For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED VEHICLE.
(1) A vehicle left upon a public street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking; or
(2) A vehicle left on a public street or highway for longer than seven days; or
(3) A vehicle left on property owned or operated by the town for longer than 24 hours; or
(4) A vehicle left on private property without the consent of the owner, occupant, or lessee thereof, for longer than two hours.
AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL. The supervisory employee of the Police Department or the Town Clerk and Town Attorney (or other public official), respectively, designated to authorize the removal of vehicles under the provisions of this chapter.
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:
(1) Is partially dismantled or wrecked; or
(2) Cannot be self-propelled or moved in the manner in which it was originally 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 designated 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 is determined to be a health or safety hazard, a public nuisance, and unlawful, including a vehicle found to be:
(1) A breeding ground or harbor for mosquitoes, other insects, rats or other pests; or
(2) A point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation over eight inches in height; or
(3) A point of collection of pools or ponds of water; or
(4) A point of concentration of quantities of gasoline, or other flammable or explosive materials as evidenced by odor; or
(5) One which has areas of confinement which cannot be operated from the inside, such as trunks, hoods, and the like; or
(6) So situated or located that there is a danger of it falling or turning over; or
(7) One which is a point of collection of garbage, food, waste, animal waste, or any other putrescible matter of any kind; or
(8) One which has sharp parts thereof which are jagged or contain sharp edges of metal or glass; or
(9) Any other vehicle specifically declared a health and safety hazard and public nuisance by the governing body of the town.
('75 Code, § 3-18-2)