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Anyone know how to interpret this 72 hour parking law in San Diego County.

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What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

Anyone know how to interpret this 72 hour parking law in San Diego County. The code is below, in bold is the part I'm confused on. To me it either means at least once every 72 hours you have to move your car at least half a mile away and then you can immediately come back and park in the same spot. Or it could mean you must park at least a half mile away from where it was parked 72 hours ago. Or could mean something else. If it's the first meaning how would they know whether you moved it a half mile away and came back or if you just moved it a few inches. For example if someone drives to work everyday and park in the same spot every night are they in violation of this ordinance?

Thanks for reading.:)

ORDINANCE NO. 9770 (NEW SERIES)


AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 72.122. OF THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE RELATING TO TRAFFIC
REGULATIONS IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Diego ordains as follows:
Section 72.122. of the San Diego County Code is amended to read as follows:

SECTION 72.122. USE OF STREETS FOR STORAGE OF VEHICLES PROHIBITED.
(a) No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of 72 hours. A vehicle shall be considered to have been parked for a consecutive period of 72 hours if it has not been moved at least five tenths (.5) of a mile from its original parked (stopped) location within the preceding 72 hour period.

(b) In the event a vehicle is parked upon a street in excess of a consecutive period of 72 hours in violation of this section, the Sheriff or any member of the Highway Patrol of the State of California may remove said vehicle from the street in the manner and subject to the requirements of Sections 22651 and 22652 of the Vehicle Code


PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 26th DAY OF APRIL 2006
 


OHRoadwarrior

Senior Member
I would say there are 2 criteria to be met;

1. It cannot be on the same street for more than 72 hours.
2. It must be more than .5 miles from its last location(s) in the preceding 72 hours.

If you move it and move it back 5" farther, you are in violation.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
You must move the vehicle at least 1/2 mile every 3 days or you can be cited. When I worked there, this was not interpreted to mean it must be parked 1/2 mile away. The vehicle might also be towed per CVC 22651(k).

Perhaps you should consider contacting the SDSO and asking the official clarification.

This page has an email address for your parking questions:

http://www.sdsheriff.net/lesb_parking.html

From their FAQ:

San Diego County Code 72.122 prohibits parking a vehicle in excess of 72 hours on the street. The purpose behind this section is to insure public streets do not become storage lots for vehicles. Your car must be moved every 72 hours.
 
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You must move the vehicle at least 1/2 mile every 3 days or you can be cited. When I worked there, this was not interpreted to mean it must be parked 1/2 mile away. The vehicle might also be towed per CVC 22651(k).

Perhaps you should consider contacting the SDSO and asking the official clarification.

This page has an email address for your parking questions:

http://www.sdsheriff.net/lesb_parking.html

From their FAQ:

San Diego County Code 72.122 prohibits parking a vehicle in excess of 72 hours on the street. The purpose behind this section is to insure public streets do not become storage lots for vehicles. Your car must be moved every 72 hours.
How would you guys be able to tell if the person moved it half a mile away and came back to the same spot or if they just rolled it back a few feet?
 
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CdwJava

Senior Member
How would you guys be able to tell if the person moved it half a mile away and came back to the same spot or if they just rolled it back a few feet?
Marking the tires is one way, photos is another. How the SDSO does it is hard to say. They are not likely working too hard to enforce parking unless it is in response to calls for service (i.e. someone reporting a car parked in the same place for a few days).
 

asiny

Senior Member
How would you guys be able to tell if the person moved it half a mile away and came back to the same spot or if they just rolled it back a few feet?
8am on day 3- LEO rolls by on the street and notes vehicle still parked. 12noon on day 3- LEO rolls by and notes vehicle still parked on same street, but 1/2 mile away. 8pm on day 3- LEO rolls by on the street and notes vehicle still parked, but in different place than noon and/or 8am.
8am on day 4- LEO rolls by on the street and calls tow for vehicle that has been parked on the same street for above 72 hours.

An LEO is not just going to roll by and tow the vehicle without knowing it's been there over 72 hours.
 
8am on day 3- LEO rolls by on the street and notes vehicle still parked. 12noon on day 3- LEO rolls by and notes vehicle still parked on same street, but 1/2 mile away. 8pm on day 3- LEO rolls by on the street and notes vehicle still parked, but in different place than noon and/or 8am.
8am on day 4- LEO rolls by on the street and calls tow for vehicle that has been parked on the same street for above 72 hours.

An LEO is not just going to roll by and tow the vehicle without knowing it's been there over 72 hours.
If this were the case, then almost everyone in the city who doesn't have off street parking would be in violation if every night they park on the street within .5 mile of their house.
 
The CHP gave my friend a warning saying it can't be parked on the highway more than 72 hours, but it's not on a highway it's on a regular street underneath a freeway overpass. What's with that?

Do they usual wait 72 hours after the warning tag before they tow?
 

asiny

Senior Member
The CHP gave my friend a warning saying it can't be parked on the highway more than 72 hours, but it's not on a highway it's on a regular street underneath a freeway overpass. What's with that?
Whilst a very nice story, I fail to see the part that states on a highway only;
ORDINANCE NO. 9770 (NEW SERIES)

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 72.122. OF THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE RELATING TO TRAFFIC
REGULATIONS IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO

The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Diego ordains as follows:
Section 72.122. of the San Diego County Code is amended to read as follows:

SECTION 72.122. USE OF STREETS FOR STORAGE OF VEHICLES PROHIBITED.
(a) No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of 72 hours. A vehicle shall be considered to have been parked for a consecutive period of 72 hours if it has not been moved at least five tenths (.5) of a mile from its original parked (stopped) location within the preceding 72 hour period.

(b) In the event a vehicle is parked upon a street in excess of a consecutive period of 72 hours in violation of this section, the Sheriff or any member of the Highway Patrol of the State of California may remove said vehicle from the street in the manner and subject to the requirements of Sections 22651 and 22652 of the Vehicle Code

PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 26th DAY OF APRIL 2006
 

HighwayMan

Super Secret Senior Member
The CHP gave my friend a warning saying it can't be parked on the highway more than 72 hours, but it's not on a highway it's on a regular street underneath a freeway overpass. What's with that?
"Highway" usually refers to any roadway meant for vehicular traffic.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
The CHP gave my friend a warning saying it can't be parked on the highway more than 72 hours, but it's not on a highway it's on a regular street underneath a freeway overpass. What's with that?
A residential street IS a "highway" as defined in the Vehicle Code.

Do they usual wait 72 hours after the warning tag before they tow?
There is no way for us to know what they "usually" do in your area, but suffice it to say that they do not have to wait.
 
How far should they move it to avoid getting towed?

So there is no special rules because it's under a freeway?

Was thinking that maybe the land is designated as freeway right of way because of the freeway above, but that wouldn't mean that it would be treated as if it was parked on the side of a freeway, would it?
 
Whilst a very nice story, I fail to see the part that states on a highway only;
Well, the tag was from the CHP and was check marked "Section 22651(k) VC provides for removal from a highway after 72 hours of continuous parking in violation of county ordinance number 72.122 CC
 
You must move the vehicle at least 1/2 mile every 3 days or you can be cited. When I worked there, this was not interpreted to mean it must be parked 1/2 mile away. The vehicle might also be towed per CVC 22651(k).

Perhaps you should consider contacting the SDSO and asking the official clarification.

This page has an email address for your parking questions:

http://www.sdsheriff.net/lesb_parking.html

From their FAQ:

San Diego County Code 72.122 prohibits parking a vehicle in excess of 72 hours on the street. The purpose behind this section is to insure public streets do not become storage lots for vehicles. Your car must be moved every 72 hours.
Called the sheriff and they said that they usually just go on people's word that call in and report people and say that they've been there for 3 days, then go and tag them and come back the next day to tow. Seems a little unfair though that they could just go off someones word without proof. He said to move it at least a car length to show that it moves. Don't know why they even have the 1/2 mile spec in there as there is no way they would ever know if it moved that far, unless they were there to watch it move.
 

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