Title
AN ACT CONCERNING WATERCRAFT PARKED ON COUNTY ROADS for the purpose of prohibiting the parking of watercraft on public streets, roads, highways, and rights of way within the County; to establish fines and penalties for parking a personally-owned watercraft on public streets, roads, highways, and rights of way in the County; to permit the towing and impounding of any personally-owned watercraft after a certain number of violations; and generally relating to the prohibition of parking a personally-owned watercraft on public streets, roads, highways, and rights-of-way in Prince George’s County.
Background
The County Council has received reports that boats have been parked and sometimes abandoned on public County streets, roads, highways, and rights-of-way due to the lack of prohibition in the County Code. Boats, particularly those parked on trailers, are larger and taller than typical vehicles. These watercraft create potential hazards by obstructing traffic or by obstructing traffic site lines. This bill will aim to prohibit watercraft from being parked on public streets, roads, highways, and rights of way by issuing a fine to the owner for every twenty four (24) hours the boat remains in violation.
This bill will also permit the tow and impoundment of watercraft that either failed to be moved forty eight (48) hours after the first violation is issued, or the immediate tow and impoundment of the watercraft if the craft is deemed to be obstructive to traffic or traffic site lines. The County Police Department and the Revenue Authority will oversee the distribution of fines, tow, and impoundment of all vehicles that violate this section.