(A) No vehicles except emergency or law enforcement vehicles shall be parked in any area clearly marked "Fire Lane" within a privately owned parking lot or facility. For the purposes of this section, emergency vehicles shall include fire trucks, ambulances and vehicles being actively used for some purpose relating to the fight of fire or other delivery of emergency services.
(B) No person shall be considered to have violated this section unless the area in which parking is prohibited is clearly identified and marked with the words "Fire Lane".
(C) A summons or parking ticket charging an offense under this section may be issued by law enforcement officers and other uniformed personnel employed by the county to enforce parking regulations without the necessity of a warrant being obtained by the owner of a private parking area.
(D) In any prosecution charging a violation of this section, proof that the vehicles described in the complaint, summons, parking ticket citation, or warrant was parked in violation of this section, together with proof that the defendant was at the time the registered owner of the vehicle, as required by VA Code § 46.2-600 et seq., shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of the vehicle was the person who committed the violation.
(E) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
(F) This provisions of this section shall not be applicable within the corporate limits of any incorporated town within Northampton County in which parking in fire lanes is regulated by town ordinances, provided, however, that the provisions hereof shall be applicable on property owned by Northampton County and located within said corporate limits and within the limits of any incorporated town in which parking in fire lanes is not regulated by town ordinances.
(Ord. passed 8-12-2014)