[Adopted by Bill No. 77-78]
[Amended by Bill No. 80-23]
A. 
Construction and maintenance. The county shall construct and maintain the county road system with full responsibility for county roads, streets, highways, alleys, parking areas, stormwater drains, curbs and gutters, bridges, streetlighting, roadside maintenance and beautification and all matters pertaining thereto. The county may construct or assume control over the maintenance of sidewalks as part of the county road system.
B. 
Control. The County has full power and authority to open, close, plan, construct, maintain, repair, improve, protect, preserve, alter, relocate, straighten, widen, rebuild, beautify and, in general, control all bridges, highways, roads, sidewalks, alleys, stormwater drains and such other facilities and appurtenances as it deems necessary or advisable in conjunction with the establishment and continuance of any efficient county road, bridge, sidewalk or stormwater drainage system.
C. 
Acquiring property. The County may acquire property for any of the purposes of this article by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, exchange or condemnation, including such land and buildings as may be necessary for administrative and maintenance purposes.
D. 
Sale of land no longer required for county highway purposes. Unless otherwise provided in the deed conveying land to the County for public highway purposes, the County shall offer the land no longer required for highway purposes to the person from whom the land was acquired or the successor in interest of that person upon payment of an amount equal to the consideration that the County paid for the land. If the land is not so disposed of, the County may negotiate the sale of the land owned in fee simple which has been or may become unnecessary for use by the county for highway purposes. The proceeds derived from the sale shall be deposited in the highway fund. For the purpose of this section, "County highway purposes" shall mean any repair, construction maintenance, creation, alteration, closure or relocation of any road, bridge, sidewalk, alley, parking area or any similar use.
E. 
Rules and regulations. The Department of Public Works shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations concerning the width, proper care, repair, improvement, construction and maintenance, creation, alteration, relocation and closure of County roads, bridges, sidewalks, alleys, parking areas and other appurtenant structures and may adopt regulations with reference to the use of the county roads, streets and highways by public utilities, corporations, individuals and the traveling public, except that no County road shall be closed without a resolution of the County Council. Such regulations shall include a proper protection of the roads and other appurtenances of the county highway system and shall impose reasonable penalties for a violation and make other necessary provisions for the enforcement thereof. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted pursuant to Section 807 of the Charter.
[Amended by Bill No. 05-20]
A. 
Authorized. The County may construct and improve roads and drainage incident to the construction or improvement on or along private roads, after the approval of a petition of the majority of the property owners whose property abuts on the road to be constructed or improved requesting that such roads be taken into the County road system. In the exercise of the powers granted by this section, the County may adopt all necessary rules and conditions for the acceptance, construction and maintenance of such roads and other authorized improvements by the County. Such ordinance may also provide for annual benefit assessments to be levied against the abutting properties and other properties benefited by the construction or improvement, for the purpose of reimbursing the County for the cost of such improvements and the time and manner of payment, except that the time of payment may not exceed 20 years. Annual benefit assessments shall be a first lien upon the property against which they are assessed until paid, subject only to prior state and county taxes, and if any property is sold for state and county taxes and there remains a surplus over the amount of the taxes due, the county, upon proper petition to the circuit court, may be allowed the payment of its lien.
B. 
Notice. For the purpose of giving notice to the general public as to existing liens and charges against any property for benefit assessments, the County shall keep a public record of all names of property owners and the locations of such property and the amount of such benefit charges among the land records of the County under the supervision of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the recordation with such Clerk of such benefit assessments shall be legal notice of such liens.
C. 
Collection. The County, on or before the beginning of the fiscal year, shall certify its benefit assessments under this section to the Treasurer of the County for collection from the property owners affected, and the Treasurer shall add the benefit assessments to the state and County property tax bills for collection by October 1 of each year without interest or discount. Upon failure of payment of the benefit assessments, they may be deducted from any surplus in the hands of the Treasurer after a sale for nonpayment of state and County property taxes under proper order of the Circuit Court. In the alternative, the lien created in favor of the annual benefit assessments may be enforced by bill in equity or by action in personam.
D. 
Petition. Before the powers granted by this section to the County shall be exercised, there shall first be presented to the County a petition by a majority of the property owners as hereinbefore provided requesting improvements, if money is available; public hearing upon the petition after 10 days' notice in a newspaper regularly published in the county; approval of the petition by the County; and the passage of any appropriate ordinance, pursuant to the authority of this section, setting forth the improvements being proposed, the property owners directly affected and all material terms of the annual benefit assessments levied to pay the cost of such improvements or any reasonable portion thereof, as determined by the County.
A. 
General powers. The Director of the Department of Public Works shall have full power to grade and regulate sidewalks along all paved streets, lanes and alleys in the county.
B. 
Notices concerning necessity of grading, paving or repairing. If the Director of the Department of Public Works finds that any sidewalk or portion thereof is not properly graded and paved or is in bad repair or otherwise in a defective condition, he may, in his judgment, determine that it needs grading, paving or repairing. In such case, the Director of the Department of Public Works shall serve a written or printed notice on every person whose property binds or abuts upon the sidewalk or portion thereof which requires grading, paving, repaving or repairing. In this notice he shall give all persons interested an opportunity within fifteen (15) days after the date of the notice to show cause, if any, why the sidewalk area should not be graded, paved or repaired. If the owner of any property cannot be found by the Director of the Department of Public Works, the notice shall be conspicuously posted upon the premises where the sidewalk is located.
C. 
Appeals; hearing; performance of work. Any person dissatisfied with the decision of the Director of the Department of Public Works concerning the necessity or grading, paving, repaving or repairing the sidewalk area may, within ten (10) days after the date of the hearing before the Director of the Department of Public Works, appeal to the County Council. In such event, the County Council shall hear the appeal, and its decision shall be final as to the necessity for the work on grading, paving, repaving or repairing the sidewalk area. If there is no appeal from the decision of the Director of Public Works or if, after appeal, his decision is affirmed by the County Council, the Director of Public Works shall have the sidewalk area properly graded, paved, repaved or repaired, except that the owner of the property then has the option of having the work done himself with materials approved by the Director of Public Works within thirty (30) days after the hearing held by the Director of Public Works or after the decision of the County Council, as the case may be. In either event, the work shall be done under the supervision of the Director of Public Works and in accordance with his specifications therefor, using the materials and following the procedures usually followed in modern, improved sidewalk paving.
D. 
Delivery of notice. The notice of the Director of Public Works that the sidewalk area is in need of grading, paving, repaving or repairing, required by this section may be left at any house on the land served by the sidewalk or served personally upon the owner or upon one (1) of the owners, tenants or agents, or a copy of the order may be published in one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation in the county or posted and set up on the premises.
E. 
Assessments. Upon the completion of any work done by the county in grading, paving, repaving or repairing any sidewalk area, the Director of Public Works shall record the fact of such completion, the date thereof and the total expense of doing the work and giving the notice. This total expense shall then be assessed against the abutting properties, in ratio to the percentage of the total sidewalk area which fronts or abuts on any respective portion of the total sidewalk area. The owner of any such respective portion, within fifteen (15) days thereafter, may appeal the special assessment to the County Council, and the County Council shall grant him a hearing on any such appeal. If the Council, in its discretion, determines that the special assessment was properly imposed and is a reasonable sum in relation to the work performed, it shall report the special assessment to the County Treasurer, who shall proceed to collect it in the same manner as taxes upon real estate are collected. The special assessment shall be a lien upon the property, and the County Treasurer shall have the same remedies for its collection as are provided for the collection of taxes upon real estate.
F. 
Additional remedy concerning assessments. In addition to the remedy provided in Subsection E of this section, the county may recover the cost of the grading, paving, repaving or repairing by suit or action at law from the owner of any property against whom a special assessment is levied.
A. 
Acquisition and general operation. The county may acquire, maintain and operate tracts or parcels of land for the disposal of refuse, garbage, rubbish or any other matter to be disposed of and may construct, on sites selected by the county, incinerators or other refuse disposal plants and waste disposal centers for the disposal of refuse, garbage, rubbish or any other matter. In the exercise of this power, the county may:
(1) 
Prescribe and enforce rules and regulations concerning the operation, maintenance and manner of use in the disposal areas or facilities, in accordance with Section 807 of the Charter.
(2) 
Make agreements with municipal corporations, special districts or other counties or other persons for cooperation, and financial support by way of service charges and fees, in the acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance of the disposal areas or facilities.
(3) 
Employ such personnel as may be necessary or desirable for the operation, maintenance or supervision of the disposal areas or facilities.
(4) 
Acquire land, including rights-of-way or easements, in fee simple or otherwise, as needed for the purposes of this section by purchase, gift, lease or condemnation.
B. 
Agreements with municipalities. The county is authorized to enter into agreements and contracts with any incorporated municipality for the purpose of disposing of the refuse, garbage, trash or other matter collected within the incorporated municipality at any incinerator or plant operated under the provisions of this section.
C. 
Construction of section. The provisions of this section shall be construed as additional and supplemental provisions to any existing laws providing for the disposal of refuse, garbage, rubbish or other matter.
A. 
The county may provide for streetlighting on county roads. The funding of such lights may come from special taxes or charges on the properties benefited by the lights. The County Council shall levy and collect such taxes and charges as it deems necessary to pay for the installation of such lights.
B. 
The Department of Public Works and the Treasury Department shall establish rules and regulations for the implementation of this section.
[Added by Bill No. 79-32; amended by Bill No. 80-11]
In accordance with the legislative powers granted to Harford County, Maryland, by Article 25A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and Section 218 of the Charter of Harford County, Maryland, the following roads in Harford County shall be designated as follows:
A. 
The county road known as "Jarrettsville Road," running from U.S. Route 1 in Harford County to the State of Maryland Route 165 in Harford County, shall be known as "Risteau Road." The additional designation is for historical purposes only, and the legal name of the road so described in this subsection shall remain Jarrettsville Road. An official highway map, showing the course of the road, is attached hereto and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code, as amended.
B. 
The sections of the county road known as "Old Mountain Road" shall have its name changed as follows:
(1) 
The county road called "Old Mountain Road" which parallels State Route 152 between the county road named "Cheyenne Drive" and the county road named "Stockton Road" shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Old Mountain Road, North."
(2) 
The county road known as "Old Mountain Road" paralleling State Route 152 between the county roads known as "Singer Road" and "Spring Avenue" shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Old Mountain Road, Central."
(3) 
The county road known as "Old Mountain Road" running parallel to State Route 152 in the area of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Route 95 Interchange, in the Joppatowne area of Harford County, Maryland, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Old Mountain Road, South."
(4) 
An official highway map, noting the changes and showing the courses of the road, is attached hereto and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code, as amended.
C. 
The county road known as "Wendover Road," a stub road running in a northwesterly direction from Brookhaven Court in Fallston, shall be known as "Falls Crest Drive." An official highway map, showing the name change and the course of the road, is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 88-18]
D. 
The portion of the county road known as "Winters Run Road" south of Federal Highway Interstate 95, terminating at Maryland Route 7, shall be known as "Fashion Way." An official highway map showing the name change and the course of the road is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 88-82]
E. 
The section of road known as "Calvary Road" between the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Route 95, and Philadelphia Road, Maryland Route 7, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Calvary Road South."
[Added by Bill No. 89l-35]
F. 
The road known as "MacPhail Road," which is east of Emmorton Road, State Route 924, shall, from and after this subsection is effective, be known as "East MacPhail Road." The portion of MacPhail Road west of Emmorton Road shall be known as "West MacPhail Road."
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
G. 
The road known as "Old Joppa Road" between the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Route 95, and Philadelphia Road, Maryland Route 7, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Old Joppa Road South."
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
H. 
The road known as "Mountain Road" south of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Route 95, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Mountain Road South."
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
I. 
The road known as "Stepney Road" between the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Route 95, and Philadelphia Road, Maryland Route 7, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "Stepney Road South."
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
J. 
The road known as "Tollgate Road" northwest of Belair Road, Maryland Business Route 1, shall, from and after the date this subsection is effective, be known as "North Tollgate Road." The portion of Tollgate Road southeast of Belair Road, Maryland Business Route 1, shall be known as "South Tollgate Road."
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
K. 
The official highway map showing the name changes and the course of the roads is attached to and made a part of Subsections E through J. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 89-35]
L. 
The stub section of road known as "Wheel Road" west of State Route 24 shall, from and after the date this act is effective, be known as "Wheel Court." An official highway map showing the name change for the affected portion of Wheel Road is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 89-50]
M. 
The section of the county road known as "Carrs Mill Road" west of Red Pump Road to Vale Road, shall be known as "Vale Road." An official highway map showing the name change for the affected portion of Carrs Mill Road is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 92-49]
N. 
The section of the County Road known as "Townewood Drive" from Joppa Farm Road to Shore Drive, shall be known as "Shore Drive." An official highway map showing the name change for Townewood Drive is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 92-69]
O. 
The section of the County Road known as "David Drive" from Rambler Road to the cul-de-sac, shall be known as "David Court." An official highway map showing the name change for David Drive is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 93-5]
P. 
The county road known as "B. Green Place" shall be known as "Advantage Avenue." A copy of a record plat denoting the road named B. Green Place is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 95-1]
Q. 
The county roads known as "Compass Point Road and Appliance Drive" shall be known as "McCormick Drive" from Station 11+00.00 to Station 16+66.97 as shown on Revised Final Plat 24, dated 12/04/95, prepared by Morris & Ritchie Associates, Inc. A copy of that record plat denoting the road named McCormick Drive is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 96-10]
R. 
The stub section of a road known as "Winslow Drive" south of Flintlock Drive from Station 28+31.49 to Station 29+89.69 shall, from and after the date this Act is effective, be known as Magnum Court. A revised preliminary subdivision plan for Section 32, Greenridge II dated April 17, 1997 and prepared by Frederick Ward Associates showing the name change for the affected portion of Winslow Drive is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the plan shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 97-48[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 2 of Bill No. 97-48 provides an effective date of September 2, 1997.
S. 
The roads now known as Lou-Mar Drive and Sedberry Lane shall, from and after the date this act is effective, be known as Woodspring Drive. Final plats for the redevelopment of the townhouse community should reflect the new road name. However, the plat shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 02-5]
T. 
The County road known as "Southampton Road" shall be known as "Old Southampton Road" from Moores Mill Road (Sta. 0+00) to the recently constructed terminus to the east of Bynum Run (Sta. 12+85). An official highway map showing the name change for Southampton Road is attached to and made a part of this subsection. However, the map shall not be codified in the Harford County Code.
[Added by Bill No. 10-29]
[Added by Bill No. 82-75]
Rental housing projects for low-income families where substantial rehabilitation has been performed by the owner may be exempt from any assessment imposed under the provisions of this Article upon the adoption of a resolution by the City Council.
[Added by Bill No. 95-10[1]]
A. 
Within 15 calendar days after the County Council makes the initial appropriation of funds for a capital project involving the construction or repair of a bridge located in an area where public water service is not available, the Department of Public Works shall send written notice of the project to the Division of Emergency Operations.
B. 
Within 15 calendar days after receiving the notice, the Division of Emergency Operations shall send written notice of the project to the volunteer fire company which serves the area.
C. 
Within 30 calendar days after receiving the notice, the fire company shall:
(1) 
Determine whether the stream or body of water spanned by the bridge is suitable for firefighting use; and
(2) 
Provide written notice to the Department of Public Works of the following information:
(a) 
Whether the water is suitable for firefighting use;
(b) 
Whether the fire company is requesting that the Department provide access to the water as part of the capital project; and
(c) 
If the access is requested, the method of access to be provided.
D. 
If the estimated cost of providing access to the water is $5,000 or less, the Department of Public Works shall provide the access as part of the capital project.
E. 
If the estimated cost of providing access to the water is more than $5,000, the Director of Administration shall determine whether the Department of Public Works will provide the access as part of the capital project.
F. 
In determining whether a supply of water is suitable for firefighting use, the fire company shall use the standards established in the International Fire Service Training Association publication "Water Supplies for Fire Protection," or other standards established by the Harford County Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Association, Inc.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 2 of this bill provided that the Department of Public Works shall, in cooperation with the Harford County Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Association, Inc., establish a program for review of those existing bridges within the county which are not scheduled for capital improvements under the county's Six-Year Capital Improvement Program to determine those bridges where it would be both suitable and necessary to establish an access to water for firefighting use.