Harford County, MD Article IIIA Parking [1]

[1] Editor's Note: This article was created by Bill No. 91-9 by moving §§ 244-17 and 244-18 from Article III and adding § 244-17.1.

§ 244-17 General parking regulations.

A. The Director of the Department of Public Works may prohibit and otherwise regulate parking of vehicles by the erection of appropriate signs or meters indicating the method of parking.

B. No vehicle shall be parked in violation of any signs provided for in this chapter.

C. In any county-owned parking lot where meters are installed, it shall be unlawful for any person to park a vehicle in a space without inserting the proper coin or coins in the meter provided therefor or park for a longer period than that covered by such coin or coins.

D. No vehicles shall be parked in violation of any signs provided for in this section, and both the owner and the operator thereof shall be subject to the towing, storage and other charges incurred by the county in connection therewith for any violation of this Article.

[Amended by Bill No. 77-92]

E. Parking permits.

(1) County employees using any county parking lot restricted to permit-parking only shall obtain a valid parking permit issued by the county. The permit shall be affixed to the bottom of the lower left side of the rear window or to the lower left side of the front window of the vehicle in a manner that does not obstruct the driver's view but allows the officer clear visual identification of the permit.

(2) A permit located at any other place on the vehicle shall constitute an invalid permit, allowing the authorities to ticket the vehicle as illegally parked.

(3) The permit shall be removed from the vehicle when the vehicle is sold or transferred or a person to whom the permit was issued ceases to be a county employee.

(4) Temporary parking permits issued by the county shall be valid for the time periods for which they are issued and shall be placed in the bottom lower left side of the front window of the vehicle.

§ 244-17.1 Stopping, standing and parking.

A. The provisions of this section apply except as necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic control device.

(1) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle in front of a public driveway.

(2) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle on a sidewalk.

(3) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle in an intersection.

(4) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle on a crosswalk.

(5) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within thirty (30) feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by signs or markings.

(6) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle alongside or opposite any highway excavation or obstruction if to do so would obstruct the normal flow or movement of traffic.

(7) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle on any bridge or other elevated structure on a highway.

(8) A person may not stand or park a vehicle in front of a private driveway without the consent of the owner or occupant of the premises.

(9) A person may not stand or park a vehicle within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant.

(10) A person may not stand or park a vehicle within twenty (20) feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.

(11) A person may not stand or park a vehicle within thirty (30) feet on the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic control signal located at the side of a roadway.

(12) A person may not stand or park a vehicle within twenty (20) feet of the driveway or entrance to any fire station or on the side of a highway opposite the driveway or entrance to any fire station within seventy-five (75) feet of the driveway or entrance.

(13) A person may not stand or park a vehicle on the roadway side of any other vehicle that is stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a highway.

(14) A person may not stand or park a vehicle on a curve or hill where solid lines on the surface of the roadway indicate a zone in which passing is prohibited.

(15) A person may not park a vehicle within fifty (50) feet of the nearest rail in a railroad grade crossing.

(16) A person may not park a vehicle on any property owned by the Board of Education of Harford County where parking is prohibited by an official sign.

(17) A person may not stand or park a vehicle within thirty (30) feet of an intersection.

(18) A person may not park a vehicle in a fire lane.

[Added by Bill No. 00-63]

(19) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle within 10 feet of a residential or community mailbox, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, excluding any federal holiday without the owner’s consent.

[Added by Bill No. 11-30]

B. Stopping, parking or leaving vehicles on highways.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection:

(a) A person may not stop, park, or leave standing on the roadway any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, if it is practicable to stop, park, or leave the vehicle standing off the roadway.

(b) A person may not leave any vehicle standing on a highway without providing an unobstructed width of the roadway opposite the standing vehicle for the free passage of other vehicles.

(c) A person may not stop any vehicle on a highway unless it can be seen clearly from two hundred (200) feet away in each direction on the roadway.

(2) This subsection does not apply to the driver of a vehicle that has become unintentionally so disabled while on the highway that the driver cannot avoid stopping and temporarily leaving it there.

C. 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 twelve (12) inches of that curb or edge of the roadway.

D. A vehicle that is stopped or parked on a one-way roadway shall be stopped or parked parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway, in the direction of authorized traffic movement, with:

(1) Its right hand wheels within twelve (12) inches of the right hand curb or edge of the roadway; or

(2) Its left hand wheels within twelve (12) inches of the left hand curb or edge of the roadway.

E. Private property.

(1) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle on any private property not owned by the owner or driver of the vehicle unless the person has express or implied permission from the property owner, the property owner's tenant, or the property owner's agent.

(2) Upon the request of the property owner, the property owner's agent, or the property owner's tenant, a law enforcement officer may issue a citation for a violation of this subsection.

F. This section does not apply to:

(1) An emergency vehicle responding to an emergency call; or

(2) When used to perform work that necessitates it being positioned in violation of this section, a vehicle owned or operated by;

(a) A gas and electric company regulated by the State Public Service Commission;

(b) A telecommunications company;

(c) A cable television company operating under a franchise granted by the County Council; or

(d) Any entity performing contractual work for a company listed in this subsection.

G. A person shall not park a boat, recreational vehicle or trailer on any county road for more than 48 hours within any 30-day period.

[Added by Bill No. 04-24]

§ 244-18 Impoundment and sale of vehicles left unattended; record of towed vehicles.

A. Impoundment. If any motor vehicle is illegally parked on county property for more than twenty-four (24) hours or left unattended upon any public road, highway, alley or parking lot of the county in violation of any law, ordinance or order regarding the parking of motor vehicles, or if any motor vehicle is left unattended upon any such 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, the Director of the Department of Public Works, or the Director's authorized agent, shall have authority to impound and remove such motor vehicle and charge to the owner thereof the costs of towing, storage and any other charges incurred in connection therewith. All such charges shall be paid to the county or its authorized agent before the owner can reclaim the vehicle.

B. Sale. Whenever any motor vehicle or part thereof is in the custody of the Director of the Department of Public Works and whenever the owner or person entitled to the possession thereof cannot be located and fails to claim such motor vehicle or part thereof for a period of sixty (60) days after such motor vehicle or part thereof came into the custody of the Director of the Department of Public Works, the same may be disposed of by the Director of Public Works, at public sale, at any time between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., provided that an advertisement of the time, place and terms of the sale, together with a full, detailed description of such motor vehicle or part thereof shall be inserted in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least once each week for two (2) successive weeks prior to the sale, provided, further, that a notice by registered mail shall be sent at least ten (10) days prior to the sale to the owner and lien holder, if any, shown on the records of the State Motor Vehicle Administration or the person entitled to the possession of such motor vehicle or part thereof, if his address is known or if it can be ascertained by the exercise of reasonable diligence. If such address cannot be ascertained, such notice shall not be required.

C. Evidence of title to sold vehicles. The certificate of the Director of the Department of Public Works that he has sold any motor vehicle at public auction to a purchaser shall constitute sufficient evidence of title to any motor vehicle so sold, in order to enable any such purchaser to obtain a certificate of title and registration from the State Motor Vehicle Administration.

D. Distribution of proceeds of sale. After payment of the expenses of any sale held pursuant to this section and the amount of storage, towing and other charges incurred by the county on account of the motor vehicle or part thereof sold at such sale and after payment of all liens filed against the motor vehicle or part thereof, the balance, if any, received by the county at any such sale shall be held by the county for a period of one (1) year from the date of such sale. The county shall pay such balance to any person who shall file his verified claim prior to the expiration of such year establishing that he is the owner or person entitled to the possession of such motor vehicle. If no such claim is filed within such period, the balance shall be transferred to the general funds of the county.

E. Record of towed vehicles. The Director of the Department of Public Works, or his designee, shall maintain a record of each vehicle which is towed or moved pursuant to the provisions of this Article, so that a vehicle owner or operator may determine the location of the vehicle by calling the Director of the Department of Public Works. Such Director, or his designee, shall also submit daily, in writing, any record of such towing to the State Police barracks in the county and to the Sheriff's Office.

[Amended by Bill No. 21-027]