Prince George's County Council holds boat-parking bill for one week after residents press for removals

Prince George's County Council Committee of the Whole voted 8-0 Tuesday to hold proposed CB-2-20-25 for one week as members and county staff work through enforcement and disposal questions raised by residents and agencies.

The measure, sponsored by Councilmember Eric Olson, would prohibit parking personally owned watercraft on county streets, roads, highways and rights of way; establish fines of $250 for a first offense and $500 for a second; and allow for towing and impoundment of repeat offenders. Olson said the ordinance responds to safety, traffic and neighborhood quality complaints about boats left on public streets.

Councilmember Olson said boats parked on public streets "obstruct visibility for drivers and pedestrians, increasing the risk of accidents," and that emergency and service vehicles can be delayed when large watercraft block lanes. "Boats are designed for use on water and should be stored at designated marinas, docks, or private storage facilities," he said.

Why it matters: residents from multiple neighborhoods described the same problem—large, sometimes deteriorated boats left on streets for months or years that create blind spots, reduce neighborhood appearance and, they said, pose safety risks for schoolchildren and drivers. County agencies cautioned that removing abandoned boats raises different logistical and financial challenges than routine vehicle towing, and staff asked for time to work with the sponsor on technical fixes.

What the bill would do and administration concerns

As drafted in proposed draft 2, CB-2-20-25 would (1) bar parking of personally or corporately owned watercraft on county public…