Tractor Trailer Parking Continues to Plague Neighborhoods
August 12, 2022
For years, community residents have complained about tractor-trailer parking in residential neighborhoods. Residents claimed that they were an eyesore, and presented a safety hazard by obstructing views. Police officers would often issue parking tickets to violators but this seemed to do nothing to stop this illegal practice. The drivers of these vehicles could be heard saying "it is cheaper to pay the ticket $52 ticket than to pay for parking in authorized places." So the problem persisted.
COMMUNITY & GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS
Officer Bryen Glass of the Woodlawn Precinct Community Outreach Team made a friendly visit to the office of Councilman Tom Quirk, 1st District Baltimore County councilman. On this particular day, the suggestion was made to significantly increase the fines to $500 to deter future violations since they were so easily disregarded. The Woodlawn Precinct Community Outreach Team, and Councilman Quirk's Office had worked on numerous complaints in the past, and had always maintained a good working relationship when it came to resolving community complaints.
BALTIMORE COUNTY COUNCIL ACTION
Two years ago, the Baltimore County Council heard the outcry from residents in regards to tractor-trailer parking in residential neighborhoods, and responded accordingly. The fine was boosted to $500 for the tractor-trailer combo, or $250 for each section.
§ 18-2-206. - PARKING A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
(f) Penalty for parking a tractor, trailer, or tractor-trailer. If the commercial vehicle parked in violation of this section consists of a tractor, trailer, or a combination tractor-trailer, the person violating this section is subject to a fine of $250 each for the tractor or trailer and $500 for a tractor and trailer, in combination, for each day the violation exists.
This new legislative action significantly decreased the violations and complaints. This was just one small example of how communities, government agencies, and elected officials can, and have worked together to resolve issues, especially quality of life issues.
However, recently the complaints have seemingly increased not only in residential neighborhoods but in commercial zones with time restrictions. Mr. Ryan Coleman, president of the Randallstown NCAAP, has also made efforts to engage community groups, residents, and local police to become more active in addressing the problem.
WHAT CAN RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES DO?
When residents observe violations on the public street, they should report it immediately to the police department by dialing the non-emergency number at 410-887-2222. If the vehicle is on private property, contact Baltimore County Code Enforcement at 410-887-3351 or online by clicking this link. Give a description of the vehicle, tag number if possible, and the location of the violations. Callers can remain anonymous, or request to speak to the responding officer if they would like to know what action was taken to resolve the complaint.
If you know of a neighbor who parks their tractor-trailers on the street, or on residential property, kindly remind them that it is illegal to park tractor-trailers, whether its attached or not, on the street or the residence. Baltimore County Police and Code Enforcement are aggressively enforcing these laws and they may be issued a citation with a hefty fine.
TRACTOR-TRAILER PARKING LOCATIONS
For drivers, and owners of tractor-trailers, please click the button below to locate some accepted parking locations.
Any questions, please contact your local police precinct. Please share with family, friends, and neighbors. Don't forget to subscribe to www.4410online.com.
