Chapter 154 Vehicles And Traffic

Chapter 154 Vehicles And Traffic Ch 154 Art I Parking Fines Ch 154 Art II Residential Parking Permits Ch 154 Art III Parking Meters And Other Parking Regulations Ch 154 Art IV School Zones Ch 154 Art V Speed Monitoring Systems [HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of Centreville 6-2-2011 by Ord. No. 03-2011. 1 Amendments noted where applicable.] GENERAL REFERENCES Skateboards — See Ch. 120. Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 134. Abandoned vehicles — See Ch. 151. Non-self-propelled vehicles — See Ch. 158. 1 Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the repeal of former Ch. 154, Vehicles and Traffic, adopted as follows: Art. I, Parking Fines, adopted 6-4-1992 by Ord. No. 135, as amended; Art. II, Residential Parking Permits, adopted 10-2-1997 by Ord. No. 136, as amended; Art. III, Parking Meters and Other Parking Regulations, adopted 12-18-2001 by Ord. No. 10-01, as amended; and Art. IV, Speed Limits, adopted 3-4-2010 by Ord. No. 02-2010.

Ch 154 Art I Parking Fines

154-1 Definitions

154-2 Parking Restrictions

154-3 Violations And Penalties

154-4 Presumption Of Ownership

154-5 Citation Form

154-1 Definitions

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: PARK. To stop, stand, or park any vehicle.

154-2 Parking Restrictions

It shall be unlawful to park a vehicle within the Town limits of the Town of Centreville in the below-described manners: No vehicle shall be parked in a designated metered parking space after the time indicated on the said parking space meter has expired. No vehicle shall be parked in any area designated as a restricted area when such designation is made by painted curbs or signs. No vehicle shall be parked in an incorrect manner as described by the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, §§ 21-1003 and 21-1004. No vehicle shall be parked in excess of 15 minutes in any zone established as a fifteen-minute parking zone and designated as such by signs.

No vehicle shall be parked in a designated handicapped parking space unless the vehicle bears: A special registration plate; or A valid permit issued by: The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration; Another state; or The District of Columbia. No vehicle shall be parked in a Town-owned, -leased or -managed parking lot for longer than the time indicated as identified by signage.

154-3 Violations And Penalties

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article shall be subject to the penalties as may be adopted from time to time by resolution of the Town Council of Centreville.

154-4 Presumption Of Ownership

The registered owner of any vehicle that is parked in any manner in violation of this article shall be presumed to be the person receiving the parking citation.

154-5 Citation Form

The lawful and correct form for parking violation citations used within the Town limits of the Town of Centreville is on file at Town Hall and made a part of this article. Ch 154 Art II Residential Parking Permits

154-6 Authority

154-7 Definitions

154-8 Determination Of Eligibility

154-9 Hearing

154-10 Issuance Of Permits

154-11 Parking Permit Restrictions

154-12 Powers Of Town Manager

154-13 Designation Of Permit Parking Areas

154-14 Violations And Penalties

154-6 Authority The Town

Council is hereby authorized to designate by ordinance public highways and other areas within the Town on which the parking of vehicles may be restricted, beyond a consecutive two-hour period between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Monday through Saturday), except holidays, in whole or in part, to vehicles bearing a valid parking permit issued pursuant to this article. This authority shall be exercised in conjunction with any other authority the Town Manager and Town Council may have to regulate the times and conditions of motor vehicle parking.

154-7 Definitions

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: COMMUTER VEHICLE. A motor vehicle parked in a residential area by a person who is not a resident thereof. PERMIT PARKING AREA. An area of at least 300 feet in length. RESIDENTIAL AREA. A contiguous or nearly contiguous area containing public highways or parts thereof primarily abutted by residential property or residential and nonbusiness property (such as schools, parks, churches, hospitals, and nursing homes), and designated as such by the Town Council.

154-8 Determination Of Eligibility

A residential area shall be deemed eligible for residential permit parking if, based on objective criteria established by the Town Council, parking therein is or will be affected by commuter vehicles between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, except holidays. In determining whether an area identified as eligible for residential permit parking shall be designated as a residential permit parking area, the Town Council shall take into consideration the following factors: The desire and need of the residents for residential permit parking and their willingness to bear the administrative costs in connection therewith. The protection of the residents of such areas from unreasonable burdens in obtaining adequate parking adjacent to or close by their places of residence and securing access to their residences. The likelihood of alleviating traffic congestion, illegal parking, and related health and safety concerns.

The probable reduction in hazardous traffic conditions resulting from use of streets in designated residential areas for the parking of vehicles by persons using other commercial, industrial transit, or other than residential areas. The preservation of the safety of children and pedestrians in residential areas. The protection of such residential areas from polluted air, excessive noise, the strewing of trash and refuse, and other environmental degradations that may be caused by parking of nonlocal vehicles. The preservation of the residential nature of affected areas.

The need for parking in excess of two hours in proximity to establishments located therein advertised by the general public for religious, health, or educational purposes.

154-9 Hearing

In order to determine whether a particular street, avenue, way or other location should be designated as a residential permit parking area, the Town Council shall conduct, upon a petition of a majority of the households in such areas addressed to the Town Council, a public hearing prior to the designation of a parking permit area or prior to the withdrawal of such designation once it is established. The hearing shall be part of a regular or special meeting of the Town Council and shall be no more than 45 days after the petition is received by the Town Council. Advance notice of this type of hearing shall be given in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town of Centreville. The notice shall clearly state the purpose of the hearing, the exact location and boundaries of the residential permit parking area under consideration, the reasons why such area is being proposed for designation as a residential permit parking area, and, if applicable, the proposed permit parking fee that would be charged.

In addition to the published notice, a similar notification shall be mailed to every household, the identity of which can reasonably be established, within the area under consideration. During such hearing, any interested person shall be entitled to appear and be heard. No hearing shall be held and no areas designated if it is not found to be an affected area under § 154-8 of this article. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Town Council shall decide, based on the record made at such hearing, whether or not to designate the area under consideration as a residential permit parking area or to remove the designation in the case of an established residential permit parking area.

This action, if establishing or terminating a residential permit parking area, shall be taken in the form of a Town ordinance.

154-10 Issuance Of Permits Following Town

Council approval of the designation of a residential permit parking area, the Town Manager or an alternate designated by the Town Manager shall issue appropriate permits and shall cause parking signs to be erected in the area indicating the times, locations, and conditions under which unlimited parking shall be by permit only. A permit shall be issued, upon application and payment of the applicable fee, only to the owner or the operator of a motor vehicle who resides on the property immediately adjacent to a street, avenue, way or other location within the residential permit parking area. The application for a permit shall contain the name of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle, residential address, the motor vehicle's make, model, and registration number, and the number of the applicant's operator's permit. The motor vehicle's registration and operator's license may, in the discretion of the Town Manager, be required to be presented at the time of making said application in order to verify the contents thereof.

The owner or operator of any motor vehicle applying for a residential parking permit shall have valid Maryland motor vehicle license tags, unless not legally required to have them. The permit shall be renewed annually upon such conditions and procedures as the Town Manager shall specify. The permit shall identify the motor vehicle, the area authorized and the expiration date.

154-11 Parking Permit Restrictions

Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, the holder of a residential parking permit shall be permitted to stand or park a motor vehicle for which a residential parking permit has been issued in the designated residential parking area during such times as the parking of motor vehicles therein is permitted. While a vehicle for which a residential parking permit has been issued is so parked, such permit shall be displayed so as to be clearly visible on the vehicle in a place set by the Chief. A residential parking permit shall not guarantee or reserve to the holder a parking space or a specific parking space within a designated residential permit parking area. A residential parking permit shall not authorize the holder thereof to stand or park a motor vehicle in such places or during such times as the stopping, standing, or parking of motor vehicles is prohibited or set aside for specified types of vehicles nor exempt the holder from the observance of any traffic regulation other than the two-hour parking limit in the area for which a permit is held.

No person other than the permittee named thereon shall use a residential parking permit or display it on a vehicle operated or parked, and any such use or display by a person other than the permittee shall constitute a violation of this article by the permittee and by the person who so used or displayed such parking permit. It shall constitute a violation of this article for any person to falsely represent such person as eligible for a residential parking permit or to furnish any false information in an application to the Town Manager in order to obtain a residential parking permit.

154-12 Powers Of Town Manager The Town

Manager is authorized to revoke the residential parking permit of any permittee found to be in violation of this article; and, upon written notification thereof, the permittee shall surrender such permit to the Town Manager. Failure, when so requested, to surrender a residential parking permit so revoked shall constitute a violation of this article. The Town Manager is authorized to establish an annual residential permit parking fee to cover the administrative costs of permits issued pursuant to this article. The Town Manager is authorized to make provision for: The issuance of temporary parking permits for periods up to 30 days to bona fide visitors of residents of a designated residential parking area; and The issuance of exemption parking permits to handicapped persons.

154-13 Designation Of Permit Parking Areas

Residential permit parking areas shall be as follows: Zone 1: west side of Liberty Street from its intersection with Water Street a distance of 645 feet southerly. Zone 2: west side of South Commerce Street from its intersection with Water Street south to Fayette Street. Any person living on the east side of Liberty Street between its intersection with Water Street and Lawyer's Row is eligible for a residential parking permit and may park in Zone 1 described above.

154-14 Violations And Penalties

Violation of the provisions of this article shall constitute a municipal infraction, subject to the penalties provided in § 1-14.B.5.b of the Town Code. HISTORY Amended by Ord. 13-2024 Amended Penalty Sections throughout the Code on 1/2/2025 Adopted by Res. 19-2024 Establishing certain fines to be paid to the Town of Centreville for Municipal Infractions pursuant to the Authority set forth in the Town of Centreville Charter and Code of the Town of Centreville on 1/2/2025 Ch 154 Art III Parking Meters And Other Parking Regulations

154-15 Purpose

154-16 Authorization To Install Parking Meters

154-17 Parking Meter Spaces Designated; Prohibited Acts

154-18 Erection Of Parking Meters; Parking In Excess Of Maximum Allowable Time

154-19 Restrictions And Exclusions

154-20 Deposit Of Coins In Parking Meters; Overtime Parking

154-21 Manner Of Parking In Parking Spaces

154-22 Deposit Of Slugs Or Substitutes For Coins In Parking Meters

154-23 Damaging Parking Meters

154-24 No-Parking Areas

154-25 Manner Of Parking; Angle Parking

154-26 Stopping At Stop Signs And Traffic Control Devices

154-27 Parking Within Marked Spaces

154-28 Parking In Vendor Spaces

154-29 Parking In Front Of Medical Offices

154-30 Restriction On Certain Types Of Vehicles

154-31 Violations And Penalties

154-15 Purpose Ordinances Nos. 114, 117,

127 and 134 are hereby repealed, and this article is enacted in their place to consolidate all regulations and use of certain streets and public ways by persons, animals and vehicles.

154-16 Authorization To Install Parking Meters The Town

Council of Centreville is hereby authorized to install parking meters on designated streets and other designated areas in the Town of Centreville (hereinafter called "Town") for the purpose of traffic and parking control.

154-17 Parking Meter Spaces Designated; Prohibited Acts

After the installation of parking meters, it shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle or other vehicle to park such vehicle or permit any such vehicle to remain standing with or without the owner or operator thereof being present between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day, except Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, for more than the maximum parking time limit printed on the parking meter at any one time where parking meters have been erected as directed by resolution of the Town Council of Centreville.

154-18 Erection Of Parking Meters; Parking In Excess Of Maximum Allowable Time On streets and other areas so designated by resolution, the Town Council of Centreville shall cause parking or standing spaces to be designated on the curb or pavement thereof by appropriate means and, in each space so designated, shall erect or cause to be erected a parking meter, which, upon the deposit of a coin or combination of coins of the United States as indicated on the parking meter, will indicate the time allowed for parking or standing a vehicle and the time when such period has elapsed. Whether or not the meter indicates a violation for insufficient payment, a vehicle located in a parking space in excess of the maximum allowable time shall also be in violation of this article.

154-19 Restrictions And Exclusions

On the streets and other areas so designated by resolution, the Town Council of Centreville can restrict and/or exclude certain types of vehicles from parking and/or meter spaces designated in § 154-17 of this article by the posting of an appropriate sign on said meter noting such restriction and/or exclusion; and the parking and/or standing of a vehicle so restricted and/or excluded by an appropriate sign on a parking space shall be a violation of this article.

154-20 Deposit Of Coins In Parking Meters; Overtime Parking

In order that the police officers of the Town may properly compute the time during which a vehicle is parking or standing, the owner or operator of said vehicle shall, upon entering such space aforesaid, during the time of limited parking or standing as aforesaid, immediately deposit a coin or combination of coins of the United States in the parking meter according to instructions thereon. Failure to do so shall constitute a violation of this article. Upon deposit of such coins and placing the meter in operation, said space may be lawfully occupied by an authorized vehicle during the period of time which has been prescribed on the meter for the particular amount deposited. If such vehicle shall remain parked or standing in any such space for such length of time that the meter shall indicate by a proper signal that the lawful period has expired, such vehicle shall be considered as parking or standing overtime, and the parking or standing of the vehicle overtime shall be a violation of this article.

Whether or not the meter indicates a violation for insufficient payment, a vehicle located in a parking space in excess of the maximum allowable time shall also be in violation of this article.

154-21 Manner Of Parking In Parking Spaces

It shall be unlawful to park or stand any vehicle across any line or marking designating a parking or standing space or to park or stand said vehicle in any way that the same shall not be wholly within such space as designated by said lines or markings.

154-22 Deposit Of Slugs Or Substitutes For Coins In Parking Meters It shall be unlawful to deposit or cause to be deposited in any parking meter a slug, device or metallic substitute for a coin of the United States.

154-23 Damaging Parking Meters

It shall be unlawful for any person to deface, tamper with, damage, open or willfully break, destroy, or impair the usefulness of any parking meter installed under the terms of this article.

154-24 No-Parking Areas

It shall be unlawful to stop, stand or park a vehicle, at any time, longer than actually necessary to take on or discharge passengers, baggage or merchandise on streets, alleys or lanes in the Town of Centreville, Maryland (hereinafter called "Town"), where posted with no-parking signs or where curbs are painted yellow. A list of no-parking areas shall be approved by resolution by the Town Council. All posting or marking must conform to State Uniform Traffic Control Laws.

154-25 Manner Of Parking; Angle Parking

All vehicles must be stopped or parked with the side parallel to the curb or street edge within the Town, except that they must only be stopped or parked at a 45° angle to the curb or sidewalk on the following named streets: West side of North Commerce Street from Lawyer's Row to Broadway. South side of Broadway from North Commerce Street to North Liberty Street. North side of Lawyer's Row from North Commerce Street to North Liberty Street.

154-26 Stopping At Stop Signs And Traffic Control Devices

Vehicles are required to come to a full stop before proceeding through intersections where an approved stop sign or traffic control device is posted in the Town.

154-27 Parking Within Marked Spaces

It shall be unlawful to permit any vehicle to be stopped or parked in any space upon the streets, lanes or alleys of the Town marked by lines upon the surface of the same and/or curb along same, except within the space so designated or marked.

154-28 Parking In Vendor Spaces

It shall be unlawful to stand or park any vehicle between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in any parking space marked and designated for vendors, unless said vehicle is owned or operated by a duly licensed peddler, huckster, hawker, or vendor who is parked therein for the purpose of his trade.

154-29 Parking In Front Of Medical Offices

It shall be unlawful to stand or park any vehicle in spaces designated and marked in front of the office of any medical doctor, except those owned or operated by such medical doctors and used by said doctors in their profession.

154-30 Restriction On Certain Types Of Vehicles

It shall be unlawful to stop, stand, or park at any time, longer than actually necessary to take on or discharge passengers, baggage or merchandise upon any of the streets, lanes or alleys of the Town, any truck, bus, truck-trailer, tractor, or traction engine having a manufacturer's rating capacity in excess of 3/4 ton, or any trailer or semitrailer, as the same are defined in the Transportation Article (Title 11) of the Annotated Code of Maryland, 1992 Replacement Volume, and all amendments thereto. On the streets designated in § 154-19 of this article, the Town Council of Centreville can restrict and/or exclude certain types of vehicles from the parking spaces designated in § 154-19 of this article by the posting of an appropriate sign on a parking space noting such restriction and/or exclusion, and the parking or standing of a vehicle so restricted and/or excluded by an appropriate sign on a parking space shall be a violation of this article. This section also applies to horse-drawn vehicles and all school buses.

154-31 Violations And Penalties

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article shall receive a citation, either in person or by having same placed in a conspicuous place on the vehicle which he, she or it was using at the time of the violation of said provisions, to appear before the District Court of Queen Anne's County, to answer a charge of violating the provisions of this article; provided, however, that if the person, firm or corporation may appear at the Town Office of the Town of Centreville within the times and dates designated by resolution described in Article I of this chapter and pay the fine or fines set forth therein, the payment of such fine shall have the effect of dismissing this citation. In any prosecution charging a violation of this article, proof that the particular vehicle described in the summons was parked in violation of this article, together with proof that the defendant named in the summons was the owner of such vehicle, shall constitute a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of such vehicle was the person who parked and placed such vehicle at the point where and for the time during which such violation occurred. Ch 154 Art IV School Zones

154-32 School Zones

154-33 Maximum Speed Limits

154-32 School Zones

Subject to compliance with all applicable provisions of § 21-803.1 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Town Council of Centreville hereby establishes the following roads as school zones: Queen Anne's County High School zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of Queen Anne's County High School, which is located at 125 Ruthsburg Road, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto. 1 Centreville Middle School zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of Centreville Middle School, which is located at 231 Ruthsburg Road, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto. Kennard Elementary School zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of Centreville Elementary School, which is located at 420 Little Kidwell Avenue, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto. Centreville Elementary School zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of Centreville Elementary School, which is located at 213 Homewood Avenue, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto. Queen Anne's County Board of Education school zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of the Queen Anne's County Board of Education, which is located at 202 Chesterfield Avenue, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto.

The Wye River Upper School zone: all public roads located within the corporate limits of the Town of Centreville and within a half-mile radius of the Wye River Upper School, which is located at 316 South Commerce Street, Centreville, Maryland, the location and radius of which are depicted on Exhibit A attached hereto. 1 Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Town offices.

154-33 Maximum Speed Limits

The maximum speed limits on roads in any school zone shall be the posted speed limit. Ch 154 Art V Speed Monitoring Systems

154-34 Definitions

154-35 Speed Monitoring Systems

154-36 Civil Penalties

154-37 Payment Of Civil Penalties

154-34 Definitions

Terms used in this section that are defined in § 21-809(a) of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as may be amended from time to time, shall have the same meanings in this section.

154-35 Speed Monitoring Systems

Speed camera enforcement, using speed monitoring systems, is authorized at locations within school zones in the Town. Before activating any unmanned stationary school zone speed monitoring system(s), the Town shall: Publish notice of the location(s) of the speed monitoring system(s) on the Town website and in a newspaper of general circulation within the Town; and Ensure that each sign that designates a school zone indicates that speed monitoring systems are in use in any school zones. The school zone speed monitoring system may only operate Monday through Friday between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. For 30 days after the first speed monitoring system is activated in the Town, a violation recorded by such system may only be enforced by the issuance of a warning. Subject to compliance with all applicable provisions of § 21-809 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Town may: Acquire and/or use speed monitoring systems provided by a vendor for speed camera enforcement within the Town's jurisdiction; and Enter into appropriate agreements with the vendor for the furnishing of speed monitoring system services associated with the speed monitoring system enforcement program.

The speed monitoring system enforcement program in the Town shall be conducted in compliance with all applicable provisions of § 21-809 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as may be amended from time to time, and other applicable law.

154-36 Civil Penalties

Unless the driver of the motor vehicle received a citation from a police officer at the time of the violation, the owner and/or driver of the motor vehicle is subject to a civil penalty in the amount of $40 if the motor vehicle being driven is recorded by a speed monitoring system as being operated in a school zone in excess of the speed limit, within such penalty to be assessed in accordance with § 21-809 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as may be amended from time to time.

154-37 Payment Of Civil Penalties

Where a citation is issued as a result of a speed monitoring system violation and it is uncontested, the penalty shall be paid directly to the Town. In a contested case before the District Court, the penalty shall be paid directly to the District Court and shall be collected by the District Court in accordance with § 7-302 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and § 21-809 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and distributed in accordance with § 12-118 of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.