Here it is in a nutshell:

Here is basically what the bill says...If you ride a 2 wheeler, 3 wheeler, or 4 wheeler that is not registered for the street and your yard is less than 5 acres in size you will receive a $250 dollar fine!  Yes, you read that correctly, you ride it on YOUR OWN PROPERTY and you get a fine of $250.00 !!!

Oh, don’t worry, there’s more… If your 6 year old son or daughter wants to ride their new little 50cc 4 wheeler that you bought them for Christmas on your own property, you don’t just get a fine… The vehicle gets impounded!  Yep, anyone under the age of 18 years of age who gets caught riding on their OWN PROPERTY gets their vehicle impounded plus the parents get a fine!  So, if you are at work and your 12 year old wants to ride the Z50 around the yard for while, this bill gives the Police the right to trespass onto YOUR PROPERTY and confiscate YOUR personal property, fine you, and then make you pay a big dollar tow bill.

Also, if your 17 year old son wants to load firewood into the cart connected to your little Honda Recon 250 and the cops drive by and spot it...Uh Oh!  They trespass onto YOUR PROPERTY and confiscate YOUR personal property, fine you, and then make you pay a $250 dollar tow bill.  Yep, that’s right, you have to pay to have your Off-Road Vehicle towed away, plus pay storage fees, plus your fine.  Let’s do the math here… $250 fine, plus $250 tow bill, plus any daily storage charges (usually $25.00 a day)…So, you’re at least $500 in the hole just to ride on YOUR OWN PROPERTY!

Also, there is a clause that allows ANY 2 unrelated County residents that witness you or your children operating a recreation vehicle on YOUR PROPERTY to file a written complaint.  These 2 unrelated County residents do not even have to be your neighbors!.  If you have two people in the County that want to make your life miserable all they have to do ride by your house any Sunday and if you are out there with your kids having fun, they can sign the “two party” complaint form and submit it!  So, they sign a form saying they OBSERVED you riding YOUR vehicle on YOUR property and, viola, you will also receive the fine mentioned above!

Please sign the petition below.  Once you sign the petition, an email will be sent automatically by you, to each of the 7 Harford County Council Members and also to the County Executive.  Please plan now to attend the Council meeting on October 9th.  In addition to signing the petition, you should call your county councilman to let them know this is an outrage and an insult to the citizens of Harford County.  All their contact information is at the bottom of this page.  I would encourage everyone to call each Council member and let them know how you feel.

I guess you guys who own more than 5 acres of land think you’re free and clear of this , eh?  Well, guess again…You don’t get to ride your Off Road Vehicle until it’s at least 9AM and no later than 8PM. Yep, that’s right… For those of us who grew up around this area we know a lot of hunters and farmers.  If you own a 200 acre farm and want to go hunting at 6AM on YOUR property you are breaking the law.  Scenario: You are an older dairy farmer and own a 100 acre spread.  It’s 10PM and someone calls to tell you they saw some of your cows walking through a section of broken fence a half mile down the lane. You take your trusty utility 4 wheel ATV across the field and round up your herd. Unfortunately you have a neighbor (that just maybe moved up here from Columbia) and he/she sees your headlights way out in the pasture.  You drive back home hours later only to be greeted by the local “Off Road Vehicle enforcement police” and you are slapped with a $250 dollar fine because you are riding after 8PM…On YOUR property!   PLEASE PASS THIS PAGE ADDRESS ON TO AS MANY HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS AS YOU CAN!

                    

• Click here and complete the on-line petition.  This will only take about 15 seconds and will automatically generate emails to each of the Council Members, the Council President and the Harford County Executive.  You can let 8 people know how you feel in seconds!  This is the most important thing to do.
   

• Call each and every one of the Council Members and the Council President and let them know exactly what you think and how passionate you are about this issue.  The contact information is towards the bottom of this page.
   

• Write letters to them and let them know what you think.  Here, just click this link and write a quick email and hit send!!  That link will send an email to each of the Council Members, the Council President and the County Executive.  Let them know how you feel!
   

• Mark your calendars and plan to be at the County Council Meeting on October 9th @ 6pm.  Let them know your thoughts on this issue!

  • DIRECTIONS TO COUNCIL CHAMBER - 212 SOUTH BOND STREET, BEL AIR  -  From I-95 Northbound from Baltimore, take Exit 77B toward Bel Air.  Follow Route 24 North into Bel Air to junction of Business Route 1 (intersection at Mall).  Turn Right onto Business Route 1 and continue to junction of Route 924 (Main Street).  Turn Left onto Main Street, stay in left-hand lane.  Turn Left at next light onto Churchville Road (one block).  Turn Left at next light onto Bond Street (one block) – and make immediate Right into 212 South Bond Street parking lot.  Council Chamber is located on first floor.  For meeting in Chamber, enter into Lobby facing Churchville Road.  For Council offices during work hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., enter into Lobby facing Bond Street.  From Route 155 (Havre de Grace) go to Route 22 and follow directly into Bel Air and turn Left at light onto Bond Street, and make immediate Right into 212 South Bond Street parking lot.  Click here for a map.
     

• Download and print flyer here and pass out to all your family and friends.  Hand them out out work, at the gym, at school, etc!  Also, post around Harford County.  Click here for Flyer.
   

• News Flash!  Shirts, Hats and Bumper stickers now available!  Get the word out!

Here is a direct link to the entire Bill No. 07-44   Again, we encourage all of you to read it:  http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/WebLink7/DocView.aspx?id=11531
 

Not in Harford County?  If this passes and you are in a neighboring county, your county could be next!  Even if you are not in Harford County and know someone in Harford County...Please let them know!  Just like the smoking ban is working its way through Maryland, this could be the next thing!  This is truly a case of a few people ruining it for everyone.

Want to contact us at Petition HQ?  E-mail us at harfordcountypetition@yahoo.com
 

Billy Boniface, Council President 212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3525 Council Office Email a comment
Dion F. Guthrie District A 212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3521 Council Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District A Map (District A includes: Edgewood, Joppatowne, Joppa, Magnolia and part of Winter’s Run.)	Veronica “Roni” Chenowith, District B   212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3520 Council Office 410-877-7034 Home Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District B Map (District B includes: Fallston, Upper Cross Roads and Emmorton.)	James "Capt'n Jim" McMahan District C   212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3523 Council Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District C Map (District C includes the Town of Bel Air.)
Chad R. Shrodes District D   212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3524 Council Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District D Map (District D includes Jarrettsville, Norrisville, Whiteford, Street, Dublin, Darlington, Level and Forest Hill.)	Richard C. Slutzky District E   212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3522 Council Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District E Map (District E includes: Aberdeen, Churchville, and Fountain Green.)	Mary Ann Lisanti District F   212 S. Bond Street Bel Air MD 21014 410-638-3526 Council Office  Email your thoughts now! Council District F Map (District F includes: Havre de Grace, Abingdon, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Perryman and Belcamp.)