Purpose 

The Office of Public Safety enforces parking regulations on the SMCM campus, Trinity Church property and Historic St. Mary’s City property. The purpose of this policy is to establish clear guidelines for monitoring and enforcing established parking regulations on the three properties within the department’s jurisdiction.  

Definitions 

1. Legal Space: parking spaces bounded by two parallel control lines and do not have specific signs reserving the use of the space. 
2. Immobilization device/boot: an immobilization device or boot is a device that is designed to prevent vehicles from being moved and can only be removed with a unique device. 
3. Habitual Offender: an individual whose vehicle has received three (3) or more tickets in a single academic year.
4. Abandoned Vehicle (MD Transportation Code §25-201): any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer that is inoperable and left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours; or that has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours; or that has remained on private property for more than 48 hours without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property. 

Regulations 

1. No Parking or Standing 
   1. Parking or standing is not permitted in the following areas on the College campus: 
      1. Fire Lanes 
      2. Designated No Parking Areas 
      3. On the grass 
      4. Roadways
      5. Sidewalks 
2. Additional Violations 
   1. The following are also considered violations of the College’s Parking Regulations: 
      1. Blocking a fire lane 
      2. Blocking a handicap space 
      3. Parking in a handicap space without a handicap permit 
      4. Parking in a manner that blocks the flow of traffic 
      5. Blocking a dumpster

Procedures 

1. 1. Vehicle Parking Permit 
      1. All vehicles must have on display on the rear window or bumper of their vehicle: a college issued numbered permit designating the parking lot(s) that a vehicle may legally park in on campus. 
      2. Types of permits 
         1. Annual Residential Students permit, issued by the Office of Public Safety. These permits are numbered, and color coded designating the approved residential lot 
         2. Annual Commuter Students permit, issued by the Office of Public Safety. These permits are numbered, and color coded designating the approved commuter lot 
         3. Visitor permit, issued at the Office of Public Safety as a white numbered paper permit.  
         4. Temporary permit 
            1. Residential students are issued red temporary permits. 
            2. Commuter students are issued green temporary permits. 
         5. Temporary handicap permits 
            1. Faculty, staff, and students may be issued temporary blue permits. 
            2. Requestors must present a copy of a physician-signed application for a state-issued handicap placard. 
            3. The temporary permit may be issued until the state placard is obtained.  
   2. Parking Lot Designations 
      1. All parking lots on the SMCM campus are clearly marked, designating the type of permit allowed to park within the lot.
      2. Trinity Church and Historic St. Mary’s City parking lots are clearly marked stating parking regulations. 
      3. Students driving vehicles with a faculty/staff permit must park in a commuter lot.  
      4. The Office of Public Safety reserves the right to reallocate parking on campus as needed and for events. 
   3. Event Parking 
      1. All parking for events must be coordinated through the Office of Public Safety. 
      2. A minimum of two weeks’ notice to the Office of Public Safety must be provided.  
   4. III. Enforcement 
      1. Ticketing 
         1. SMCM Public Safety Officers may issue parking tickets for violations of established parking regulations. 
            1. Vehicles will be issued one ticket per violation. 
            2. Vehicles in violation of established parking regulations will be ticketed once in any 24-hour period for each violation. 
      2. Fines 
         1. Blocking and/or parking in a fire lane: $50.00 
         2. Blocking and/or parking in a handicap space: $50.00 
         3. Blocking a dumpster: $50.00 
         4. Parking on the grass: $50.00 
         5. No college parking decal: $25.00 
         6. Parking in the roadway: $20.00 
         7. Parked in or blocking Roadway: $20.00 
         8. Parking in an unauthorized parking space: $20.00 
         9. Parking in a marked no stopping/standing zone: $20.00
         10. Parking in Faculty/Staff Only designated area: $20.00
         11. Parking on or Blocking Sidewalk: $20.00
         12. Vehicle Decal Placement not in compliance with the College’s Parking Enforcement Policy: $20.00
         13. Posted no Parking Area: $20.00
         14. Blocking Multiple Spaces: $20.00
         15. Commuter in Non-Commuter Lot: $20.00
         16. Resident in Commuter Lot: $20.00
         17. Resident in Wrong Lot: $20.00
         18. Parking in Loading Area Only: $20.00

1. 3. Immobilizing/Booting 
      1. SMCM Public Safety Officers may immobilize vehicles for the following reasons: 
         1. Illegally parked unregistered vehicles to determine ownership. 
         2. Habitual offenders 
      2. Removal of Immobilization Devices 
         1. Boots will be removed at no cost to SMCM students, staff, and faculty after the vehicle owner or user: 
            1. provides his/her personal information (name, proof of affiliation to St. Mary’s College of Maryland) and
            2. obtains an SMCM vehicle permit.  
         2. Habitual offenders after receiving three (3) or more citations in a single academic year will incur costs as follows: 
            1. Boot removal will cost $100.00 in addition to the violation fee(s). 
         3. Boot removal and violation fees shall be paid for and arranged within 72 hours after the boot has been secured on the vehicle or by the close of the next business day in the event of a holiday. 
   4. Towing 
      1. SMCM Public Safety may tow vehicles at the owner’s expense where a vehicle is:
         1. Parked in a marked handicap space without authorization. 
         2. Blocking the roadway or blocking service or emergency vehicle ingress or egress. 
         3. Creating a road hazard or damage to property or grounds. 
         4. Deemed to be abandoned on college property. 
         5. Designated by the college as banned from the campus.  
         6. Determined by the Office of Public Safety to have had a boot on it for more than 72 hours. 
         7. Parked in a marked fire lane. 
         8. Sanctioned by the Student Conduct process.
      2. Towing fees to be paid by the vehicle owner will be: 
         1. $100.00 standard tow fee 
         2. $25.00 per day for storage at the local towing company after the first 24 hours has passed.  
         3. $20.00 gate fee for release of vehicle from the local towing company after business hours. 
         4. $65.00 drop fee if the owner, authorized operator or authorized agent of the owner of the motor vehicle attempts to retrieve the motor vehicle while the local towing company is in the process of removing the vehicle from the property whether the vehicle has been hooked up or not.  
         5. $30.00 fee if the owner, authorized operator, or authorized agent of the owner of the motor vehicle attempts to retrieve the vehicle 20 minutes after the tow truck has been requested by the Office of Public Safety.  
         6. All fees will be collected by the tow company.