Harford County, MD Fire Lanes

[Amended by Bill Nos. 00-63; 24-008]

The Director of the Department of Emergency Services and the Director of the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits or their respective designee shall have the authority and primary responsibility to designate a fire lane. Fire lanes may be designated in the following areas, or any portion thereof:

(1)

Entrances and exits to commercial, industrial, public or semi-public buildings.

(2)

Roadways providing access to sprinkler or standpipe systems.

(3)

Roadways that lead to, are next to or in front of fire hydrants.

(4)

Roadways providing access to fire stations.

(5)

Roadways next to multi-family dwellings (apartments, condominiums, etc.) if the roadway does not meet the physical requirements found in the definition of a fire lane.

The Director of the Department of Emergency Services and the Director of the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits or their respective designee shall jointly establish rules and regulations for the administration of the provisions of this article in accordance with Section 807 of the Harford County Charter. Such rules and regulations and amendments thereto shall not conflict with nor waive any provisions of this article nor be less restrictive than its provisions. Regulations for fire lanes shall at a minimum be reviewed and updated as necessary upon adoption of a new version of the International Building Code in Chapter 82 of the Harford County Code. These rules and regulations may include provisions that:

(1)

Designate fire lanes on sites with existing structures when an existing structure undergoes renovations that necessitate the issuance of a building permit in accordance with Chapter 82, Building Construction, of the Harford County Code.

(2)

Establish additional parameters relating to the maintenance and required locations and specifications for the designation of fire lanes pursuant to this section.

Maintenance.

(1)

A property owner shall maintain a clear space of at least 36 inches around any fire hydrant located on his or her property and shall maintain an unobstructed area (i.e., free of landscaping or other obstructions) between the curb and the face of the hydrant.

(2)

A property owner shall maintain an unobstructed path to any Fire Department connection located on a building. The path shall be a minimum of 4 feet wide and 6 feet high. The unobstructed area shall extend a minimum of 15 feet, measured along the curb, to either side of the centerline of the hydrant.

Violations.

(1)

A property owner who fails to properly mark and maintain a fire lane in accordance with this article and/or any adopted rules and regulations in connection therewith, or who fails to maintain unobstructed access or clear space to a hydrant or Fire Department connection as required by this section, shall be subject to the general penalty provisions set forth in Section 1-23 of the Harford County Code.

(2)

A fine under this section shall be imposed in the following manner:

(a)

A fire official or member of a law enforcement agency who observes a violation may report the violation to the Director of either the Department of Emergency Services or the Department of Inspections Licenses and Permits, or their respective designee, or an employee of the Department of Emergency Services or the Department of Inspections Licenses and Permits.

(b)

An employee of the Department of Emergency Services or the Department of Inspections Licenses and Permits who observes a violation or to whom a violation has been reported shall verify that a violation exists and shall issue a notice of violation stipulating the corrective measures necessary to abate the violation and the date by which the corrective measures must be completed. A citation pursuant to Section 1-23 of the Harford County Code shall be issued to the property owner upon failure to comply with the provisions of the notice of violation.

(c)

A notice of violation or citation issued under this article shall be hand delivered, sent by certified mail and/or posted on the property subject to the violation.

(d)

If 15 days after delivering or mailing a citation, the violation continues to exist, Harford County shall take action to ensure compliance. Any costs incurred shall be the responsibility of the property owner and, if not paid, shall constitute a lien on the property where the violation occurred and shall be collectible in the same manner as real property taxes with the same priority, interest and penalties.

No person shall park or allow to be parked any vehicle, of which he is the owner, in a manner that interferes with or obstructs a clearly marked fire lane or fire hydrant area. In addition, no person shall place or allow to be placed any material, debris or other object, of which he is the owner or has possession, in a manner that interferes with or obstructs a clearly marked fire lane or hydrant area.

Any law enforcement officer, either acting individually or at the request of the fire service incident commander, may take possession of, remove, tow away, impound or otherwise remove any debris, material, vehicle or other object which interferes with or obstructs previously established and marked fire lanes for the access or operation of any fire company equipment or other emergency vehicles or equipment.

[Amended by Bill No. 24-008]

Any law enforcement agency, fire company or other county agency which has cause to remove an obstruction from a fire lane during a fire or other emergency is authorized to do so in any manner that is both safe and expeditious as defined by this chapter. Any charges imposed by the removing agent, public or private, shall be paid by the owner of the obstruction.