SYKESVILLE — Carroll County should have its first speed cameras installed this year following the Sykesville Town Council's vote tonight to approve a speed camera ordinance.

At its meeting at the Town House and after a second public hearing, the  council voted 5-1 in favor of speed cameras. Mayor Mike Miller and council members Leslie Reed, Frank Robert Jr., Ian Shaw and Chris True voted in favor while Councilman Leo Keenan voted against. Councilman Scott Sanzone was absent.

"I'm ecstatic," Police Chief John Williams Jr., told The Eagle. "Time and time again, the number one issue in our town is speeding, speeding, speeding."

The ordinance takes 21 days for it to take effect, Town Manager Matt Candland said.

The first step is to talk with the District Court to agree on a standard citation and charging documents to be used, as well as to see what kind of case load would be placed on the courts, Williams said. Other jurisdictions in Maryland have seen about 3 percent of violators contest the ticket, but 1.5 percent show up to court, he said.

A state law that kicked in Oct. 1, 2009, authorizes counties and municipalities in Maryland to use speed cameras, but local jurisdictions must approve an ordinance that defines school zones and areas where the cameras might be placed.

According to the state law, cameras are only allowed within a half-mile of a school zone where the speed limit is 35 mph or less, or in a State Highway Administration construction zone.

The town expects to operate three mobile speed camera units in three school areas/zones for speed cameras:

• Ava Wanas Montessori School, 7590 College Road;

• Springfield Presbyterian Church/Stepping Stones Pre-School, 7300 Spout Hill Road; and

• Sykesville Middle School, 7301 Springfield Ave.

The council decided to amend the presented ordinance to say that all roads in the school areas are considered school zones, which means cameras could be placed on any road. However, the town will have to spend money to post signs on each street that photo enforcement is used, said town attorney Dennis Hoover.

The town established the school zones specifically for the speed camera ordinance, which according to literature by the State Highway Administration, is not recommended.

The cameras would capture speeders who go more than 12 mph over the speed limit, a standard that was also set by the state.

Williams said the speed limit would not change on Springfield Avenue, which is Route 851. The speed limit will remain 30 mph, but the other town roads will stay at 25 mph, he said.

Another part of the process also includes finding a vendor responsible for maintaining, providing and moving the cameras, Williams said.

Robert suggested a three-month trial basis with an option to renew in contracts, but Keenan, an attorney, said he would think the vendors would instead go with a standard contract.

As far as reviewing tickets goes, Williams will have the final say on whether a ticket is approved or not, he said.

Tonight's vote follows two public hearings — one on Jan. 25 and another tonight. Only four people spoke at tonight's hearing after about 17 people spoke at the previous hearing.

All four people who spoke at tonight's hearing were in favor.

"All the people who should be concerned about these are speeders," resident Dick Buczek said.

Resident and business owner Debbie Scheller, who owns A Likely Story Bookstore, supported the ordinance — thanks to her son's recent status behind the wheel.

"As a mother of a new teenage driver, I'm totally in support of this," she said. "I've sped, but when you have something like that come in right in your face, you start to think about it."

Sykesville might not be the only town in Carroll that pursues speed cameras.

Williams said other police chiefs in Carroll County have contacted him.

"They're waiting to see how Sykesville responds," he said.

For more, read explorecaroll's frequently asked questions on speed cameras.

---

user comments (0)