(a) No motor vehicle may be towed from a private parking lot unless such towing meets the requirements of G.S. 20-219.2 and:
(1) One or more signs meeting at least one of the following requirements is posted as follows:
a. a sign prominently placed at each entrance allowing vehicular access to the private parking (“Entrance Sign”); or
b. if there are no curb or access barriers, at least one sign posted for every 50 feet of the frontage of the private parking lot to a public street (“Frontage Sign”); or
c. a sign posted at each parking space from which an unauthorized motor vehicle could be towed, removed, or immobilized (“Parking Space Sign”).
(2) The posted sign(s) complies with the following.
a. Entrance or Frontage Signs shall be at least 24 inches by 24 inches in size, and shall not exceed six square feet.
b. Parking Space Signs shall be at least 12 inches by 18 inches in size, and shall not exceed six square feet.
c. All signs required by this Ordinance shall be permanently installed with the bottom of the sign not less than four feet above ground level, and not more than five feet above ground level. Pedestrian safety shall be taken into consideration when locating freestanding signs.
(3) The sign(s) required by this Ordinance shall clearly display the following:
a. The words “tow-away,” “tow-away zone,” or “towing enforced,” or similar phrase. This phrase shall be formed by letters that are not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches high, and shall be on a contrasting background.
b. Indication that parking by unauthorized motor vehicles is prohibited by a phrase such as “private parking,” “leased parking,” “no parking,” “parking for customers only,” “parking for residents only,” or a similar phrase. This phrase shall be formed by letters that are not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches high, and the background shall be on a contrasting background.
1. If parking by unauthorized motor vehicles is prohibited on a 24-hour per day basis, then that prohibition shall be posted, and state the days of the week and hours of the day during which that prohibition is in effect.
2. If parking by unauthorized motor vehicles is not prohibited on a 24-hour basis, then the days of the week and hours of the day during which parking is prohibited shall be posted.
c. If motor vehicles are subject to immediate towing when the motor vehicle operator steps off the property, whether the operator conducts business on the property or not, then the signs required by this Ordinance shall include the language “If you leave this property, your vehicle is subject to being towed. This includes patrons who are frequenting business on this property” or similar language which conveys the message that even if a business on the property was or will be frequented, if the operator leaves the property, the vehicle may be towed. This message shall be formed by letters that are not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches high, and shall be on a contrasting background.
d. The name and telephone number of the towing and storage service at which a person available to release the motor vehicle that has been towed, removed, or immobilized may be contacted. The name and telephone number shall be formed by letters that are not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches high, and shall be on a contrasting background.
e. Language such as “If a tow has been initiated but the vehicle has not been removed from the parking lot, the vehicle must be released upon payment of a release fee” or similar. This message shall be formed by letters that are not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches high, and shall be on a contrasting background.
(Ord. No. 2017-Code-03, § 1, 2-23-2017)