Title
Towing of Vehicles - For the purpose of clarifying when a stopped, standing, or parked vehicle is subject to towing.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Ordinance 33-20
Introduced by: Alderwoman Tierney
Co-sponsored by: Alderwoman Pindell Charles
Referred to
Public Safety Committee
Transportation Committee
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Towing of Vehicles
FOR the purpose of clarifying when a stopped, standing, or parked vehicle is subject to towing.
BY repealing and re-enacting with amendments the following portions of the Code of the City of Annapolis, 2020 Edition
12.20.010
12.20.020
12.20.030
12.20.110
12.20.200
12.20.210
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 12.20 - STOPPING, STANDING, AND PARKING
Section 12.20.010 - Obstructing driveway.
A. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for a driver of any vehicle to park the vehicle in such a manner that a driveway or any portion thereof is blocked so that free entrance and exit INGRESS AND EGRESS to such driveway is hindered.
B. Any person violating this section, upon conviction, is subject to a fine as established by resolution of the City Council. A VEHICLE PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO TOWING PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.20.210 AND A PERSON VIOLATING THIS SECTION, UPON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE AS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
Section 12.20.020 - Parking adjacent to red-lined curb, bus stop zone or fire hydrant zone.
A. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for the driver of any vehicle to park such vehicle adjacent to a curb indicated or marked by a red line, bus stop zones and within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant.
B. Any person violating this section, upon conviction, is subject to a fine as established by resolution of the City Council. A VEHICLE PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO TOWING PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.20.210 AND A PERSON VIOLATING THIS SECTION, UPON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE AS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
Section 12.20.030 - Parking adjacent to yellow-lined curb.
A. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for the driver of any vehicle to park such vehicle adjacent to a yellow-lined curb designated by signs indicating "Loading-Unloading Only" or at any other yellow-lined curb unless the vehicle is entitled to be parked there by authority of the Annapolis City Council or its duly authorized agent.
B. Any person violating this section, upon conviction, is subject to a fine as established by resolution of the City Council. A VEHICLE PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO TOWING PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.20.210 AND A PERSON VIOLATING THIS SECTION, UPON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE AS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Section 12.20.110 - Parking trailers.
A. For purposes of this section, the term "trailer" shall include trailers, boat trailers, camping trailers, fifth wheel trailers, pole trailers, semitrailers, travel trailers and home trailers as those terms are defined in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Transportation Article, (1982 Repl. Vol.) or its successor.
B. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for the driver or owner of any trailer or trailer-type vehicle to cause the same to be parked, while attached to a motor vehicle, upon any public street, lane or alley within the City, for more than forty-eight consecutive hours and ten days total within a calendar year.
C. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for the driver or owner of any trailer or trailer-type vehicle to cause the same to be parked, while detached from a motor vehicle, upon any public street, lane or alley within the City, except in the event of an emergency.
D. No trailer or trailer-type vehicle detached from a motor vehicle shall be parked on any municipal parking lot, nor shall any attached trailer-type vehicle be parked on any municipal parking lot when the combined length of the towing vehicle and trailer attached exceeds nineteen feet.
E. The Chief of Police, or his or her authorized representative, may grant exemptions from subsection C above, in nonresidential-zoned areas only with respect to a specific trailer or trailer-type vehicle to be located at a specified location for a specified length of time, subject to such conditions, requirements and fees as the Chief of Police or his or her representative may designate.
F. Boat Trailers at Launching Facilities.
1. Except as provided below, it is unlawful and a misdemeanor for a boat trailer, whether or not it is attached to a motor vehicle, to be parked upon a public street, lane or alley in the area bounded by Rowe Boulevard, Weems Creek, Severn River, the municipal border with the United States Naval Academy, to its intersection at Taylor Avenue and Annapolis Street, and Taylor Avenue. An exception shall be granted to any resident of the City of Annapolis to park a boat trailer within the area delineated above, if said trailer is attached to a motor vehicle and bears a boat trailer permit issued by the City of Annapolis.
2. The Director of Recreation and Parks, or his or her authorized representative, shall issue to any City resident, a boat trailer permit upon proof of residency, and ownership and registration of boat and trailer. The permit shall be issued for and shall be affixed to a specified boat trailer and shall be nontransferable.
3. The permit fee shall be established by resolution of the City Council, payable at the time of the submission of the application for the permit. The permit year shall commence on January 1st and terminate on December 31st. The fee shall not be prorated and no portion of any fee shall be refundable. Further, the fee may be waived for any City resident submitting proof of age above sixty years.
G. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, it is unlawful and a misdemeanor for the driver or owner of any trailer or trailer-type vehicle to cause the same to be parked in a manner that interferes with or hinders the operation of any authorized emergency vehicle.
H. Any person violating this section, including any violation of the boat permit provisions hereof, upon conviction, is subject to a fine as established by resolution of the City Council. A TRAILER OR TRAILER-TYPE VEHICLE PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO TOWING PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.20.210 AND A PERSON VIOLATING THIS SECTION, INCLUDING ANY VIOLATION OF THE BOAT PERMIT PROVISIONS HEREOF, UPON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE AS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
Section 12.20.200 - Removal of vehicle parked for longer than forty-eight hours or in prohibited area.
A. Except as permitted by Subsection B of this section, a vehicle may neither remain parked or standing on any street or in any municipal off-street parking facility in the City for longer than forty-eight consecutive hours.
B. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to:
1. Any vehicle registered to an owner at an address located within the City of Annapolis; or
2. Any vehicle displaying a current and valid City of Annapolis residential parking permit issued pursuant to Chapter 12.32 of this code or which is otherwise registered with the City and the authorized agent as a permit holder; or
3. Any vehicle displaying a current and valid State of Maryland nonresidential permit sticker issued by the State of Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
C. A vehicle may not remain parked in a municipal off-street parking facility for longer than has been prepaid for the vehicle.
D. A person violating any provision of this section, upon conviction, is subject to a fine as established by resolution of the City Council. A VEHICLE PARKED IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO TOWING PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.20.210 AND A PERSON VIOLATING THIS SECTION, UPON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE AS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
Section 12.20.210 - Towing of vehicles.
A. Any police officer, parking enforcement officer, or the authorized agent may order the towing of the following motor vehicles and trailers:
1. A vehicle violating any parking or parking meter provision of this title if the parking or parking metered area from which the vehicle is to be towed is posted "Tow Zone" or "Cars Impounded," or a notice of similar import, except as otherwise provided in this chapter;
2. A vehicle remaining parked or standing in any municipal off-street parking facility in the City for longer than forty-eight consecutive hours, and a vehicle remaining parked in any municipal off-street parking facility for longer than has been prepaid for the vehicle;
3. A vehicle OR TRAILER violating the provisions of Sections 12.20.010, 12.20.020, 12.20.030, 12.20.110 or 12.20.200;
4. A vehicle which is left standing or parked in any manner in which the vehicle is a menace, nuisance or obstacle to the free and effective movement of any traffic or to the operation or potential operation of emergency vehicles, emergency work or emergency workers;
5. A vehicle for which five or more citations for municipal parking violations have been issued within one year and which have been adversely adjudicated or are uncontested and remainedREMAIN unsatisfied; or
6. A vehicle unlawfully parked in a space reserved toFOR A physically handicapped personsPERSON, PLUG-IN ELECTRIC DRIVE VEHICLE CHARGING, or any debris, material, vehicle or other object which interferes with or obstructs marked fire lanes, or vehicles parked in designated fire lanes which are for the access of operation of any Fire Department equipment or other emergency vehicles or equipment; or
7. A vehicle that is abandoned on public property as defined by Maryland Transportation Article, Section 25-201 or its successor; or
8. A vehicle parking or standing on any City street or in any municipal off-street parking facility for longer than forty-eight consecutive hours, if the vehicle is unregistered according to the laws of the State of Maryland.
B. Upon the towing of a vehicle as provided for in Subsection A of this section, the City or the authorized agent shall make reasonable efforts to notify the owner as to the location of the vehicle.
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.