Petaluma, CA Parking Rules: Curb Color Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- PMC §§ 11.48.050-11.48.090
- Red curb
- No stopping/standing/parking at any time
- Yellow curb
- Loading only, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
- White curb
- Passenger loading, 3-minute cap
- Blue curb
- Disabled parking, placard/plate required
- Marking authority
- City traffic engineer
Summary
Petaluma's curb colors carry fixed legal meanings: red bars stopping at any time, yellow restricts loading hours, white limits passenger loading, and a curb painted for accessible parking must be blue. Only the city traffic engineer may authorize the markings.
11.48.060 Red curb marking. Red shall mean no stopping, standing or parking at any time except as permitted by the Vehicle Code, and except that a bus may stop in a red zone marked or signed as a bus zone. ... 11.48.085 Parking in spaces for the disabled. A. It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle in any stall or space designated for disabled persons and disabled veterans unless the vehicle displays either a special identification license plate or placard issued to disabled persons pursuant to the California Vehicle Code Sections 5007, 22511.55 and 22511.59.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2931 NCS, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050, Curb Markings Generally, authorizes the city traffic engineer to place the curb markings defined in the following sections, and makes clear that once placed, those markings carry the meanings set out in the chapter. 060 defines red: no stopping, standing or parking at any time, except as the state Vehicle Code permits and except that a bus may stop in a red zone signed or marked as a bus zone. daily except Sundays and holidays, for any purpose other than loading or unloading, capped at three minutes for passengers and twenty minutes for materials.
except at a hotel, mailbox, or church where it applies at all times, and at a theater whenever it is open. 59. 085 in a manner inconsistent with that marking's meaning.
Violations & Fines
Stopping, standing or parking adjacent to a legible red, yellow, white, or blue curb marking in violation of its designated use is a citable offense under § 11.48.090, enforced by the Petaluma Police Department. Parking in a blue-marked disabled space without the required placard or plate additionally exposes the driver to the state Vehicle Code penalties referenced in § 11.48.085.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a red curb mean in Petaluma?
Can I park in a blue-marked space without a placard?
Who decides where curbs get painted in Petaluma?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Petaluma
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Curb Color Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle curb color rules.