[Adopted 10-4-1994 by Ord. No. 94-61; amended in its entirety 2-28-2012 by Bill No.
2012-01]
In this article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Every motor vehicle except school buses, designed for carrying
more than 10 passengers and used for the transportation of persons;
and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab, designed and used for
the transportation of persons for compensation.
Any motor vehicle and tandem axle trailer or semitrailer
designed and used for carrying freight or merchandise or used in furtherance
of any commercial enterprise that has:
A gross vehicle weight (GVW) of more than 10,000 pounds;
A manufacturer's rated capacity of more than one ton;
A length of more than 21 feet measured from the extremes of
the vehicle, including any object loaded on the vehicle; or
A height of more than eight feet with properly inflated tires,
measured from the ground to the highest part of the vehicle, including
racks, but not antennas. A heavy commercial vehicle does not include
a motor vehicle owned by the County or other governmental agency or
a farm machine or vehicle used for agriculture.
Any commercial vehicle engaged in the performance of work
within a street, highway or other public property when such work is
contracted for by any state, County, or municipal agency or public
utility.
To halt a vehicle, whether or not it is occupied, other than
temporarily:
[Added 9-10-2019 by Bill
No. 2019-03]
To halt even momentarily a vehicle, whether or not it is
occupied, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic
or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or a traffic
control device.
[Added 9-10-2019 by Bill
No. 2019-03]
A general-use vehicle designed to be towed by a motor vehicle.
A utility trailer includes a:
Any appliance moved over a highway on wheels or traction
tread, including streetcars, draft animals and beasts of burden, automobiles,
motorcycles, motorbikes, motor-propelled carts and wagons and every
vehicle propelled by an internal-combustion engine or any trailer.
It shall be unlawful in Charles County for any person to:
A.
Stop, stand or park a vehicle.
[Amended 9-10-2019 by Bill No. 2019-03]
(1)
In front of a public driveway;
(2)
On a sidewalk;
(3)
In an intersection or within 20 feet of an intersection radius (where
the pavement begins to curve for the cross-street) or opposite a side
street at a T intersection;
(4)
On a crosswalk;
(5)
Where stopping, standing or parking a vehicle is prohibited by an
official sign;
(6)
In front of a curb ramp designed for the use of individuals with
disabilities;
(7)
On any private property not owned by the owner or driver of the vehicle
unless the person has express or implied permission of the property
owner, his tenant, or his agent to stop, stand, or park the vehicle;
(8)
Whether attended or unattended, on the travel portion of the roadway
as defined in Maryland Transportation Article 11-151.
B.
Stand or park a vehicle.
(1)
At a curb indicated to be a fire lane, if properly signed;
(2)
In front of a private driveway without the consent of the owner or
occupant of the premises;
(3)
Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4)
Within 30 feet of the approach to any stop sign, yield sign, flashing
signal or traffic control signal located at the side of a roadway;
(5)
Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station or within
75 feet on the highway opposite to the driveway entrance, if properly
signed;
(6)
On the roadway side of any other vehicle that is stopped or parked
at the edge or curb of a highway;
(7)
On a curve or hill where solid lines on the surface of the roadway
indicate a zone in which passing is prohibited;
(8)
On a one-way roadway with its right-hand wheels more than 12 inches
from the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or with its left-hand
wheels more than 12 inches from the left-hand curb or edge of the
roadway;
(9)
Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; or
(10)
Within 10 feet of a driveway (measured from the nearest edge
of the driveway flare or where the pavement begins to curve for the
driveway) within a speed zone of 30 mph or higher.
[Amended 9-10-2019 by Bill No. 2019-03]
C.
Park a vehicle.
(1)
Within 50 feet of the nearest rail in a railroad grade crossing;
or
(2)
On any property owned by the Charles County Commissioners, Charles
County Board of Education or the College of Southern Maryland where
parking is prohibited by an official sign.
(3)
Park heavy commercial vehicles, utility trailers, or buses on a public
roadway where truck, trailer and bus parking is prohibited by official
signs unless it is:
(a)
A vehicle engaged in loading or unloading passengers, merchandise
or materials;
(b)
A vehicle used by the owner or operator when engaged in work
on the property abutting the street;
(c)
A bus that stops for a period of time, not to exceed 30 minutes,
to maintain a schedule at an authorized terminal stand for a bus route
operating under a permit from the State Public Service Commission;
(d)
A vehicle that is involuntarily parked because of mechanical
failure or other emergency for 48 hours or less; or
(4)
The County may prohibit parking of heavy commercial vehicles, utility
trailers and buses on a County public road or a portion thereof when:
D.
Stop, stand or park a vehicle in a parking space for use of an individual
with disabilities or otherwise reserved for the handicapped, unless
the vehicle bears a special registration plate, windshield placard
or other valid permit issued by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration,
another state or the District of Columbia.
E.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a vehicle that is stopped
or parked on a two-way roadway shall be stopped or parked parallel
to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, with its right-hand
wheels within 12 inches of that curb or edge of the roadway.
[Added 9-10-2019 by Bill
No. 2019-03]
The Office of the Sheriff or any other duly authorized law enforcement
agency may remove and impound a vehicle that is left unattended on
a public road, highway, alley or parking lot in violation of a law,
ordinance or order regarding the parking of vehicles or on a public
road, highway, alley or parking lot for an unreasonable length of
time so as to impede the movement of traffic or constitute a threat
to public safety and shall charge the owner of the vehicle that is
impounded the costs of towing, storage and other charges incurred
in connection with the removal and impoundment of the vehicle.
Sworn members of the Office of the Sheriff are authorized to
issue citations for violations of this article.
B.
The officer shall retain a copy of the citation which shall include
the officer's certification under penalty of perjury that the facts
stated in the citation are true.
C.
Whenever an unattended [motor] vehicle is found in violation of the
provisions of this article, the registered owner of the vehicle is
presumed to be the person receiving the citation.
E.
Failure to pay the fine or stand trial or to otherwise obey the citation
shall result in the vehicle registration renewal being withheld and
additional handling and delinquent fees imposed until the required
payment is made.
F.
Every citation issued under this article shall contain a notice to
the recipient how to pay the fine or elect to stand trial and the
effect of failure to pay the fine or failure to appear for trial.
G.
If a person elects to stand trial and desires the presence at trial
of the officer who issued the citation, the person must notify the
Charles County Sheriff's Office, in writing, within 15 days of receipt
of the citation. If proper written notification is not given, the
officer need not appear at the trial, and the copy of the citation
bearing the certification of the officer is prima facie evidence of
the facts stated in it.
It is the intent of this article to implement and exercise those
powers authorized by Subtitle 3 of Title 26, Transportation Article,
Annotated Code of Maryland, which are not self-executing. Accordingly,
the provisions of this article are additional to and not a substitution
for any and all of the provisions of Subtitle 3 of Title 26 which
are hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any conflict
between the provisions of this article and the incorporated provisions
of Subtitle 3 of Title 26, the provisions of this article shall control.
