SmarterthanYou
rebel
FRISCO -- The city has adopted a new ordinance barring anyone from being in the median of a divided road except in certain cases.
The measure was prompted by the actions of a Frisco man whose October arrest made national news. Ron Martin was standing in the median along Eldorado Parkway at Ranchview Lane with a homemade sign warning motorists about police ahead.
Police officers at the scene said he was violating the city's human sign ordinance. They handcuffed him and transported him to the city jail, where he was booked and required to pay $217 bail to be released.
A municipal court judge dismissed the misdemeanor charge last month, saying it wasn't clear what the offense was.
Frisco Police Chief John Bruce said Tuesday that he believed Martin's arrest was still valid, but his department opted against refiling the charge. Instead, the department proposed a new ordinance, which the City Council unanimously approved at its meeting Tuesday.
Bruce said the ordinance addresses a public safety issue. The question is, "Do you want people to be able to stand in medians without having a legitimate reason to be there or not?" Bruce asked council members.
The ordinance bans people from "stopping, standing, walking, running and/or otherwise entering in and/or upon a median." There are exceptions. Utilities and cleanup crews would be allowed. And people would be allowed to stop in the median in an emergency or while waiting for traffic to clear before crossing the street.
But standing in the median would not be allowed. Joggers and dog walkers also would be banned from using the medians. The ordinance states that the new regulations will help avoid traffic hazards and distractions to motorists as well as "alleviate possible nuisances to pedestrians, motorists and other persons using public right-of-way."
An offense under the new ordinance is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/comm...risco-bans-people-from-standing-in-median.ece
The measure was prompted by the actions of a Frisco man whose October arrest made national news. Ron Martin was standing in the median along Eldorado Parkway at Ranchview Lane with a homemade sign warning motorists about police ahead.
Police officers at the scene said he was violating the city's human sign ordinance. They handcuffed him and transported him to the city jail, where he was booked and required to pay $217 bail to be released.
A municipal court judge dismissed the misdemeanor charge last month, saying it wasn't clear what the offense was.
Frisco Police Chief John Bruce said Tuesday that he believed Martin's arrest was still valid, but his department opted against refiling the charge. Instead, the department proposed a new ordinance, which the City Council unanimously approved at its meeting Tuesday.
Bruce said the ordinance addresses a public safety issue. The question is, "Do you want people to be able to stand in medians without having a legitimate reason to be there or not?" Bruce asked council members.
The ordinance bans people from "stopping, standing, walking, running and/or otherwise entering in and/or upon a median." There are exceptions. Utilities and cleanup crews would be allowed. And people would be allowed to stop in the median in an emergency or while waiting for traffic to clear before crossing the street.
But standing in the median would not be allowed. Joggers and dog walkers also would be banned from using the medians. The ordinance states that the new regulations will help avoid traffic hazards and distractions to motorists as well as "alleviate possible nuisances to pedestrians, motorists and other persons using public right-of-way."
An offense under the new ordinance is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/comm...risco-bans-people-from-standing-in-median.ece
