of the following intersections: South Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at West Euless Blvd. North Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at the North Service Road of Airport Freeway North Industrial Blvd. (FM157) at the South Service Road of Airport Freeway and any portion of any exit ramp or entrance ramp within the aforesaid designated 1000 feet. (b) Within 500 feet (measured to and from the nearest corner of the intersecting street, highway or roadway measured along the curb, shoulder, improved shoulder or public right —of —way line of the following intersections: North Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at Trojan Trail North Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at Midway Drive North Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at Harwood Road North Industrial Blvd. (FM 157) at Glade Road North Euless Main Street at West Euless Blvd. North Euless Main Street at the North Service Road of Airport Freeway North Euless Main Street at the South Service Road of Airport Freeway North Euless Main Street at Midway Drive North Euless Main Street at Harwood Road North Euless Main Street at Mid — Cities Blvd. North Euless Main Street at Bear Creek Parkway Fuller —Wiser Road at Harwood Road Fuller —Wiser Road at Ash Lane West Euless Blvd. (S.H. 10) at Vine Street West Euless Blvd. (S.H. 10) at Ector Drive West Euless Blvd. (S.H. 10) at Wilshire Drive West Euless Blvd. (S.H. 10) at Westpark Way ORDINANCE NO. 1136 PAGE 4 West Euless Blvd. (S.H. 10) at Raider Drive Westpark Way at the South Service Road of Airport Freeway Ector Drive at the South Service Road of Airport Freeway Ector Drive at the North Service Road of Airport Freeway. Section 70-83 Penalty for Violation Any person, firm, corporation, agent or employee thereof who violates any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined as provided in Section 1 -12 "GENERAL PENALTY" of this Code of Ordinances. II. Any person, firm, corporation, agent or employee thereof who violates any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, thereof, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed $500.00 for each offense. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense. III. Severability Clause. That it is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such invalid or unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. IV. Any violation of this ordinance may be enjoined by a suit filed in the name of the City of Euless in a court of competent jurisdiction, and this remedy shall be in addition to any penal provisions in this ordinance or in the Code of Ordinances of the City of Euless. V. Saving Clause. That Chapter 70 and the Code of Ordinances, City of Euless, Texas, as amended, shall remain in full force and effect, save and except as amended by this ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 11,36 PAGE 5 VI. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as provided by the Euless City Charter and the laws of the State of Texas. PRESENTED AND GIVEN FIRST READING and approved at a regular meeting of the Euless City Council on the 26th day of April 1994; by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and o abstentions. APPROVED: 11A CCA C JCY - -Z6k Mary LiN Saleh, Mayor ATTEST: usan Crim, MC, City Secretary APP VVED AS TO FORM: O � ob Farlan ,City Aitorney 502mlib/bh/041994 ORDINANCE NO. 1136 PAGE 6