Definitions.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-601
in effectSec. 26-601. - Definitions.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context of their usage clearly indicates another meaning:
Barrier gate means an automated gate at each entrance to a parking facility to regulate vehicular entry to the parking facility that provides a ticket for entry or a receipt for payment of parking fees.
Parking facility means public or private property used, wholly or partly, for restricted or paid motor vehicle parking. The term includes without limitation:
(1) One or more restricted spaces on a portion of an otherwise unrestricted parking facility; and
(2) A commercial parking facility, a parking garage, and a parking area serving or adjacent to a business, church, school, home, apartment complex, property governed by a property owners' association for parking purposes, or government-owned property leased to a private person for parking purposes, including:
a. A portion of the right-of-way of a public roadway that is leased by a governmental entity to the parking facility owner; and
b. The area between the facility's property line abutting a county or municipal public roadway and the center line of the roadway's drainage way or the curb of the roadway, whichever is farther from the facility's property line.
Parking facility attendant means an individual who, on behalf of a parking facility general manager, collects a parking fee from motor vehicle operators as payment to park in a parking facility.
Parking facility general manager means an individual who is employed by a parking facility operating company and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a parking facility.
Parking facility operating company means the person who:
(1) Owns and operates a parking facility;
(2) Contracts with the owner(s) of a parking facility to manage the facility; or
(3) Leases the parking facility from the owner, for the purpose of operating the property as a parking facility.
Parking space means a space set aside in a parking facility for the purpose of parking a vehicle on a temporary basis.
Pay by space means a method of paying for parking in a facility whereby payment is made at a pay station by a vehicle operator who pays, by parking space number, for the parking space in which his vehicle is parked.
Pay station means a booth or box, whether attended or not, situated at or on a parking facility where payment of the hourly, daily, or monthly parking fee for that parking facility is made or deposited.
Police official means the chief of police or such other person as he may designate to act as the official primarily responsible for the administration of this article or the said official's designees.
Receipt means any paper receipt issued by a machine or parking attendant or a digital receipt for a digital parking payment issued by a parking operator.
Special event means an event for which demand for parking in an area is increased because of an activity that does not occur on a daily or regular basis.
Special event parking fee means any parking fee charged other than the commonly-charged hourly, daily, or monthly rate as reflected on permanent signage or on the pay station in a parking facility; the special event parking fee may change during a special event depending on the demand for parking.
Temporary parking facility means a parking facility that operates during authorized times for not more than a 30-day period up to three times in a 12-month period.
Unauthorized vehicle means a vehicle parked, stored, or located on a parking facility without the consent of a parking facility general manager or parking facility operating company.
(Ord. No. 08-846, § 2, 9-24-08; Ord. No. 09-323, § 3, 4-22-09; Ord. No. 09-1235, §§ 2—6, 12-2-09; Ord. No. 2011-1175, § 27, 12-14-2011)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26PA_ARTIXMISTPAFA_DIV1GE_S26-601DEFetched: 10/26/2026