Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-291 Definitions.
Sec. 26-291. - Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Commuter vehicle means a motor vehicle, other than a 'resident vehicle' as defined herein, that is parked in a residential area in which it is not registered with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Curbside parking space means 20 linear feet of curb, excluding those portions of the curb where the parking of any motor vehicle is not permitted.
Digital Permit means an electronic permit issued via a web-based platform for residential parking permits that allows customers to access an online portal to register their license plate, and authorizes ParkHouston to use License Plate Recognition Systems (LPRs) to confirm the presence of a permit without a physical decal or hangtag.
One-day visitor permit means a permit that is valid for one 24-hour period to allow a commuter vehicle to park in curbside spaces in the residential parking permit area except where or at times otherwise prohibited.
Permit means a current and valid permit issued under division 3 of this article.
Resident means the owner or tenant of residential property in a residential area or the tenant of an apartment complex with not more than eight units in a residential area.
Resident vehicle means a motor vehicle parked in a residential area in which it is registered with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Residential means pertaining to the use of land for premises such as single-family homes, duplexes, condominiums and apartment complexes with eight or fewer units, that contain habitable rooms for nontransient occupancy and are designed primarily for living, sleeping, cooking and eating therein. A premises that is designed primarily for living, sleeping, cooking and eating therein will be deemed to be residential in character unless it is actually occupied and used exclusively for other purposes. Hotels, suites hotels, motels, apartment complexes with nine or more units, boardinghouses and day care centers shall not be considered to be residential.
Residential area means a contiguous area containing or bounded by public streets or parts thereof abutted by residential property occupying at least 75 percent of the front footage along the blockface, exclusive of vacant property that is not restricted by deed, covenant, plat or otherwise to residential use. A residential area may be one or more blockfaces within a larger residential area, provided that the parking official can consider a street of 500 feet in length or greater to be two blockfaces of approximately equal length for purposes of this article if requested by the applicants.
Residential parking permit area means an area designated pursuant to division 2 of this article.
Visitor permit means a digital permit that will allow a commuter vehicle to park in curbside spaces in the residential parking permit area except where or at times otherwise prohibited.
(Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. B), 4-11-07; Ord. No. 2011-1175, § 23, 12-14-2011; Ord. No. 2019-1015, §§ 12, 13, 12-11-2019; Ord. No. 2026-0803, §§ 17—19, 9-23-2026)