§ 58.1204. General Requirements.

No person in charge or in control of any property within the City, whether an owner, tenant, occupant, lessee, or otherwise, shall allow any derelict, disabled or abandoned vehicle to be placed or remain on such property unless such vehicle is within a completely enclosed building, or is on the premises of an automotive repair or storage business for which the owner of the business has a current City occupational license and zoning approval. However, a disabled vehicle may not remain on the premises of an auto repair business or storage business in excess of 180 days. A vehicle covered with a car cover does not constitute enclosure or storage of a disabled vehicle.

Evidence. A vehicle will be in violation of this Section if it is in a state of evident disuse, neglect or abandonment. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, factors such as: vehicle being wrecked, inoperative as evidenced by vegetation underneath as high as the vehicle body or frame, refuse or debris collected underneath or the vehicle being used solely for storage purposes, if it is partially dismantled, having no engine, transmission, or other major and visible parts, having major and visible parts which are dismantled, having no valid license tag, or being in any physical state rendering it inoperable or unsightly to the neighborhood. If the primary apparent evidence of neglect or abandonment is the lack of a valid tag or vegetation growing under vehicle, then the inspector shall use his training and experience to determine whether, under the totality of the circumstances, the vehicle is in a state of evident disuse, neglect or abandonment. A vehicle will be considered abandoned or derelict if it is in an evident state of extended disuse or neglect.

Interpretation of this Requirement. Nothing in this Part shall be construed as permitting the disassembling, tearing down or scrapping of a vehicle or to permit one vehicle to be scavenged or stripped for parts for use on another vehicle. Additionally, nothing in this Part shall be construed as permitting the violation of other City Code provisions, including but not limited to; outside storage requirements, junkyard provisions, and lot cleaning standards.

Responsibility for Compliance. The owner, agent and/or tenant of the property on which the violation occurs and the owner of the disabled vehicle shall be jointly and individually responsible for compliance with the requirements of this Part.

(Ord. of 9-16-1991, Doc. #25094; Ord. of 4-20-1992, Doc. #25633; Ord. of 7-26-1993, Doc. #26769)