(A) In the parking area adjacent to Winchester Hall, and on all county property, parking shall be restricted to those who are authorized by the county to park thereon. In addition, the Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation may assign specific parking spaces to be used by particular persons or Department vehicles. If spaces are so assigned, only those particular persons or departments may park a motor vehicle in the assigned space. Parking of a motor vehicle in a space that is assigned to someone or something else during the time so assigned is hereby declared to be a violation of this subsection and parking of a motor vehicle in any area that is not marked as a parking space is a violation of this subsection, except for the necessary parking to load and unload county supplies or with the approval of the Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation or his authorized agent under unusual circumstances.
(B) The Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation is authorized to erect signs giving appropriate notice of this section and the times and days of applicability.
(C) Pursuant to § 2-2-29 of the Frederick County Code, and Md. Code Ann., Transportation Article, § 26-301, any violation of any of the provisions of subsection (A) is a civil infraction and shall be called a civil parking infraction.
(D) Whenever a civil parking infraction occurs, the Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation or his authorized agent will issue a written citation on a State of Maryland citation form and serve it on the driver of the illegally parked vehicle if the driver is present or attach the citation to the front windshield securely by means of the windshield wiper or tape.
(E) A fine of $25 is hereby imposed upon any person responsible for a civil parking infraction. All fines shall be payable to the county, in the Office of Parks and Recreation Division, which shall remit the same on a weekly basis to the County Treasurer.
(F) A person who receives a citation may elect to stand trial for the offense by filing with the Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation of a notice of intention to stand trial. The notice shall be given at least 5 days before the date of payment of the fine as set forth in the citation. On receipt of a notice of intention to stand trial, the Director shall forward to the District Court for Frederick County, Maryland, a copy of the citation and the notice of intention to stand trial. On receipt of the citation, the district court shall schedule the case for trial and notify the defendant of the trial date. All fines, penalties, or forfeitures collected by the district court for parking infractions shall be remitted to the county, through the County Treasurer.
(G) If a person who receives a citation for an infraction fails to pay the fine by the date of payment set forth on the citation and fails to file a notice of intention to stand trial, a formal notice of the infraction shall be mailed to the owner of the motor vehicle at his or her address. If the citation is not satisfied within 15 days from the date of the notice, the person is liable for a fine of $50 for each infraction. If, after 35 days, the citation is not satisfied, the Director may request adjudication of the case through the district court. The district court shall schedule the case for trial and summon the defendant to appear.
(H) Adjudication of an infraction under this section is not a criminal conviction, nor does it impose any of the civil disabilities ordinarily imposed by a criminal conviction.
(I) In a proceeding before the district court, the violation shall be prosecuted in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth for municipal infractions in Md. Ann. Code, Local Government Article, Title 6. However, the County Attorney is hereby authorized to prosecute parking infractions under this section.
(J) If a person is found by the district court to have committed a civil parking infraction, he shall be liable for the costs of the proceedings in the district court.
(K) In addition to the issuance of civil parking infraction citations, any vehicle parked in violation of the provisions of subsection (A) above may be towed away and impounded. Before any impounded vehicle is released, the towing and impoundment charge shall be paid by the owner or his agent.
(Ord. 97-01-179, 1-21-1997; Ord. 14-23-678, 11-13-2014)