Ord 251 ORDINANCE NO. 251
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA
ADOPTING CHAPTER 12.38 OF THE POWAY MUNICIPAL CODE
REGULATING NEWSRACKS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
WHEREAS, the City Council finds and declares that the unregulated placement
of newsracks in public right-of-way presents an inconvenience and danger to the
health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City' and
WHEREAS, it is the intention of the City Council to require that a newsrack
permit be obtained by any person who intends to place or maintain a newsrack
upon or over a public right-of-way.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Poway does ordain as
follows:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Poway does hereby adopt Chapter
12.38 of the Poway Municipal Code herein contained as Exhibit A attached hereto.
Section 2. If any portion of this ordinance should be determined to be
unconstitutional or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdic-
tion, the remaining portions of this ordinance shall be severable therefrom and
shall continue in full force and effect.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty
{30) days after the date of its passage; and the City Clerk of the City of Poway
is hereby authorized to use SUllmll~ry publication procedures pursuant to
Government Code Section 36933 utilizing the Poway News-Chieftain, a newspaper of
general circulation published in the City of Poway.
Introduced and first read at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of Poway held the 15th day of December, 1987, and thereafter PASSED AND
ADOPTED at a regular meeting of said City Council held the 5th day of January,
1988, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: BRANNON, HIGGINSON, KRUSE, TARZY, EMERY
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
Robert C. Emery,
Marjorie fK~. Wahlsten, City Clerk
Sections:
12.38.010
12.38.020
12.38.030
12.38.040
12.38.050
12.38.060
12.38.070
12.38.080
12.38.090
12.38.100
12.38.110
12.38.120
12.38.130
12.38.140
12.38.150
12.38.160
12.38.170
12.38.180
12.38.190
12.38.200
Chapter 12.38
Newsracks Affecting Public Property
Purpose and Intent.
Definitions.
Prohibitions.
Permit - Required.
Permit - Application.
Filing Fee.
Issuance of Permit.
Permit Non-Transferable.
Insurance.
Hold Harmless Agreement.
Standards.
Location.
Maintenance and Repair.
Abandonment.
Inspection.
Enforcement.
Hearing.
Revocation or Modification of Permits.
Hearing for Revocation or Modification.
Termination.
12.38.00 Purpose and Intent.
A. The City Council finds and declares that the unregulated placement of
newsracks affecting the public right-of-way presents an inconvenience
and danger to the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the
city in that, unless regulated, newsracks may:
1. Interfere with the safe flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic;
2. Impair the vision and distract the attention of motorists and
pedestrians, particularly small children, and cause injury to the
person or property of such persons;
3. Inhibit safe entry and departure from vehicles or buildings;
4. Detract from the appearance of streets, sidewalks and adjacent
businesses;
5. Cause loss of funds to patrons in the event of malfunction.
B. Newsracks presenting any of the characteristics enumerated in Subsection
A of this section, constitutes a public nuisance, which the provisions of this
chapter are enacted to prevent.
12.38.020 Definitions. Whenever the following words and phrases are used in
this chapter, they shall have the following meanings:
A. "Newsrack" means any self service or coin-operated box, container,
storage unit or other dispenser Installed, used or maintained for the dtsplay,
distrlbution or sale of publications.
B. "Public right-of-way" means any place owned by or dedicated to use of
the public for pedestrlan or vehicular travel, including but not limited to a
street, sidewalk, curb, gutter, parkway, highway, alley, mall, court, park or
square.
C. "Roadway" means that part of a public right-of-way that is designed or
used primarily for vehicular travel.
12.38.030 Prohibitions. No person shall place or maintain a newsrack so as
to endanger safety of person{s) or property or unreasonably interfere with or
impede the flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on a roadway or public right-
of-way. In addition, no person shall place or maintain upon or over a public
right-of-way a newsrack, unless in conformance with all provisions of this
chapter.
12.38.040 Permit Required. No person shall place or cause to be placed or
maintained or cause to be maintained any newsrack, or other device used or main-
tained for the display, distribution or sale of publications, hereinafter
referred to in this chapter as "newsrack", in or upon any roadway, public right-
of-way or City-owned property in the City or permit any newsrack to remain upon
any roadway, public right-of-way or City-owned property without first obtaining
a written permit from the City. This chapter shall not apply to an owner or
occupant of property who places or maintains a newsrack on private property, in
such manner that the newsrack will not interfere with the movement of
pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
12.38.050 Permit-Applications. A person desiring a permit for the placement
of one or more newsracks as required by this chapter, shall file with the Public
Services Department an application for such permit. Each application shall be
accompanied by a detailed plan giving a full description of the proposed loca-
tion of each newsrack, the type and design of the newsrack to be used, and such
other information regarding the appearance and placement as may be required by
the Director of Public Services.
12.38.060 Filing Fee. A filing fee of twenty-five dollars shall be paid to
the City upon the filing of each application for a permit as provided in this
chapter for the purpose of defraying the expense of processing the application.
12.38.070 Issuance of Permit. The Director of Public Services shall issue
the permit applied for if the application meets all the requirements of this
chapter.
12.38.080 Permit Nontransferable. The permit shall not be transferable from
one person to another.
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12.38.090 Insurance. Prior to the issuance of a permit pursuant to this
chapter, the applicant shall file with the Director of Public Services, a policy
of insurance, or certificate thereof, Issued by a company authorized to do busl-
ness in the State; said pollcy shall name the City as a named insured, and shall
indemnify the City for any loss, damage or liability suffered by the City by
reason of the existence of said newsrack in or upon the City right-of-way and/or
the operation and maintenance of said newsracks. Said policy of insurance shall
indemnify the City in the sum of one million dollars or more against loss or
liability arising from the injury or death of one person, and shall indemnify
the City in the sum of one million dollars or more against loss or liability
arising from the injury or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and
the sum of three hundred thousand dollars or more with respect to any property
damage aforesaid. Such indemnity, public liability and property damage insurance
shall be maintained in full force and effect during the entire term of the per-
mit granted pursuant to this chapter.
12.38.100 Hold Harmless Agreement. Prior to the issuance of a permit pur-
suant to this chapter, the applicant shall enter into an agreement with the City
whereby the permittee shall agree as follows: The City, its agents, officers
and employees, shall not be, nor be held liable for any claims, liabilities,
penalities, fines or for any damage to any goods, properties or effects of any
person whatsoever, or for personal injuries to or deaths of any person, whether
caused by or resulting from any acts or omission of permittee, or his agents,
employees or representatives, or for dangerous or defective conditions of the
property of permittee or any way caused by newsracks placed or maintained pur-
suant to the permit; permittee further agrees to idemnify and save free and
harmless and defend in any law suit the City and its authorized agents, offi-
cers, and employees against any of the foregoing liabilities and any cost and
expenses incurred by the City, its agents, offcers or employees on account of
any claims therefore.
12.38.110 Standards.
A. No newsrack shall exceed forty inches in height, twenty inches in width
or twenty inches in depth.
B. Each newsrack shall be constructed entirely of opaque, shatterproof
materials, and shall be dark brown in color in order to coordinate with the
color of street signs, bus benches, and other facilities in the public right-of-
way.
C. No photographs, drawings, advertising signs, or material other than the
printed name of the publication contained within the newsrack, and the notice
described in Section D hereof, shall be displayed on the outside of any
newsrack.
D. Each newsrack shall have affixed to it in a readily visible place, a
notice not larger than three inches high and six inches long, setting forth the
name and address of the person responsible for maintaining the newsrack and a
working telephone number to call to report a malfunction, or to obtain a refund
in the event a person using the newsrack is unable to receive the publication
paid for. The name, address and telephone number given shall be those desired
for receipt of all notices provided by this chapter.
E. Each newsrack shall be maintained in a neat and clean condition and in
good repair at all times.
12.38.120 Location.
A. No newsrack shall be located, maintained or placed at or within:
1. Twenty-five feet of the intersection of two or more roadways;
2. Five feet of any crosswalk, bus bench, flre hydrant or other emergency
facility;
3. Forty-five feet ahead or forty-five feet to the rear of a bus stop as
measured along the street curb;
4. Ten feet of any driveway;
Five hundred feet of any other three newsracks, whether or not con-
taining the same edition of the same publication.
B. Newsracks upon sidewalks or other pedestrian ways shall be located only
at the edge thereof farthest from the roadway. If a roadway adjoins such
sidewalk or pedestrian way, newsracks shall only be located at the edge away
from the roadway, and if the wall of a building adjoins the edge away from the
roadway, then newsracks must be parallel to and within six inches of said wall,
but neither directly in front of any display window nor within three feet of any
entrance to such building.
C. No newsrack shall be chained, bolted or oherwise attached to the ground
or to any fixture.
12.38.130 Maintenance and Repair. The permittee shall at all times keep and
maintain each of the newsracks in a good state of repair and in a neat, clean
condition to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Services. Said main-
tenance shall include: painting at such intervals as may be specified from time
to time by the Director of Public Services to insure that the newsracks have a
neat appearance; repairing of any damage within seventy-two hours after written
notification of damage given by the Director of Public Services.
12.38.140 Abandonment.
thirty continuous days.
No newsrack shall remain empty for a period of
12.38.150 Inspection. The Director of Public Services or his designee shall
be responsible for the enforcement of this chapter and shall make necessary
inspections of newsrack locations to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.
12.38.160 Enforcement Upon determining that a newsrack exists in violation
of any provision of this chapter, the City Manager shall:
If the newsrack' is in violation of Section 12.38.110D, and the City
Manager is unable to otherwise ascertain the name and address of its
owner, cause it to be removed and processed as unclaimed property under
applicable provisions of law.
Be
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If the newsrack is in compliance with Section 12.38.110D, cause an
order to be issued to the person named in the notice required by
12.38.110D to correct the offending condition. The order shall be
telephoned to the distributor and confirmed by mailing a copy of the
order by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the person at the
address shown on the notice required by Section 12.38.110D. The order
shall specifically describe the offending condition and suggest actions
necessary to correct it. If the distributor fails to correct properly
within five days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays)
receipt of the order, and no request for a hearing is filed pursuant to
this chapter, the City Manager shall cause the offending newsrack to be
seized. The person named in the notice required by Section 12.38.110D
shall be notified of the seizure by certified mail in thirty days. If
no response is made, the City Manager shall cause the newsrack to be
processed as unclaimed property under applicable provisions of law.
Whether or not a newsrack is in compliance with Section 12.38.040D, if
the newsrack poses an immediate danger to pedestrians or vehicles,
cause it to be seized and processed as under the provisions of sub-
section B of this section.
In the case of minor violations of this chapter that can be corrected
at the site, any city employee, as an alternative to removal of the
newsrack, is authorized to correct the violation summarily.
Any newsrack existing in violation of any provision of this chapter
shall constitute a public nuisance, and may be abated in accordance
with applicable provisions of law.
12.38.170 Hearing. Within five days after receipt of the order of the City
Manager, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12.38.160B, any party affected by
the order may file with the City Manager a written request for a hearing before
the City Manager. The City Manager shall set a time and place for the hearing
and shall notify the party thereof at least five days before the hearing date.
The hearing shall be held within thirty days after the request is filed. At any
hearing held pursuant to this section or Section 12.38.190, the permittee shall
have the right to be heard and to present witnesses and documentary evidence on
its behalf. The decision of the City Manager shall be final.
12.38.180 Revocation or Modification of Permits. After a hearing as pro-
vided in this chapter or without a hearing if no hearing is requested, the City
Manager may revoke or modify any permit which has been granted pursuant to this
chapter on any one or more of the following grounds:
A. That such permit was obtained by fraud;
B. That the use for which such permit was granted is not being exercised;
C. That the use for which such permit was granted has ceased or has been
suspended for one month or more;
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DJ
That any person making use of or relying upon the permit has violated
any conditions of such permit, or that the use for which permit was
granted, is being, or recently has been, exercised contrary to the
terms or conditions of the permit, or in violation of any statute,
ordinance, law or regulation or such person has failed to comply with
any order of the Director of Public Services authorized by this chapter;
That the use for which the permit was granted is so exercised as to be
detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare or so as to be a
nuisance.
12.38.190 Hearing for Revocation or Modification.
The City Manager upon the filing of a complaint by the Director of
Public Services shall hold a hearing for the modification or revoca-
tion of any permit provided for in this chapter. Said hearing shall be
held within forty days after the filing of a written complaint with the
City Clerk which sets forth the grounds of revocation or modification
in clear and concise language. At least ten days before the hearing,
a copy of said complaint shall be mailed to the permittee together
with a notice of the time and place of the hearing. The permittee
may file an answer to the grounds for revocation or modification set
forth in the complaint at or before the hearing. After the hearing,
the City Manager may:
1. Revoke or modify the permit as requested in the complaint; or
Deny the revocation and modifications requested in the complaint
in whole or in part.
B. The decision of the City Manager shall be final and conclusive.
12.38.200 Termination.
Each permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall terminate at the
expiration of one year from the date of issuance by the Public Services
Department unless the permit is issued for a shorter period, in which
event it shall terminate at the end of such shorter period. In the
event no use in reliance on a permit issued pursuant to this chapter is
commenced within a period of thirty days from the date of issuance, or
within an extension of said time as granted by the City Manager, then
said permit shall terminate and expire.
Upon the termination or revocation of any permit issued pursuant to this
chapter the person to whom the permit was issued shall remove all
newsracks placed or maintained upon any City right-of-way or City-owned
property pursuant to such permit. In the event such person fails to
remove such newsracks within ten days after notice by the Director of
Public Services to do so, thQ City may elect to treat said newsracks as
having been abandoned and m~y remove and dispose of said newsracks at
the expense of such person.