EXPLANATION: CAPITALS indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL
Introduced by: Councilmember Mitchell
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Title
Transit and Traffic - Continuous Parking
FOR the purpose of repealing the prohibition against an otherwise lawfully parked vehicle from standing more than 48 hours in the same location; restating the relevant provisions governing "abandoned vehicles"; correcting, clarifying, and conforming certain language; and generally relating to the parking, standing, stopping, and abandoning of vehicles.
Body
BY renaming
Article 31 - Transit and Traffic
Subtitle 6, Part 4, "Continual or Continuous Parking
to be
Subtitle 6, Part 4, "Continual Parking"
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
BY repealing
Article 31 - Transit and Traffic
Section(s) 6-22
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
BY repealing and reordaining, with amendment
Article 31 - Transit and Traffic
Section(s) 31-1(a) and 31-8
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
SECTION 1. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 31. Transit and Traffic
Subtitle 6. Parking, Standing, and Stopping Regulations
PART 4. CONTINUAL [OR CONTINUOUS] PARKING
[§ 6-22. Continuously parking in 1 spot.
(a) Prohibited conduct.
No vehicle shall be permitted to stand more than 48 hours continuously in the same location.
(b) Exceptions.
(1) Provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be applicable to:
(i) vehicles of the Police Department or the Fire Department;
(ii) any emergency vehicle belonging to the City or to any public utility;
(iii) vehicles belonging to physicians or undertakers; or
(iv) vehicles with disabled person registration plates.
(2) And provided further that nothing herein contained shall be construed to modify in any way the restrictions or provisions of any ordinance or regulation as to parking of vehicles on any boulevard or through street, but such restrictions and provisions shall continue in effect as if this section had not been passed.]
Subtitle 31. Clear Streets and Impoundment
§ 31-1. Definitions.
(a) Abandoned vehicle.
"Abandoned vehicle" has the meaning stated in STATE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE ("MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW") § 25-201 [of the Maryland Vehicle Law].
§ 31-8. Abandoned vehicles.
(a) "Department" defined.
In this section, "Department" means:
(1) the Department of Public Works, if that agency has been designated for these purposes by the Board of Estimates, as provided in STATE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE ("MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW") § 25-201(e)(3) [of the Maryland Vehicle Law]; or
(2) otherwise, the Baltimore City Police Department.
(b) Abandonment prohibited.
The abandonment of a vehicle on the streets of the City, on any other public property, or on any private property without the consent of the owner or person in control of that private property is prohibited by MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW § 25-202 [of the Maryland Vehicle Law], subject to the penalties provided in MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW Title 27 [of the Maryland Vehicle Law].
(c) Removal of vehicle - on public property.
[Where] IF a vehicle has been abandoned on a street or any other public property, the Department may have the vehicle removed as provided in this subtitle.
(d) Removal of vehicle - on private property.
(1) [Where] IF a vehicle has been abandoned on private property, the Department shall first ascertain who owns or controls the property and make a reasonable effort to discover whether the vehicle is parked or stored on the property with the consent of the owner or person in control of the property.
(2) [If] THE VEHICLE IS DEEMED ABANDONED AND MAY BE TOWED OR OTHERWISE REMOVED, AS PROVIDED FOR VEHICLES FOUND ABANDONED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, IF:
(i) by reasonable investigation, the Department determines that the vehicle is parked on the property without the consent of the owner or person in control; [or]
(ii) the owner or person in control cannot be located within a reasonable period of time; or
(iii) the storage of the vehicle is in violation of the zoning laws or regulations of the City as applied to that property[,
then the vehicle is deemed abandoned and may be towed or otherwise removed, as provided for vehicles found abandoned on public property].
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.
dlr06-884~intro/07Jun06
art31/48-hr prkg/aa:,me
dlr06-884~intro/07Jun06
- 2 -
art31/48-hr prkg/aa:,me