(a) If the fire official finds a private entrance or exit sidewalk or vehicular driveway or interior private driveway or sidewalk obstructed by snow, debris, construction material, vehicles or other matter liable to interfere with the ingress or the operation of fire departments or other emergency vehicles in case of fire, the fire official must order the obstructions removed.
To effectuate the foregoing as to vehicles, the Director or his designee may order “no parking--fire lane” signs erected, may designate the placement thereof, may order the curbs be painted a distinctive color and may order other marking necessary to indicate the limits of the fire lane.
(b) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers in or on a fire lane.
The parking or standing of any vehicle, on private property or otherwise, in violation of the foregoing shall constitute a misdemeanor; and any person convicted thereof will be subject to the penalty provided in section 31-67. In addition, the vehicle parked in
violation of this article may be impounded by the department of police and held until the penalty provided and the towing and storage charges incurred are paid.
(c) In any prosecution charging a violation of any provision of the preceding subsections of this chapter the provisions of section 31-32 shall apply.
(d) In the event of a violation of any of the provisions of the preceding subsections of this chapter the provisions of section 31-33 shall apply.
(e) No person shall keep, place or store or permit to be placed, kept or stored any equipment, material or thing in or on a fire lane or otherwise obstruct or reduce the effective width of any fire lane. Persons violating this subsection shall be subject to the penalty section of this chapter.
(f) No person shall place, erect or maintain any sign for control of parking or traffic which includes the words, “Fire Lane,” unless such sign has been ordered by the County Executive, the Director or their designees.
(g) Any police officer or fire official or County employee specifically designated by the executive finding a vehicle or trailer parked in violation of this chapter must attach to such vehicle or trailer a notice to the owner and operator that such vehicle or trailer has been parked in violation of this chapter and instructing the owner and operator, or either of them, to report to the nearest commissioner of district court for Montgomery County within fifteen (15) days of the time when such notice was so attached to such vehicle or to pay to the department of finance as a penalty and in full satisfaction of such violation the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) or as otherwise set by the executive with the approval of the county council. (1975 L.M.C., ch. 23, § 1; 2016 L.M.C., ch. 30, §1.)