It shall be unlawful for any person to ride any automobile, bicycle or any vehicle of any kind on any of the sidewalks of the Town of Edmonston.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Edmonston 2-10-1997 by Ord. No. 96-002 (Ch. 44 of the 1997 Code); amended in its entirety 4-11-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-OR-03. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Except as provided in § 435-3 of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person riding a bicycle or motor scooter on the streets of Edmonston to take any other person on the same bicycle or motor scooter at the same time; and no bicycle shall be allowed on the streets of the Town at nighttime without a white light on the front which is visible for at least 200 feet and a red light or reflector on the rear which is plainly visible.
No operator of any bicycle, motor scooter or motorcycle when upon any street, highway or avenue within the Town of Edmonston shall carry any person or persons upon the handlebars or the frame of such vehicle, nor shall any person so ride upon any such vehicle nor shall any motor scooter be used to carry two or more persons unless said motor scooter is equipped with a tandem adjustment or auxiliary set equipped with a seat, handlehold and footrest for each person in excess of the operator carried there, the upper half of the rear wheel to be so enclosed as to shield completely the clothing of the person occupying the seats of said motor scooter from contact with the upper half of the rear wheel.
A.
No person traveling on any bicycle, motorcycle, motor scooter, sled, scooter, toy wagon, roller skates or any toy vehicle shall cling to or attach himself or his vehicle to any other moving vehicle upon any of the streets or upon any roadway within the Town of Edmonston.
B.
No person shall ride upon any portion of any vehicle not designed or intended for the use of passengers when the vehicle is in motion. This provision shall not apply to any employee involved in the necessary execution of his duties.
A.
No person shall park any automobile or any other vehicle:
(1)
On any sidewalks or in front of any private driveway or any part of any private driveway so as to deny reasonable access thereto.
(2)
Nearer than 15 feet to any fireplug. ($160)
(3)
Nearer than 15 feet on the approach side to any stop sign or other traffic sign, except where there is a pedestrian crosswalk, and then there shall be no parking within 20 feet of the crosswalk on the approach side to any stop sign or other traffic sign.
(4)
Nearer to any intersecting street than 15 feet from the curb fillet of said street.
(5)
In any space where parking has been prohibited by order of the Mayor and Town Council and where the parking prohibition is indicated by a traffic control device erected under the authority of the Mayor and Council or where the curbing has been painted or marked to indicate the prohibition.
(6)
On any sidewalk, footway, curbing or space between a footway and the street in the Town.
(7)
On any unpaved area.
(8)
On land belonging to the Town abutting any street, avenue, alley, road, sidewalk, footway or curbing of the Town, whether paved or unpaved, without the express consent of the Town.
(9)
In a space or zone marked as restricted for the use of handicapped individuals, unless the vehicle so parked displays an official state handicapped license plate or placard. ($310)
(10)
In a fire lane. ($310)
(11)
In front of the building restriction line on any residential property in Town except where such vehicle is parked in a bona fide and paved driveway.
(12)
Prohibiting parking other than on a street, upon any private property, unless with permission of the person in control thereof or an occupant thereof, under any of the following conditions: if such driveway or property is posted to indicate that parking thereon is prohibited.
B.
Any unattended vehicle found parked in violation of any of the parking ordinances of the Town shall be presumed to have been so parked and left unattended by its owner.
C.
Where the Town of Edmonston has created parking spaces by painted or marked stripes, all vehicles must be parked within the confines of the designated parking space. Failure to park within spaces designated by striping or parking in such a manner so as to occupy more than one designated parking space shall constitute an infraction punishable by fine as provided in § 435-16 of this chapter.
($110)
A.
Except as provided in Subsection B hereof, it shall be unlawful for any person to park any automobile or other vehicle on any of the streets of the Town of Edmonston for a continuous period of more than 48 hours at any one time. Any vehicle so parked shall become an abandoned vehicle, as defined in Chapter 429, Vehicles, Abandoned, Inoperable or Junked, § 429-1, and shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 429.
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or cause to be driven any motor vehicle or other vehicle upon any sidewalk, curbing or footway in the Town of Edmonston except at the intersection of streets, avenues, alleys, roads or at properly constructed driveways.
All vehicles on the streets of Edmonston, when not in motion, shall stand with their right sides parallel to and not more than 12 inches from the curb or curbline, and no driver shall park or stop a vehicle otherwise on the public highways of the Town. All vehicles shall be parked in the direction of traffic; provided, however, that it shall be lawful to park vehicles in either direction on both sides of the end block of a dead-end street.
A.
The definition of "truck" is a motor vehicle, except a multipurpose passenger van, designed, used, and maintained primarily to carry property (as provided in Section 11-171 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland).
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a truck in excess of five tons' gross weight upon or through all streets or portions of streets posted by signs which give notice of such prohibition.
C.
The prohibition contained in Subsection B shall not apply to any truck which is making local pickups or deliveries of goods, supplies, merchandise or materials or which is providing services to any business or household located in the "no truck" posted area. The truck must make the local pickups or deliveries of goods, supplies, merchandise or materials or which is providing services to any business or household in a timely manner and obey other Town ordinances. Any vehicle failing to obey the "no truck" sign is in violation of the State of Maryland Traffic Article 21-201(a)(1) failure to obey traffic control device. Violators will be cited under this state law.
D.
The prohibition contained in Subsection B shall not apply to any such truck which is owned or operated by a resident of Edmonston and is allowed to be parked at the resident's dwelling in Edmonston.
E.
46th Avenue off Decatur Street is the street designated as the access route for trucks going in the neighborhood of Lafayette Place, Ingraham Street or 46th Avenue, where industrial and urban light industrial properties are located.
It shall be unlawful to park any "inoperable vehicle" as that term is defined in § 429-2 of the Town Code or any motor vehicle that is required to be registered under state law that has expired registration, no registration, altered registration or registration listed to another vehicle on a public street, alley or highway or private property used by the public in general, including but not limited to parking lots of shopping centers, condominiums, apartments and townhouse developments within the Town. A violation of this section shall be deemed a municipal infraction. A violation of not more than 30 days shall be considered an expired registration, punishable by a fine of $80. Any violation of more than 30 days shall be considered as unregistered and therefore inoperable and shall be punishable by a fine of $510 and as otherwise outlined under § 429-2.
[Amended 11-13-2024 by Ord. No. 2025-OR-06]
($160)
A.
Preamble. The Mayor and Town Council find and declare that serious adverse conditions in certain areas and neighborhoods of the Town of Edmonston result from motor vehicle congestion, particularly long-term parking of motor vehicles on the streets of such areas and neighborhoods by nonresidents thereof. The permit parking program herein established is intended to reduce hazardous traffic conditions resulting from the use of streets within these areas or neighborhoods by nonresidents; to protect the residents of these areas from unreasonable burdens in gaining access to their residences; to preserve the value of the property residential districts; to preserve the value of the property in those districts; and to preserve the safety of children and other pedestrians and for the peace, good order, comfort, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of the Town.
B. HOUSEHOLD MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN PEAK PERIOD RESIDENTIAL AREA OR DISTRICT RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING PROGRAM AREA
Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the meanings listed below:
All persons occupying a single housing unit (house, apartment, group of rooms or single room intended for occupancy as separate living quarters).
A vehicle licensed as a private passenger car or a motorcycle, including all vehicles designated as multipurpose passenger vehicles under the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
A method specifically designed to address the identified parking needs of a clearly defined area through use of techniques such as a residential permit parking program, parking time restrictions, special meter zones and one-way street patterns.
That time interval between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays during which the highest percentage of overall resident and nonresident parking utilization as well as nonresidential parking utilization occurs.
A contiguous or nearly contiguous area containing public streets and highways or parts thereof primarily abutted by residential property, including but not limited to schools, parks, churches, hospitals and nursing homes, which is within an area zoned as a residence district.
A residential area designated as herein provided, wherein a vehicle belonging to a resident displaying a valid permit as described herein shall be exempt from parking time restrictions established pursuant to this section.
C.
Procedure for designating residential permit parking areas. There is established a residential permit parking program designed to meet those needs which shall be available to all resident areas or neighborhoods of the Town which are zoned residential. In order to qualify for the program, such areas or neighborhoods must meet the criteria set forth herein. Such areas shall be established only after completion of the procedure outlined herein. This procedure shall be as follows:
(1)
Petition. In order to be considered for a residential permit parking program, a neighborhood group, group of residents or community association must submit a petition to the Town Council containing the signature of an adult member of at least 80% of the households in the residential area. Petitions will be considered for areas as small as one complete street, both sides included. The boundaries of and the streets within the proposed permit parking area must be clearly identified on each page of the petition. A cover letter explaining the reason for the request and containing the boundaries of streets within the proposed permit parking area should accompany the petition.
(2)
Designation by the Mayor and Council. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 435-11C(1), the Mayor and Town Council by majority vote may establish by resolution any street within the Town of Edmonston as residential parking permit area.
(3)
Public hearing. Upon receipt of a valid petition or if designated by the Mayor and Town Council, a public hearing will be conducted. The hearing shall be held only after due notice has been published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town, provided in the Town newsletter or posted in the Town Hall. The notice shall state the purpose of the hearing, the exact location and boundaries of the area under consideration and the permit fees. The creation, alteration or elimination of a residential parking district shall take into account, among other things:
(a)
The effect on the safety of residents of the area under consideration from intensive use by nonresidents for parking of vehicles;
(b)
The need of the residents of the area to obtain adequate on-street parking adjacent to or close by their places of residence;
(c)
The difficulty or inability of residents of the area to secure adequate on-street parking adjacent to or close by their places of residence because of widespread use of available parking spaces in that area by nonresident transient motorists;
(d)
The impact of public facilities and programs on the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the area and any unreasonable burdens placed on those residents in securing adequate on-street parking and gaining access to their places of residence by virtue of such facilities and programs;
(e)
The likelihood of alleviating, by the creation, alteration or elimination of a residential parking district, of any problem of nonavailability of residential parking spaces;
(f)
The desire of the residents in the area for the creation, alteration or elimination of a residential parking district, and the willingness of those residents to bear the administrative costs incidental to the issuance of permits authorized;
(g)
The need for some parking spaces to be available in the area under consideration for use by visitors and the general public; and
(h)
Such other factors as shall be deemed relevant.
(4)
Adoption. Within 60 days following the public hearing, the Mayor and Town Council shall act upon the recommendation to create, alter or eliminate a residential parking district. The Mayor and Town Council may create, alter or eliminate a residential parking district by adoption of a resolution which identifies the boundaries of the district and establishes the times, locations and conditions under which parking is limited by permit.
D.
Implementation and administration of the program.
(1)
Any street within the corporate limits of the Town of Edmonston that has been designated by resolution of the Town Council by majority vote as a residential permit parking program area shall be subject to regulation by this chapter. Any area designated as a residential permit parking program will be marked by signs which designate the area as "Permit Parking Only - violators will be ticketed and towed," or other words to that effect. Motor vehicles parked in areas so marked must display a properly issued residential parking permit which was lawfully obtained in the manner described in this chapter.
(a)
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced only during the hours designated by the Mayor and Town Council.
(b)
The issuance of a residential parking permit does not allow for the parking of any motor vehicle in violation of any other parking restrictions, such as fire lanes or handicapped parking spaces.
(c)
Once the Town Council designates a particular area as a residential permit parking program area, the Town shall erect signs that clearly mark the area for enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. Enforcement of these marked areas will not start until 30 days after the posting of the signs in the area to allow for households to obtain the required permit.
(d)
Only three types of residential parking permits will be recognized as legitimate. The permanent parking permit will be a sticker that is issued to a single vehicle and may only be removed from that vehicle or transferred to another vehicle in compliance with the requirements set forth in Subsection D(7) in this chapter.
(e)
A visitor's parking permit is transferable between vehicles.
(f)
A one-time parking permit is issued by the Town of Edmonston to a household that makes applications for them for the purpose of allowing the member of a household to have a number of vehicles parked near his or her home for an occasional event. These permits shall be issued at a cost of $5 per permit and are only valid for the day that they are issued.
(g)
The designs of each of the types of permits shall be approved by the Mayor and Town Council based on a resolution that passes by a majority vote.
(3)
Expiration of permits; transfers of permits. A permit shall expire and be void when the licensee no longer resides within the Town of Edmonston, and the licensee shall remove the permit sticker from any vehicle registered to park within the Town upon moving outside of the Town. Permits shall be transferred from one vehicle to another in accordance with Subsection D (7) of this chapter.
(4)
Application for permit.
(a)
The application for a permit shall contain information to verify that the applicant is a bona fide resident of the Town for which application has been made and has legal title to or the right to possession of the motor vehicle to be registered at that address, including, but not limited to the following:
[1]
The name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle.
[2]
The applicant's address.
[3]
The make, model, color, state or registration and license number of the motor vehicle.
[4]
The principal driver's name, operator's license number and state of issuance.
[5]
The motor vehicle registration, operator's license and any other relevant documents.
(b)
The Town shall issue the parking permit, upon finding that the applicant meets the requirements specified herein.
(5)
Fee. Households that make proper application for permits shall receive their permits and two visitor permits at no charge.
(6)
Display of permit. The permanent residential parking permit shall be a sticker affixed to the rear of the inside rear view mirror. The display of the visitor's or one-time-use permits shall be on the center of the vehicle's dashboard. Temporary or visitor permits shall be removed upon operation of the vehicle.
(7)
Transfer of permit; replacement permit.
(a)
When a motor vehicle to which a permit is affixed is sold, transferred, demolished or in any other manner rendered unusable to the licensee, or if the permit is lost or stolen, the licensee shall remove the permit from the motor vehicle and may request the issuance of a replacement permit to the Town of Edmonston. If the permit is still in the licensee's possession, the permit must be returned to the Town of Edmonston. An application for a replacement permit will render the original permit null and void, whether that permit is a permanent or visitor permit. Any vehicle found to be displaying such voided permits will be found in violation and will be fined and towed in accordance to Subsection E of this section. The fee for a permanent replacement permit shall be $10 per permit.
(b)
In the event a visitor permit is lost or stolen, a case number must first be obtained from the Police Department which must be presented to the Town, along with payment of a $150 fee to obtain a replacement permit.
E.
Violations and penalties. The parking of any vehicle or the use of any parking permit in a manner contrary to the residential parking provisions established in this section is prohibited, and the same is hereby declared to be municipal infraction. Any person violating the same shall be fined $160 for each violation. Additionally, any motor vehicle parked in violation shall be impounded and towed.
F.
Severability. The provisions of this section are severable, and if any provision, clause, sentence, section, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid or unconstitutional or inapplicable to any person or circumstances, such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, sections, words or parts of the act or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this section would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, section, word or part had not been included therein and if the person or circumstances to which the act or part thereof is inapplicable had been specifically exempted therefrom.
[Amended 12-10-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-OR-07]
A. BOAT CAMPING VEHICLE TRAILER
Definitions. When used in this section, the words enumerated below shall have the following meanings:
An open vessel designed to use on the water propelled by oars, sails or engine.
A vehicle originally sold to the consumer by a manufacturer or dealer for recreational purposes which is self-propelled or capable of being towed by a passenger motor vehicle and which provides facilities for temporary camping or sleeping, or both, including a unit designed to be carried by an open pickup truck. The term "camping vehicle" includes "mobile travel trailer," "camper," "recreational vehicle," motor home" and "truck camper." The term "camping vehicle" shall also include all those vehicles which are converted from other uses for the purposes described in this definition.
A cart, wagon, van or device designed to be pulled by an automobile, truck or tractor for hauling freight or a boat.
B.
No camping vehicle, trailer or boat may be parked on any street in the Town except for temporary purposes, such as for the loading or unloading thereof. No camping vehicle may be parked in a vacant lot, parking lot, or in a driveway.
C.
Camping vehicles, boats, trailers and trailers containing boats may be parked on any residential lot in the Town, provided that they are parked beyond the front building restriction line of the lot.
D.
Living in a camping vehicle is prohibited in the Town.
It shall be unlawful for any business or commercial entity, to which an owner of an automotive vehicle has entrusted such vehicle to said business or entity, for any purpose, or for any public or private tow company, who has towed by contract or result of impound, to park or store such vehicle on any street(s) within the Town of Edmonston, except where specifically authorized by Council or designee. Any such violation of this code may be subject to a fine of $210 for the first offense and $310 for each subsequent offense within a twelve-month period. Furthermore, an operator and/or owner of any business, commercial entity, public or private tow company who violates or allows such violation of this chapter, shall be subject to a Municipal Civil Citation in the amount of $260 for the first offense and $510 for each and every subsequent offense within a twelve-month time period. In addition to any fine imposed for a violation of this section, any vehicle parked in violation of this section shall be subject to immediate impoundment without prior notice. Said business, commercial entity, public or private tow company shall be held responsible for any and all incurred fines and/or costs associated with said impoundment.
[Amended 11-14-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-OR-04]
A.
No motor, electric or horse-drawn vehicle shall be double-parked on any of the streets of the Town of Edmonston at any time, except while actually being loaded or unloaded, and then only if and when absolutely necessary. When vehicles are being loaded or unloaded, such activity shall be done continuously and without any unnecessary delay, and immediately upon completion the vehicle shall be forthwith moved from its double-parked position.
B.
Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to park a commercial motor vehicle, other than automobiles, station wagons or pickup trucks and panel body delivery trucks having not more than a one-ton manufacturer's rating capacity, used for commercial purposes on the public streets within the corporate limits of the Town of Edmonston, except for loading or unloading passengers or materials as provided herein. In no case shall the stop for loading and unloading of passengers or materials exceed three hours. However, this subsection shall not prohibit the stopping, standing or parking of firefighting equipment or other emergency vehicles of public utilities or contractors while engaged in the repair, maintenance or construction of the streets or street utilities within the Town. "Commercial motor vehicle" shall be defined, for the purposes of this section, as every motor vehicle and every trailer or semitrailer designed and used for carrying freight, merchandise or materials in furtherance of any commercial enterprise and every motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 10 passengers and/or use for the transportation of persons for compensation and shall include but not be limited to trucks over one ton, dump trucks and all trash trucks.
C.
Notwithstanding Subsections A and B hereof, it shall be unlawful for any person to park any commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Subsection B above, within the corporate limits of the Town of Edmonston for the purpose of loading and unloading so as to completely obstruct a right-of-way within the Town.
D.
The Mayor and Council of the Town of Edmonston may, from time to time, designate, by resolution, areas in which it shall be lawful for persons to park commercial motor vehicles used for commercial purposes on public streets.
E.
Parking, standing or stopping any motor vehicle in a designated loading and unloading zone for any purpose other than loading and unloading as authorized in the zone is prohibited. The Mayor and Council may designate the location of and purpose for any loading and unloading zone by resolution.
Any ambulance, Fire, Police, Water Department or emergency vehicle shall have the right-of-way. A vehicle on the approach of fire apparatus shall immediately draw near and parallel with the curb and stop.
A.
All nonmoving violations of this chapter shall be deemed municipal infractions, governed by the provisions of Chapter 110, Municipal Infractions, of the Town Code, and shall subject the violator to a fine of $150 which, if not paid within 20 days of the date of violation of notice, shall double to a fine of $300; provided, however, that the fine for parking in an area designated as a fire lane shall be $310 and, if not paid within 20 days, shall double to a fine of $620. In addition, repeat offenses shall subject the violator to a fine of $300 and, if not paid within 20 days, shall double to a fine of $600. If a violator removes an official Police Department tag, the fine is $300 and, if not paid within 20 days, shall double to a fine of $600. The fine for violation of § 435-5A(2), with respect to parking within 15 feet of a fire plug, shall be $160. The fine for a violation of § 435-5A(9), illegally parking in a designated handicapped parking space, shall be $310 and, if not paid within 20 days, shall double to a fine of $620. The fine for a violation of § 435-6A, with respect to forty-eight-hour parking, shall be $110. The fine for a violation of § 435-10, with respect to parking of inoperable vehicles, shall be $510 for each offense. Violations of § 435-14, parking of commercial vehicles on any road in Edmonston, shall be $110. For the purposes of this chapter, each day a violation goes uncorrected shall constitute a separate offense. The Mayor and Council may modify fees set forth herein by resolution.
[Amended 10-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-OR-05]
B.
All moving violations, including those by any individual violating § 44-8,[1] shall, upon conviction, be fined and/or penalized in accordance with the schedule of fines and penalties determined by the state and set out in a document prepared by the Chief Administrative Judge and referred to as the "Schedule of Preset Fines and/or Penalty Deposits," as such document may be amended from time to time.
[1]
Editor's Note: This reference is to former § 44-8, Maximum speed limit, for which there is no corresponding section in this chapter adopted by Ord. No. 96-002.
C.
Any person who shall violate any other provision of this chapter or fail to comply with its requirements shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a municipal infraction, subject to a fine of $85.
[Added 6-10-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-OR-2]
A.
Request for review. Upon receipt of a parking violation notice, the alleged offender may, prior to payment or election to stand trial, request a parking violation review upon timely notice to the Town five or more days before the payment due date. If a review election is made, a review will be held within 30 days of the request before a Town Parking Violation Review Officer. The alleged offender may appear at the review in person or by written submission. A timely request for review will automatically extend the time for payment or election to stand trial until a date subsequent to the review.
B.
Review procedure. There shall be a Parking Violation Review Officer, who shall be appointed by the Mayor and Council, and who shall have the authority to conduct the parking violation review pursuant to procedures adopted by the Mayor and Council, to receive evidence and to issue a recommendation thereon. As part of the review process, the Parking Violation Review Officer shall have the discretion to recommend a fine that is less than that set out in § 435-16 of the Town Code. At the time the recommendation is issued, the alleged offender shall have until the date set by the review officer to either pay the recommended amount or to request a trial. If the alleged offender pays and satisfies the recommended fine, the Town will take no further action. If the alleged offender timely requests a trial, the request will be transmitted to the court forthwith.
[Added 6-8-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-OR-02; amended 5-13-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-OR-04; 10-8-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-OR-09]
A.
The Town and its Police Department are authorized to operate a speed monitoring system to enforce the speed limit pursuant to the Annotated Code of Maryland, Transportation Article, § 21-809, as amended, in school zones, within 1/2 mile of an institution of higher education, and on highways in residential districts with a maximum posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour.
B.
Before activating a speed monitoring system, the Town shall:
(1)
Publish notice of the location of the speed monitoring system on its website and in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town.
(2)
Ensure that each speed limit sign approaching and within an institute of higher education zone, or on a highway in a residential district with a maximum posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour, and each speed limit sign that designates a school zone is proximate to a sign that:
(a)
Indicates that speed monitoring systems are in use in the school, highway or institute of higher education zone; and
C.
A speed monitoring system in a school zone may operate only Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. A speed monitoring system in a zone within 1/2 mile of an institution of higher education or on a highway in a residential district with a maximum posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour may operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
D.
For a period of at least 30 days after the first speed monitoring system is placed in the Town, a violation recorded by any speed monitoring system may be enforced only by issuance of a warning. Thereafter, if the Town moves or places a mobile or stationary speed monitoring system where a speed monitoring system has not previously been placed, the Town may not issue a citation for a violation recorded by that speed monitoring system:
E.
The Town Council is hereby authorized to designate school speed enforcement zones, residential highway zones and zones within 1/2 mile of an institution of higher education consistent with this section by resolution.
F.
Administrative fees; registration flagging; referral for collection.
(1)
Late fee. In addition to any fees as established elsewhere in this chapter, the Council hereby imposes and may collect administrative fees related to the implementation of a program of speed enforcement using speed monitoring systems in school zones, or residential districts, or red-light cameras within the Town of Edmonston including a late fee of $35 which shall be assessed for any fines paid more than 30 days from the date of issuance of a speed camera.
(2)
Debt collection fee. Where any fees or fines are assessed or imposed in accordance with this subsection, and where such fees or fines are unpaid and outstanding for 30 or more days, the Town, in its sole and absolute discretion and to the extent permitted by law, may refer such debt to a collection agency or an attorney for collection. For all accounts referred to a collection agency or an attorney for collection, such accounts shall be subject to a collection fee not to exceed two times the outstanding debt or the total sum indebted to the Town, whichever is greater. The Town may alternatively or further elect to file a civil suit against the debtor to recover such outstanding and unpaid fees or fines.
(3)
Municipal flagging fee. The Chief of Police or designee shall, in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the State Motor Vehicle Administration and state law, give or cause to be given notice to the administration and the respective owners of all vehicles registered by the state and the subject of any outstanding and past due speed-monitoring system violations of this chapter thereby requesting that the administration refuse registration or transfer of registration of the subject vehicle, until notified by the Town that the violation penalty has been satisfied. In such cases, the Town Manager shall impose an additional cost or municipal administrative flagging fee of $40 for each registration or transfer to be withheld, suspended or denied, and the owner of the vehicle shall be liable or further subject to the payment of such costs, and all other fines, penalties, fees and charges that have accrued or have been assessed pursuant to this chapter before notice is given to the administration that the subject violation penalty has been satisfied and the registration is to be released.
(4)
Returned check fee. Any person who pays any penalty assessed under this chapter shall further pay a returned check fee of $35 to the Town should the check be returned unpaid for any reason by the payor's bank.
G.
A civil penalty shall be issued for violations of the speed monitoring system as follows, subject to an additional late fee if not paid within 30 days after the issuance of the citation:
(1)
If the citation alleges that the driver of the motor vehicle exceeded the speed limit by between 12 and 15, inclusive, miles per hour, $40;
(2)
If the citation alleges that the driver of the motor vehicle exceeded the speed limit by between 16 and 19, inclusive, miles per hour, $70;
(3)
If the citation alleges that the driver of the motor vehicle exceeded the speed limit between 20 and 29, inclusive, miles per hour, $120;
(4)
If the citation alleges that the driver of the motor vehicle exceeded the speed limit by between 30 and 39, inclusive, miles per hour, $230; and
(5)
If the citation alleges that the driver of the motor vehicle exceeded the speed limit by 40 miles per hour or more, $425.
[Added 1-6-2026 by Ord. No. 2025-OR-10]
A. DEPARTMENT OWNER RECORDED IMAGE STOP SIGN MONITORING SYSTEM VIOLATION
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated:
Means the Edmonston Police Department.
Means images recorded by a stop sign monitoring system:
Means a device designed to capture a recorded image of a violation.
B.
Use of monitoring systems; location; notice.
(1)
The Department may use stop sign monitoring systems:
(2)
Before beginning use of stop sign monitoring systems, the Department shall publish notice that the Department has adopted the use of stop sign monitoring systems on its website and in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town.
(3)
Signs shall be prominently placed on highways within the Town providing notice that stop sign monitoring systems are used in the Town.
D.
Civil penalty.
(1)
Unless the driver of the motor vehicle received a citation from a police officer at the time of the violation, the owner or, in accordance with Subsection E(3) or G(4) or (5) of this section, the driver of a motor vehicle is subject to a civil penalty if the motor vehicle is recorded by a stop sign monitoring system during the commission of a violation.
(2)
A civil penalty under this subsection may not exceed $40.
E.
Citation to owner.
(1)
Subject to the provisions of Subsection E(2) through (5) of this section, the Department shall mail to the owner liable under Subsection D of this section a citation that shall include:
(a)
The name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle;
(b)
The registration plate number of the motor vehicle involved in the violation;
(c)
The violation charged;
(d)
To the extent possible, the location of the violation;
(e)
The date and time of the violation;
(f)
A copy of the recorded image;
(g)
The amount of the civil penalty imposed and the date by which the civil penalty must be paid;
(h)
A signed statement by a technician employed by the Department that, based on the inspection of the recorded image, the motor vehicle was being operated during the commission of a violation;
(i)
A statement that the recorded image is evidence of a violation; and
(j)
Information advising the person alleged to be liable under this section:
[1]
Of the manner and time in which liability as alleged in the citation may be contested in the District Court; and
[2]
That failure to pay the civil penalty or to contest liability in a timely manner is an admission of liability and may result in refusal or suspension of the motor vehicle registration.
(2)
The Department may mail a warning notice in place of a citation to the owner liable under Subsection E of this section.
(3)
Citation to motor vehicle rental company.
(a)
Before mailing a citation to a motor vehicle rental company liable under Subsection E of this section, the Department shall mail a notice to the motor vehicle rental company stating that a citation will be mailed to the motor vehicle rental company unless, within 45 days after receiving the notice, the motor vehicle rental company provides the Department with:
[1]
A statement made under oath that states the name and last known mailing address of the individual driving or renting the motor vehicle when the violation occurred;
[2]
Stolen vehicles.
[a]
A statement made under oath that states that the motor vehicle rental company is unable to determine who was driving the vehicle at the time the violation occurred because the motor vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation; and
[3]
Payment for the penalty associated with the violation.
F.
Evidence of violation.
(1)
A certificate alleging that a violation occurred, sworn to or affirmed by a duly authorized law enforcement officer employed by or under contract with the Department, based on the inspection of a recorded image, shall be evidence of the facts contained in the certificate and shall be admissible in any proceeding concerning the alleged violation.
(2)
Adjudication of liability shall be based on preponderance of the evidence.
G.
Defense of violation.
(1)
The District Court may consider in defense of a violation:
(a)
Subject to Subsection G(2) of this section, that the motor vehicle or registration plates of the motor vehicle were stolen before the violation occurred and were not under the control or possession of the owner at the time of the violation;
(b)
Subject to Subsection G(3) of this section, evidence that the person named in the citation was not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation; and
(c)
Any other issues and evidence that the District Court considers pertinent.
(2)
To demonstrate that the motor vehicle or the registration plates were stolen before the violation occurred and were not under the control or possession of the owner at the time of the violation, the owner must submit proof that a police report about the stolen motor vehicle or registration plates was filed in a timely manner.
(3)
To satisfy the evidentiary burden under Subsection G(1)(b) of this section, the person named in the citation shall provide to the District Court evidence to the satisfaction of the District Court of who was operating the vehicle at the time of the violation, including, at a minimum, the operator's name and current address.
(4)
Applicability.
(a)
The provisions of this subsection apply only to a citation that involves a Class E (truck) vehicle with a registered gross weight of 26,001 pounds or more, Class F (tractor) vehicle, Class G (trailer) vehicle operated in combination with a Class F (tractor) vehicle, or Class P (passenger bus) vehicle.
(b)
(5)
Operation by person not named in citation.
(a)
If the District Court finds that the person named in the citation was not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation or receives evidence under Subsection G(4)(b)[2] of this section identifying the person driving the vehicle at the time of the violation, the Clerk of Court shall provide to the Department a copy of any evidence substantiating who was operating the vehicle at the time of the violation.
H.
If the civil penalty is not paid and the violation is not contested, the administration may refuse to register or reregister or may suspend the registration of the motor vehicle.
I.
A violation for which a civil penalty is imposed under this section:
(1)
Is not a moving violation for the purpose of assessing points under § 16-402 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and may not be recorded by the administration on the driving record of the owner or driver of the vehicle; and
(2)
May not be considered in the provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage.
J.
Administration and processing of citations.
(1)
The Department or an agent or a contractor designated by the Department shall administer and process civil citations issued under this section in coordination with the District Court.
(2)
If a contractor in any manner operates a stop sign monitoring system or administers or processes citations generated by a stop sign monitoring system on behalf of the Department, the contractor's fee may not be contingent on a per-ticket basis on the number of citations issued or paid.