Ord. 0441 06-14-82ORDINANCE NO. 441
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 10 OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS, BY
ADDING THERETO A NEW ARTICLE V TO BE ENTITLED
"FIRE LANES"; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND
CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE
SUBJECT.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND,
TEXAS:
I.
That Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Pearland,
Texas, Codified as Fire Prevention and Protection, be and the same is
hereby amended by adding thereto a new Article V to be entitled Fire
Lanes. Said Article V to hereafter read as follows:
ARTICLE V. FIRE LANES
Section 10-90. Definitions.
For the purposes of this article and regulations contained
therein, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations
shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section; inthe event
such terms are not defined in these regulations, they shall be con-
strued in their common and usual significance:
(a) A fire lane: is defined for the purposes of this
article to mean any area appurtenant to entrances or
exits of a building deemed necessary by the fire
marshal to remain free and clear of parked vehicles
for access to such building in case of fire or other
emergency and designated by him as such, and may, in
the discretion of the fire marshal include sidewalks,
driveways, portions of parking lots, or any other
area adjacent to or near the entrances or exits to
any building.
(b) A shopping center: is defined for the purposes of
this article to mean a group of commercial business
establishments, planned, developed, owned and managed
as a unit, with off-street parking provided on
the property, and related in location, size, and
types of shops to the trade area that the unit
serves.
(c) A hospital: is defined for the purposes of this
article to mean any public or private hospital,
convalescent home or nursing home.
Section 10-91. Designation and Location of Fire Lanes.
The fire marshal of the City of Pearland is hereby authorized
to designate fire lanes on the property of shopping centers and hos-
pitals, as defined herein, appurtenant to buildings or the entrances
or exits to stores, groups of stores or buildings, where in his
opinion, such areas must be kept free of parked vehicles and other
obstructions to provide ready access to such stores, groups of stores,
or buildings, in case of fire or other emergencies. The designation
by the fire'marshal of such fire lanes shall never be held to make
the city responsible for the maintenance of such fire lanes on private
property, but the owner of such property shall continue to be responsi-
ble for the maintenance of such area. The official record of the
designation and location of any such fire lane shall be kept in the
office of the fire marshal of the City of Pearland and under the custody
and control of the fire marshal of the City of Pearland.
Section 10-92. Fire Lane Marking,.
Upon the designation of a fire lane pursuant to this article, the
fire marshal shall give notice of such designation to the owner of such
shopping center or hospital, directing the owner to cause signs to be
posted at the expense of the owner, at either extremity of such fire
lanes, lettered "Fire Lane --No Parking at any time". Such signs shall
be of a standard size and color, of standard lettering and mounting,
such standards of size, coloring and lettering to conform to patterns,
drawings or samples of same to be obtained from the Department of
Traffic and Transportation of the City of Pearland and such standards
of mounting, including but not limited to the height above the grade
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at which such sign is to be mounted, to be adopted by the fire marshal
of the City of Pearland.
Section 10-93. Proposed Construction - Submittal of Plot Plans.
The Building Inspector of the City shall hereafter submit plot
plans of proposed shopping center or hospital construction, prior to
the issuance of a building permit thereon, to the fire marshal for his
review and approval of the adequacy of fire lanes provided therefor.
Section 10-94. Parking Prohibited within Fire Lane.
When signs are erected giving notice thereof, it shall be unlaw
ful for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle to allow, cause or
permit such vehicle to remain standing or parked within any fire lane
hereafter designated by the fire marshal.
Section 10-95. Summons and Penalty.
(a) Summons - Any summons or notice to appear in answer to a charge of
parking inviolation of Section 10-94 of this Article shall be issued
on official forms therefore prescribed by the City of Pearland. Such
'•forms may be issued,consecutively numbered, to the owner or lessee of
the property upon which a fire lane has been established hereunder or
to any person employed by or on behalf of such an owner or lessee who
holds a security officer commission issued by the Texas Board of Private
Investigators and Private Security Agencies pursuant to Article 4413(29bb),
V.A.C.S., and he shall account to the police department for such forms.
The owner or lessee of the property upon which a fire lane has been_
established hereunder shall file with the police department a list, which
shall be corrected from time to time to reflect changes in personnel,
of the designated private security officers who are authorized by him
to issue the summons or notice herein provided for. Such summons or
notice shall require the appearance of the violator before the Munici-
pal Court of the City and all fines paid by the violator shall be paid
to the Municipal Court Clerk's Department of the City.
The summons or notice to appear in answer to a charge of parking in
violation of this section, specifying the location of the fire lane in
which such violation occurred and the date and time of such violation,
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may be issued by any person employed by or on behalf of an owner or
lessee of the property upon which a fire lane has been established
hereunder who holds a security officer commission issued by the Texas
Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies pursuant
to Article 4413(29bb), V.T.C.S., or by the fire marshal of the City
or any member of the City of Pearland Police Department otherwise
empowered to issue tickets for parking violations.
(b) Penalty - An offense under this Article is punishable by a fine
of not less than Twenty -Five Dollars. ($25.00) or more than Two Hundred •
Dollars ($200.00) for each offense.
II.
If any section, paragraph, clause, or sentence shall be declared
void or unenforceable or unconstitutional, it is hereby declared the
intention of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas, that
the remainder of such ordinance shall remain in full force and effect.
III
It is the intention of the City Council, and it is hereby ordained,
that the provisions of this Ordinance shall be made part of the Code
of Ordinances, City of Pearland, Texas, and the sections of this
Ordinance may be renumbered to accomplish such intention.
IV.
This Ordinance shall be effective and in full force on the tenth`
day after its publication in the official newspaper of the City of
Pearland, Texas.
PASSED and APPROVED ON FIRST READING this 4.4 day of Apr,
A.D. 1982. -
Attest:
City Secretar
Jan
MAYOR, CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS
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PASSED and APPROVED ON SECOND and FINAL READING this
day of /r�P/ ,A.D. 1982.
Attest:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
#-City
�rney
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 29, 1982
/1
MAYOR, CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS
VOTING RECORD: First Reading: 5/24/82
"aye" - Councilmen Frauenberger, Gray, Mack
and Lentz.
"no" - None
VOTING RECORD: Second Reading: 6/14/82
"aye" —Councilmen Frauenberger, Gray, Mack -
and Lentz. --
"no" r None
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