PERMITS FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT

Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. XI, div. 3

in effect

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-721 Parking benefit district permit application; issuance.

Sec. 26-721. - Parking benefit district permit application; issuance. (a) Any resident of or business owner within a parking benefit district may submit an application for no more than one parking benefit district permit for each residential address or business establishment to the parking official in a form promulgated by the director for that purpose, which shall include the following: (1) The applicant's name, telephone number, and the applicant's residential or business address located within the parking benefit district; (2) Proof that the applicant is a resident of the parking benefit district in the form of: a. A valid Texas driver's license, or personal identification card issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, showing the applicant's current residential address within the parking benefit district; and b. A recent utility bill acceptable to the director showing the applicant's address within the parking benefit district; (3) Proof that the applicant is a business owner in the parking benefit district in the form of: a. A true and correct copy of a valid certificate of occupancy of the applicant's business establishment within the parking benefit district; or b. A recent utility bill acceptable to the director showing the applicant's business address within the parking benefit district; or (4) Any other information reasonably required by the director to ensure compliance with the requirements of this article. (b) Upon submission of a complete application for a parking benefit district permit and payment of the fee prescribed in the city fee schedule for this provision, an applicant shall be entitled to receive no more than one parking benefit district permit for each residential or business establishment address described in the application, provided that no unresolved parking citations, as defined in section 26-261 of this Code, exist for any motor vehicle owned by the applicant. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-722 Permits.

Sec. 26-722. - Permits. Motor vehicles with a permit issued under this article may park in a designated area restricted to permit parking in a parking benefit district during the days and times as established by the traffic engineer pursuant to section 26-712 of this Code. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-723 Effect of issuance of permit.

Sec. 26-723. - Effect of issuance of permit. (a) A parking permit shall be valid for one year from its date of issuance and shall not be transferable. A permit may be renewed by filing an application pursuant to this section and paying the applicable fee. A renewal permit application shall be reviewed and approved in accordance with this section; provided, that a permit that has been revoked pursuant to section 26-724 of this Code shall not be reissued for a period of two years from the date of revocation. (b) No parking permit shall be issued to a person who is neither a resident nor a business owner within a parking benefit district. (c) A parking permit issued to a resident or business owner of a parking benefit district who no longer qualifies for a parking permit is voidand use thereof shall constitute an offense. (d) A permit does not guarantee or reserve a parking space within a parking benefit district. A permit issued pursuant to this article does not authorize the standing or parking of any motor vehicle in any place or during any time when the stopping, standing or parking of motor vehicles is prohibited or set aside for specified motor vehicle types. The issuance of a permit shall not excuse the observance of any traffic regulation. (e) Whenever the holder of a permit is not in compliance with one or more of the applicable provisions of this article controlling the issuance or renewal of permits, the holder shall notify the parking official, who shall direct the holder to surrender the permit or present evidence that the permit has been removed from the motor vehicle. (f) Until its expiration, surrender or revocation, a parking benefit district permit shall remain valid for the length of time the holder continues to reside or own and/or operate a business within a parking benefit district. (g) A permit shall be valid only in the parking benefit district for which it is issued. (h) Nothing in this article shall be construed to supersede the parking regulations of an area that is designated as a residential parking permit area. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012; Ord. No. 2019-1015, §§ 25, 26, 12-11-2019)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-724 Revocation of permit.

Sec. 26-724. - Revocation of permit. In addition to the penalties provided for violation of this article, the parking official shall revoke the parking permit of any individual found to have committed three or more violations of this article within any preceding 12-month period. Upon a determination by the parking official that a person who holds a permit has been adjudicated to have committed three or more such violations within the prescribed period, the parking official shall provide written notification to such person by certified mail, return receipt requested, revoking the permit and ordering the surrender of such permit to the parking official. Failure to surrender a revoked permit when ordered to do so constitutes a separate violation of this article, and a signed return receipt shall be prima facie evidence of the delivery of the notice to surrender the permit. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-725 Permit fees.

Sec. 26-725. - Permit fees. (a) The annual fee for each parking benefit district permit is stated for this provision in the city fee schedule. (b) The parking official shall not issue any permit unless and until the applicable fee identified in this section has been paid. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-726 Display of permit.

Sec. 26-726. - Display of permit. Each permit shall be conspicuously displayed upon a motor vehicle so as to be easily visible to any person passing the vehicle on the street or sidewalk while the vehicle is parked in an area designated for parking by permit in a parking benefit district. Any failure to display a permit shall create a presumption that no permit exists. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-727 Adjudication.

Sec. 26-727. - Adjudication. Cases involving violations of the parking provisions of this division shall be heard by adjudication hearing officers of the municipal courts department. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-728 Offenses.

Sec. 26-728. - Offenses. (a) It is unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle without a permit in a designated parking area in a parking benefit district on any day or during any hours for which parking is allowed only by permit as indicated by one or more official signs posted in a parking benefit district. (b) It is unlawful for any person to falsely represent in any fashion that he is entitled to a permit authorized by this article when he is not eligible for such a permit. The display of a parking benefit district permit by a person not eligible for such a permit shall constitute such false representation. (c) It is unlawful for any person to duplicate, or attempt to duplicate, a permit authorized by this article or to display on any motor vehicle a forged or duplicated permit. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012; Ord. No. 2019-1015, § 19, 12-11-2019)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-729 Defenses.

Sec. 26-729. - Defenses. It is an affirmative defense to civil prosecution for violation of section 26-728(a) that the motor vehicle parked in an area restricted to permit parking within a parking benefit district was: (1) A motor vehicle owned by or operated under contract to a utility and in actual use in the construction, operation, removal or repair of utility property or facilities or engaged in authorized work in a parking benefit district; (2) A motor vehicle clearly identified as owned by or operated under contract to a federal, state, or local governmental agency, and then being used in the course of official government business; (3) An authorized emergency vehicle; or (4) A motor vehicle used for delivery or service business purposes, including but not limited to motor vehicles such as moving vans and sanitation, repair, electrical and plumbing service motor vehicles then being used to conduct business at a residence or business establishment in a parking benefit district. (Ord. No. 2012-1097, § 2, 12-12-2012; Ord. No. 2019-1015, § 20, 12-11-2019)

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_ARTXIPABEDI_DIV3PEWAAVCOPABEDIFetched: 10/26/2026