Fountain Valley, CA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Fountain Valley Municipal Code § 10.52.020 defines what each curb color means in the City of Fountain Valley. Yellow means no stopping, standing or parking between seven a.m. and six p.m. of any day except Sundays and holidays for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of passengers or materials. Passenger loading cannot consume more than three minutes, and materials loading cannot consume more than twenty minutes. White means no stopping, standing or parking for any purpose other than loading or unloading of passengers or depositing mail in an adjacent mail box, which cannot exceed three minutes, and the same seven a.m. to six p.m. window applies except Sundays and holidays. Two white-zone exceptions run all the time: in front of a hotel or a mailbox the restrictions apply at all times, and in front of a theater they apply at all times except when the theater is closed.

Section 10.52.010 gives the city traffic engineer the power to mark loading and passenger loading zones at any place in the central traffic district or any business district, and elsewhere in front of the entrance to a place of business or a hall used for public assembly. No more than one-half of the total curb length in any block can be reserved for loading zone purposes. Yellow paint on top of the curb marks loading zones, and white paint marks passenger loading zones.

Section 10.52.030 narrows who benefits. Permission to stop for loading materials applies only to commercial vehicles, never extends beyond the time necessary and in no event beyond twenty minutes, and covers commercial deliveries plus the delivery or pick-up of express and parcel post packages and United States mail. Passenger loading includes personal baggage and is capped at three minutes. The city states that within these limits the rule is enforced so as to accommodate necessary and reasonable loading or unloading without permitting abuse of the privilege. Sections 10.52.040 and 10.52.050 bar any other use of a yellow or passenger loading zone, and § 10.52.060 bars stopping in any alley for any purpose other than loading or unloading persons or materials. Green curb, by contrast, means twenty-four minute parking from nine a.m. to six p.m. (§ 10.44.180), and red means no stopping at any time.