(A) The Building Inspector and/or Chief of Police on routine inspection or upon receipt of a complaint may investigate a suspected junked vehicle or vehicle accessories and record the make, model, style and identification numbers and its situation.
(B) Whenever the building inspector or any member of his or her department finds or is notified that any junked vehicle or vehicle accessories have been stored or permitted to remain on any private property in the city, the Building Inspector shall send by certified mail or registered mail a notice to the owner of record of the junked vehicle or vehicle accessories, if the owner can be ascertained by the exercise of reasonable diligence, and also to the owner of the private property, as listed on the tax assessment records of the city, on which the same is located to remove the junked vehicle or vehicle accessories within ten days. The notice shall contain the following additional information:
(1) Nature of complaint;
(2) Description and location of the junked vehicle and/or vehicle accessories;
(3) Statement that the junked vehicle or vehicle accessories will be removed from the premises not later than ten days from the date of notification and/or that a request for a hearing must be made before the expiration of the ten-day period;
(4) Statement that removal from the location specified in the notification to another location upon which the storage is not permitted is prohibited and shall subject the person to additional penalties;
(5) Statement that if removal is made within the time limits specified, notification shall be given in writing to the Building Inspector.
(6) Statement of the penalties provided for non-compliance with the notice.
(C) In the event of the failure, refusal or neglect of the owner or occupant of the premises or property involved to cause the nuisance to be removed or abated in the manner and within the time provided herein, it shall be the duty of the Building Inspector and/or Chief of Police to cause the condition constituting a nuisance to be promptly and similarly abated, in a reasonable and prudent manner, at the expense of the city. The Building Inspector or his or her duly authorized representative shall compile cost of the work done and improvements made in abating the nuisance, and shall charge the same against the owner of the premise or property. It is hereby provided that general overhead of administrative expense, inspections, locating owner and/or owners, issuing a notice, reinspection and ordering work done, together with all necessary incidents of same, shall require a charge of at least $25 for each occurrence or incident. Not withstanding, therefore, any tabulation of recorded cost, a minimum of $25 dollars shall be assessed against each lot owner or vehicle owner, but the sum of $25 is hereby expressly stated to be a minimum charge only and shall have no application when the tabulated cost of the work done shall exceed the minimum charge. After the junked vehicle and/or vehicle accessories has been removed, it shall not be reconstructed or made operable.
(D) (1) Upon removal of the junked vehicle, notice shall be given to the Texas Highway Department within five days after the date of the removal identifying the vehicle or part thereof.
(2) The Building Inspector may cause the removal of the junked vehicle or vehicle accessories thereof from property by any duly authorized towing service and/or by notifying the Canton Police Department and having it authorize removal.
(Ord. 99-09, passed 7-20-1999)