(A) When a vehicle is placed in a manner or location that constitutes an obstruction to traffic or a hazard to public safety, a police officer shall order the owner or operator of the vehicle to remove it. If the vehicle is unattended, the officer may cause the vehicle to be towed and stored at the owner’s expense. The owner shall be liable for the costs of towing and storing, even if the vehicle was parked by another or if the vehicle was initially parked in a safe manner but subsequently became an obstruction or hazard.
(B) The disposition of a vehicle towed and stored under authority of this section shall be in accordance with the procedures of the city relating to impoundment and disposition of vehicles abandoned on the city streets.
(C) The impoundment of a vehicle will not preclude the issuance of a citation for violation of a provision of this chapter.
(D) Stolen vehicles may be towed from public or private property and stored at the expense of the vehicle owner.
(E) Whenever a police officer observes a vehicle parked in violation of a provision of this chapter or state law, if the vehicle has 5 or more violations against it that have been paid within the previous rotating calendar year, or 5 or more unpaid violations, in addition to issuing a citation, the officer may cause the vehicle to be impounded. An impounded vehicle will not be released until all outstanding fines and charges have been paid. Vehicles impounded under authority of this division (E) will be disposed of in the same manner as provided in division (B) above.
(F) When a vehicle is parked in a manner that constitutes a violation of § 70.14, a notice shall be placed on the vehicle commanding the owner of the vehicle to remove it from the public right-of-way within 24 hours. The notice shall inform the owner that the vehicle will be towed from the public right-of-way at the owner's expense if the vehicle is not removed within 24 hours of the notice being affixed to the vehicle, the vehicle may be towed by the order of the Police Department in the same manner as provided in division (B) above.
(Ord. 80.01, passed 1-8-1991; Am. Ord. 2008-02-01, passed 2-12-2008)