For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. § 160A-303, an abandoned motor vehicle is one that:
(1) Is left upon a public street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking; or
(2) Is left on a public street or highway for longer than seven days; or
(3) Is left on property owned or operated by the city for longer than 24 hours.
AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL. Any sworn law enforcement officer operating under the command and control of the city Police Department or the Planning and Community Development Department's Code Enforcement Officer, respectively.
JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. § 160A-303.2 the term, junked motor vehicle means a vehicle that does not display a current license plate lawfully upon that vehicle and that:
(1) Is partially dismantled or wrecked; or
(2) Cannot be self propelled or moved in the manner in which it originally was intended to move; or
(3) Is more than five years old and appears to be worth less than $100.
MOTOR VEHICLE or VEHICLE. All machines designed or intended to travel over land by self-propulsion or while attached to any self-propelled vehicle.
NUISANCE VEHICLE. A vehicle on public or private property that does not display a current license plate lawfully upon that vehicle and that is determined and declared to be a health or safety hazard, a public nuisance, and unlawful, including a vehicle found to be any of the following:
(1) A breeding ground or harbor for mosquitoes, other insects, rats, snakes or other pests;
(2) A point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation over eight inches in height;
(3) A point of collection of pools or ponds of water;
(4) A point of concentration of quantities of gasoline, oil or other flammable or explosive materials as evidenced by odor;
(5) One which has areas of confinement which cannot be operated from the inside, such as tanks, hoods, and the like;
(6) So situated or located that there is a danger of it falling or turning over (i.e. on jacks, blocks or other supports);
(7) One which is a point of collection of garbage, food waste, animal waste, or any other rotten or putrescible matter of any kind;
(8) So offensive to the sight as to damage the community, neighborhood or area appearance; or
(9) Any other vehicle specifically declared a health and safety hazard and a public nuisance by the City Council.
(Ord. 04-90, passed 4-5-90; Am. Ord. 25-04, passed 7-8-04)