HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-215F \SHARED\D$PMGL\Our Documents\0rdmances\99\Dtsabled Parking Appointments doe
ORDINANCE NO 99 a1.ss
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE
APPOINTMENT OF QUALIFIED PERSONS TO ENFORCE THE DISABLED PARKING
LAW IN THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS AND FILE CHARGES FOR VIOLATIONS OF
SAID LAW, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS
CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has enacted a statute providing for the designation of
disabled parking spaces by political subdivisions and by owners of property used for parking
which provide penalties for persons who park motor vehicles in disabled parking spaces when
such vehicles do not display a special device or a disabled person identification card, and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas, finds the enforcement of the
disabled parking laws in the City of Denton will be more effective if qualified and trained
persons are given the authority to file charges when they observe violations of the law within the
city limits of the City of Denton, and
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has enacted a statute allowing local authorities to
appoint a disabled or non -disabled person to have the authority to file charges against a person
who violates the law regarding disabled parking, NOW, THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS
S_,ECTION I. That the Chief of Police or his designee shall have the authority to appoint
any adult person who is a citizen of the United States, is of good moral character, and who has
not previously been convicted of a felony, to enforce the provisions the Texas Transportation
Code, Section 6810101 in the City of Denton, Texas
SECTION II That each person appointed pursuant to this Ordinance shall take and
subscribe to an oath of office that is prescribed by the City of Denton
SECTION III That each person appointed pursuant to this Ordinance shall complete an
application and satisfactorily complete a course of training on disabled parking enforcement as
prescribed by the City of Denton Police Department and the appointment shall be for one year
unless rescinded by the Chief of Police
SECTION IV. Any qualified person so appointed shall have the power to file charges for
violations of 681 of the Texas Transportation Code if the violations occur within the city limits
of Denton and subject to the following limitations
1 No person so appointed shall be deemed a peace officer, nor an employee of the
State of Texas, Denton County, or the City of Denton
2 Except for the authority to enforce disabled parking violations, any person
appointed pursuant to this ordinance shall have no authority other than the authority applicable to
a citizen to enforce a law
3 No person appointed shall possess or carry firearms or other weapons for the
purpose of enforcing disabled parking laws
4 No person appointed shall be entitled to compensation for performing the duties
specified in this ordinance
5 No appointed person shall be entitled to any indemnification from the City of
Denton for any injury or property damage sustained as a result of enforcement activities Each
appointed person shall specifically acknowledge that such person has no rights to any claim of
injury or property damage resulting from disabled parking enforcement activities
6 The City of Denton shall not be liable or accountable for any act or omission of
any person appointed to file disabled parking citations pursuant to this Ordinance Each
appointed person shall specifically hold harmless the City of Denton, its employees, officers, and
agents, from liability for any act or omission by such appointed person
SECTION V If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, phrase or word in this
ordinance, or application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid by any court of
competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
ordinance, and City Council of the City of Denton, Texas hereby declares it would have enacted
such remaining portions despite any such validity
SECTION VI That the repeal of any ordinance or any portion thereof by the preceding
sections shall not affect or impair any act done or right bested or accrued or any proceeding, suit
or prosecution had or commenced in any cause before such repeal shall take effect, but every
such act done, or right vested or accrued, or proceedings, suit or prosecution had had or
commenced shall remain in full force and effect to all intents or purposes as if such ordinance or
part thereof so repealed shall remain in full force
SECTION VII. That this ordinance shall become effective fourteen (14) days from the
date of its passage, and the City Secretary is hereby directed to cause the caption of this
ordinance to be published twice in the Denton Record Chronicle, the official newspaper of the
City of Denton, Texas, within ten (10) days of the date of its passage
PASSED AND APPROVED this the - day ofQ&az, 1999
JACI{ ER, MAYOR
ATTEST
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM
HERBERT L PROUTY, CITY ATTORNEY
F-A