Title
Designated Loading Zones - For the purpose of authorizing designated loading zones in the City of Annapolis; creating certain definitions; and generally related to designated loading zones.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Ordinance 7-20
Introduced by: Alderman Gay
Co-sponsored by:
Referred to
Public Safety Committee
Transportation Committee
90 day Rule: 5/11/20
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Designated Loading Zones
FOR the purpose of authorizing designated loading zones in the City of Annapolis; creating certain definitions; and generally related to designated loading zones.
BY repealing and re-enacting with amendments the following portions of the Code of the City of Annapolis, 2020 Edition
12.04.020
12.20.230
SECTION I: BE IT ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Code of the City of Annapolis shall be amended to read as follows:
Title 12 - VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
Chapter 12.04 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
12.04.020 - Definitions.
For the purposes of this title, the following words and phrases have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
A. "Authorized agent" means the company or legal entity, and its employees, agents and contractors, that has been designated by the city in writing to perform any duties or responsibilities related to the operation of the parking program, including but not limited to, enforcement personnel, parking garage attendants, parking meter technicians, citation processing personnel, permit issuance, and administrative or management staff.
B. "Authorized emergency vehicles" means vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles, and ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the Chief of Police.
C. "Crosswalk" means any portion of a roadway distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other marking on the surface or that portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections.
D. “DESIGNATED LOADING SPACE” MEANS THE AREA OR SPACE OFFICIALLY SET APART WITHIN A ROADWAY FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF DRIVERS OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, TAXIS AND DRIVERS FOR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SERVICE COMPANIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOADING AND UNLOADING GOODS AND PASSENGERS, AND WHICH IS PROTECTED OR IS SO MARKED OR INDICATED BY ADEQUATE SIGNS AS TO BE PLAINLY VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES WHILE SET APART AS A DESIGNATED LOADING ZONE.
DE. "Intersection" means the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curblines or, if none, the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come into conflict.
EF. "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled.
FG. "Official traffic-control devices" means all signs, signals, markings and devices, not inconsistent with this title, placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
GH. "Official traffic-control signal" means any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed.
HI. "Parking" means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, upon a roadway, other than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in obedience to traffic regulations or traffic signs or signals.
IJ. "Parking meter" means any device, machine, technology or process responsible for regulating parking by accepting legal currency, credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, tokens or any other approved payment methods to pay for parking.
JK. "Pedestrian" means any person afoot.
KL. "Private road or driveway" means every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner but not by other persons.
LM. "Right-of-way" means the privilege of the immediate use of the street.
MN. "Roadway" means the portion of a street between the regularly established curblines or that portion improved and intended to be used for vehicular travel.
NO. "Safety zone" means the area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
OP. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curblines, or the lateral lines, of a roadway, and the adjacent property intended for the use of pedestrians.
PQ. "Street or highways": The terms "street," "highway," "roads," "public highway" or "public roads" include any highway or thoroughfare of any kind used by the public, whether or not actually dedicated to the public and accepted by the proper authorities.
QR. "Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances either singly or together while using streets for purposes of travel.
RS. "Truck" means a pole trailer, semitrailer, special mobile equipment, trailer, truck or truck tractor, as those terms are defined in the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, whether or not attached to or detached from another vehicle.
ST. "Vehicle" means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public street.
Section 12.20.230 - DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES - Special parking permit for transport, shuttles and contractors.
A. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS MAY DESIGNATE, PLACE AND MAINTAIN UPON ALL PUBLIC STREETS DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES TO BE USED BY DRIVERS OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES LAWFULLY OPERATING IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPEDITIOUSLY LOADING AND UNLOADING GOODS, AND DRIVERS FOR TAXIS AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SERVICE COMPANIES, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 7.48.600, LAWFULLY OPERATING IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPEDITIOUSLY LOADING AND UNLOADING PASSENGERS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARAGRAPH "EXPEDITIOUSLY LOADING AND UNLOADING" MEANS ANY PERIOD OF INACTIVITY THAT DOES NOT EXCEED 10 MINUTES IN THE DISCRETION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OR AN AUTHORIZED AGENT AS DEFINED IN SECTION 12.04.020. UNLESS PERMITTED BY PARAGRAPH B BELOW OR BY SECTION 12.20.065, DRIVERS MAY ONLY LOAD AND UNLOAD GOODS AND PASSENGERS IN THESE DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES. DRIVERS ARE SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS FOR REMAINING IN THESE DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES BEYOND THE 10-MINUTE LIMIT. DRIVERS ARE TO USE THESE DESIGNATED LOADING ZONES REGARDLESS OF PASSENGER REQUESTS.
B. The Department of Transportation ("the department") may grant to owners of vehicles used to transport merchandise or materials, to owners of parking shuttles, and to construction, maintenance and repair contractors a special parking permit in order to reserve one or more parking spaces on the streets, whether metered or un-metered.
BC. Number of special parking permit spaces.
1. Within the historic district, as defined in Chapter 21.56 of the Annapolis City Code, the department may grant up to a maximum of three spaces to those owners specified in Section 12.20.230.AB. Two additional spaces may be authorized for specific permit applications after review of and approval by the City Manager of the special parking permit's impact.
2. Outside the historic district, the department may grant up to a maximum of five spaces to those owners specified in Section 12.20.230.AB.
3. The department may not grant special parking permits for more than five spaces in any one block of a street for any given day, regardless of whether such permits are provided to one or more different parties.
4. Applications for special parking permits by one or more parties that accumulate to a total of more than five spaces for the same occasion or event shall be referred to the special events coordinator under Chapter 14.18 of the Annapolis City Code, and shall require a special events permit in addition to a special parking permit.
CD. The department may not grant special parking permits that will be effective on weekends and holidays on the following streets without prior review of and approval by the City Manager of the special parking permit's impact:
Main Street;
Market Space;
Compromise Street;
Dock Street;
State Circle; and/or
Maryland Avenue.
DE. An application for a special parking permit shall be submitted to the department no less than three business days in advance of the time the permit is to be effective unless there is an emergency, as determined in the City's reasonable discretion, that requires immediate attention and that threatens life or property.
EF. Except at parking meters, all approved special parking permits shall be posted by the City on the applicable street a minimum of forty-eight 48 hours prior to the effective time of such permits. At parking meters, all approved special parking permits shall be posted by the City at a time that precedes the effective time of such permits by an interval equal to (1) the maximum time permitted at the applicable parking meter(s) plus (2) any time the applicable parking meter(s) will be inactive before the effective time of such permits occurs. Exceptions to these posting requirements may be made in the event of an emergency, as determined in the City's reasonable discretion, that requires immediate attention and that threatens life or property.
FG. Parking spaces reserved by special parking permits shall only be used for the parking, loading, and unloading of motor vehicles. This section may not be used in lieu of obtaining a street obstruction permit when required under Chapter 14.20 of the Annapolis City Code.
GH. The fee for a special parking permit for contractors, parking shuttles, or for merchandise/materials transport parking per day, including Sundays shall be established by resolution of the City Council. Payment for special PARKING permits shall be made in advance of use.
I. The owners or operators of vehicles used by public service companies as defined in Section 1-101(x) of the Public Utilities Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, or its successor, are not required to apply for or to obtain the permit provided for in this section in order to reserve parking spaces in accordance with this section.
SECTION II: AND BE IT FURTHER ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that this ordinance shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Explanation:
UPPERCASE indicates matter added to existing law.
Strikethrough indicates matter stricken from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments.