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City of College Park, MD
Prince George's County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Amended 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 09-O-07]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
MULTI-SPACE METER
A multi-space meter, or pay station, is defined as a parking meter that controls multiple parking spaces.
PARKING METER SPACE
Any space within a parking meter zone, adjacent to a parking meter or governed by a multi-space meter and duly designated for the parking of a single vehicle by lines painted or otherwise durably marked on the curb or on the parking surface.
PARKING METER ZONE
Includes that portion of a street or other public area properly marked and upon which parking meters, including multi-space meters, are installed and in operation.
[Amended 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 09-O-07; 9-12-2023 by Ord. No. 23-O-07]
Parking meters shall be operated so as to control parking in parking meter spaces every day between the hours designated on the parking meters and signs, with the exception of Sundays and holidays. During the hours of operation, when any vehicle shall be parked in any parking space that is governed by a multi-space meter or where a parking meter is located, the operator of such vehicle shall, upon entering said parking meter space, immediately deposit or cause to be deposited in said meter such proper coin or currency of the United States, and/or shall pay by debit or credit card, as is designated by proper direction on the meter or multi-space meter. Method of payment authorized for use in parking meters may be determined by the Council by resolution. When required by the direction on the meter, the operator of such vehicle, after making the proper payment, shall also set in operation the timing mechanism on such meter in accordance with any directions properly appearing thereon. Failure to make such proper payment, or to set the timing mechanism in operation when so required, shall constitute a violation of this chapter. Upon making such payment, and the setting of the timing mechanism in operation when so required, the parking space may be lawfully occupied by such vehicle during the period of time which has been prescribed for said parking space. Any person placing a vehicle in a parking meter space adjacent to a meter operated by the previous occupant of the space shall not be required to make a payment so long as his/her occupancy of such space does not exceed the indicated unused parking time. If a vehicle shall remain parked in any parking space beyond the parking time limit set for such parking space and if the meter or multi-space meter shall indicate such illegal parking, then and in that event such vehicle shall be considered as parking overtime and beyond the period of legal parking time and such parking shall be deemed a violation of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of the provisions of this chapter for any person to:
A. 
Permit any vehicle to be placed or to remain in any parking meter space during the operational hours for the parking meter while the meter or multi-space meter is displaying a signal indicating that the time has expired. However, the loading or unloading of a truck, van or other commercial vehicle may be conducted for a reasonable period of time in a parking meter space without the deposit of payment in the meter.
[Amended 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 09-O-07]
B. 
Park any vehicle across any line or marking of a parking meter space or in such position that the vehicle shall not be entirely within the area designated by such lines or markings.
C. 
Deface, injure, tamper with, open or willfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any parking meter installed under the provisions of this chapter.
D. 
Deposit or cause to be deposited in any parking meter any slugs, devices, metal substance or other substitutes for lawful coins.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, pertaining to front-end-in parking, added 4-14-1992 by Ord. No. 92-O-3, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 6-8-1999 by Ord. No. 99-O-6.
[Amended 9-26-1978 by Ord. No. 78-O-8; 10-26-1982 by Ord. No. 82-O-7]
A. 
It shall be the duty of the police or enforcement officers of the City of College Park to police said parking meters, to enforce this chapter and to submit to the city a written report of each violation or failure to comply with this chapter stating:
(1) 
The number of the parking meter which indicates that the vehicle occupying the parking meter space is or has been parked in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or, for multi-space meters, the number of the space in which the vehicle is or has been parked in violation.
[Amended 9-8-2009 by Ord. No. 09-O-07]
(2) 
The make and model of the vehicle.
(3) 
The state license number of such vehicle.
(4) 
The date and approximate time of such violation.
(5) 
Any other facts, a knowledge of which is necessary for a thorough understanding of the circumstances attending such violation.
B. 
Notice; payment; service charge.
[Amended 2-28-1989 by Ord. No. 88-O-5; 9-10-1991 by Ord. No. 91-O-22; 12-10-1991 by Ord. No. 91-O-24]
(1) 
The police or enforcement officer making the above-mentioned report shall attach to such vehicle a notice that the vehicle has been parked in violation of the provisions of this chapter and notifying the alleged offender that there is a payment date, which will be 15 days from the date of issuance, and specifying a fine, as set forth in Chapter 110, Fees and Penalties, if paid by the payment date, which sum shall increase after the payment date, as set forth in Chapter 110, Fees and Penalties, if the alleged offender has not sent timely notice five or more days before the payment date of his/her election to stand trial or to request review by the city under § 184-20.1. Conviction in court shall carry a fine as set forth in Chapter 110, Fees and Penalties. The fine imposed for the violation of the handicapped parking spaces shall be as set forth in Chapter 110, Fees and Penalties. This provision is intended to provide an aid to the strict enforcement of this chapter without imposing an undue burden upon offenders and shall be construed as a method of enforcement in addition to and independent of other methods provided by law and this chapter.
[Amended 3-28-2000 by Ord. No. 00-O-1]
(2) 
The service charge fee shall be increased as set forth in Chapter 110, Fees and Penalties, and the ticket shall hereby read as follows:
"NOTICE: Failure to pay the prescribed fine as indicated within 30 days or to appear in court may result in your vehicle registration's not being renewed or transferred by the State of Motor Vehicle Administration and in the imposition of a service charge of $10."
C. 
The City of College Park may cause to be impounded any automobile or other vehicle parked in violation of the provisions of this Article. Said impounded automobile or other vehicle shall be removed from the site of violation and stored.
[Added 3-28-2000 by Ord. No. 00-O-1]
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 resolution review upon timely notice to the city five or more days before the payment date. If a review election is made, a review will be held within thirty days of the request before a city 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 hearing.
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 resolution 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 § 110-1 of the College Park 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 city will take no further action. If the alleged offender requests a trial, the request will be transmitted to the court forthwith.