For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
A vehicle so designated or authorized by the Administrator
of the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration.
Any volunteer or compensated fire company serving the County,
including those operated by the federal government or from out of
state.
A lane required to be permanently open for the ingress or
egress of fire and other emergency vehicles only, in order that fires
and other disasters may be prevented or controlled and exitways kept
unobstructed for life safety.
The State Fire Marshal or any deputy State Fire Marshal.
The use of any safe method by the proper authorities which
is calculated to remove the obstruction in the shortest period of
time.
The Fire Marshal, in concurrence with the local Fire Chief,
shall study the access to all buildings, especially those which are
in a congested area in the County and are used by the public, and
shall determine whether such buildings require the designation and
marking of fire lanes. If the Fire Marshal, in concurrence with the
Fire Chief of the fire company serving the area involved, shall find
that any private entrance or exit, sidewalk, fire hydrant or vehicular
driveway or interior private driveway or sidewalk, existing or proposed,
is obstructed or is likely to be obstructed by vehicles, debris, snow,
construction material or other matter likely to interfere with the
ingress or egress of emergency vehicles, he shall order that the obstruction
be removed at once and that such areas be kept clear of obstruction
at all times. In order to facilitate the keeping of such ingress and
egress areas free from obstruction, the Fire Marshal or Fire Chief
shall erect the proper warning signs and shall designate placement
thereof in cooperation with the Department of Public Works, and he
shall designate proper fire lanes which shall be clearly marked with
the words, "Fire Lane — Do Not Block," and such curb,
road sidewalk or driveway or other access shall also have painted
upon it, in a highly visible color, lines that will delineate the
areas to be kept clear of any obstruction. Where such signs or markings
must be erected or painted on privately owned property, the cost of
the signs or marking or painting shall be borne by the owners of the
property.
A.
No person shall park or allow to be parked any vehicle of which he
is the owner in a manner that interferes with or obstructs a clearly
marked fire lane or fire hydrant area. In addition, no person shall
place or allow to be placed any material, debris or other object of
which he is the owner or has possession in a manner that interferes
with or obstructs a clearly marked fire lane or fire hydrant area.
B.
Any law enforcement officer or chief of a fire company may, whenever
necessary, take possession of, remove, tow away, impound or otherwise
remove any debris, material, vehicle or other object which interferes
with or obstructs previously established and marked fire lanes for
the access or operation of any fire company equipment or other emergency
vehicles or equipment.
C.
Any law enforcement agency, fire company or other County agency which
has cause to remove an obstruction from a fire lane during a fire
or other emergency is authorized to do so in any manner that is both
safe and expeditious and defined by this article. Any charges imposed
by the removing agent, public or private, shall be borne by the owner
of the obstruction.
In all cases involving parking violations in the way of fire
lanes established and marked pursuant to this article, a law enforcement
officer who discovers a vehicle illegally parked shall, if the operator
is absent, attach a summons to the vehicle in a conspicuous place
or, if the operator is present, deliver such summons to him. A copy
of the summons shall be retained by the officer and shall bear certification,
under penalty of perjury, by the officer attesting to the truth of
the matter therein set forth.
The County, any fire company serving the County or any law enforcement
officer or agency shall not be held liable for any damage to property
that may result from the proper application and enforcement of this
article.
A.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall
be fined according to the District Court of Maryland Schedule of Fines.
[Amended 11-13-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-12]
B.
Each day during which a violation of this article continues shall
be deemed a separate offense.
