CHAPTER 15

ABANDONED, WRECKED, & DISCARDED VEHICLES

Sections:

      1. Definitions
      2. Abandonment of vehicles
      3. Leaving of wrecked, non-operating vehicles on street
      4. Disposition of wrecked or discarded vehicles
      5. Impounding
      6. Definition of abandoned vehicle
      7. Penalties for violation

Section 15-1. Definitions.

The following shall apply to the interpretation and enforcement of this ordinance.

    1. Person: shall mean any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or organization of any kind.
    2. Vehicle: shall mean a machine propelled by power other than human power designed to travel along the ground by use of wheels, treads, runners, or slides and transport persons or property of pull machinery and shall include but is not limited to, automobiles, trucks, trailers, motorcycles, tractors, buggies, wagons, and bicycles.
    3. Streets & highways: shall mean the entire width between he boundary lines of entry way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
    4. Property: shall mean any real property within the City which is not a street or highway.

Section 15-2. Abandonment of vehicles.

No person shall abandon any vehicle within the city and no person shall leave any vehicle at any place within the city for such time and under such circumstances as to cause such vehicle reasonably to appear to have been abandoned.

Section 15-3. Leaving of wrecked, non-operating vehicle on street.

No person shall leave any partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked, or junked vehicle on any street, alley or highway within the city.

Section 15-4. Disposition of wrecked or discarded vehicles.

No person in charge or control of any property within the City, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee, or otherwise, shall allow any abandoned vehicle to remain on such property longer than forty-eight (48) hours; and no person shall leave any such vehicle on any property within the City for a linger time than forty-eight (48) hours, except that this ordinance shall not apply with regard to a vehicle in an enclosed building; a vehicle on the premises of a business enterprise operated in a lawful place and manner, when necessary to the operation of such business enterprise; or a vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained in a lawful place and manner by the City.

Section 15-5. Impounding.

The Chief of Police, or any member of his department designated by him, is hereby authorized to remove or have any vehicle left at any place within the City which reasonably appears to be in violation of this ordinance or lot, stolen, or unclaimed. Such vehicle shall be impounded until lawfully claimed or disposed of.

Section 15-6. Definition of abandoned vehicle.

For the purpose of this ordinance, a vehicle shall be presumed to be abandoned if it appears to have been left unattended on public property in excess of twenty-four (24) hours, or upon private property in excess of thirty (30) days or if it is partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked, junked or discarded.

Section 15-7. Penalties for violation.

Any person, firm, partnership or corporation who violates any of the regulations of this Ordinance, is guilty of a Class "B" misdemeanor, and shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 and for imprisonment in the Tooele County Jail for a term not exceeding six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.

* Amended 5-18-88 by Ordinance 88-5.

UPDATED 11/04