303.07 IMPOUNDING OF VEHICLES; NOTICE TO OWNER.

   (a)   Police officers are authorized to provide for the removal and impounding of vehicles under the following circumstances:

      (1)   When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street right of way or upon any public or private property and there is an immediate emergency, hazard or threat to property or public safety.

      (2)   When any vehicle is left upon any public or private property in a lawfully designated and marked fire lane.

      (3)   When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street right of way or bridge or in any tunnel when such vehicle constitutes a hazard or obstruction to the normal movement of traffic, or unreasonably interferes with street cleaning, street maintenance, repair, or snow removal operations.

         (Ord. 134-1987. Passed 6-22-87.)

      (4)   When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street right of way in excess of twenty-four consecutive hours, or upon any other public property, whether owned or controlled by the City or Board of Education, County, State or Federal government, in excess of forty-eight consecutive hours.

      (5)   When any vehicle is left unattended on any street or other public property and is not parked entirely within the marked individual parking space.

      (6)   When any vehicle is left unattended in excess of ten minutes in the City Hall parking lot spaces which are designated as limited to ten minutes for payment of utility bills.

      (7)   When any vehicle is left unattended in the Natatorium parking area and the operator thereof is not a patron or staff member of the Natatorium.

      (8)   When any vehicle is left unattended and blocks the ingress or egress to any private street or any public or private driveway or other property including the high school circular drive, without obtaining permission of the owner or other person lawfully authorized to give such permission.

      (9)   When any vehicle does not bear current lawful license plates and is operated or unattended on any street or right of way or other public property or any private property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.

      (10)   When any vehicle has been damaged or wrecked so as to be inoperable or violates equipment provisions of this Traffic Code whereby its continued operation would constitute a condition hazardous to life, limb or property.

      (11)   When any vehicle is left unattended due to the removal of an ill, injured or arrested operator.

      (12)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who is driving without a lawful license or while his license has been suspended or revoked.

      (13)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision.

      (14)   When any vehicle has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner.

      (15)   When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a felony.

      (16)   When any vehicle is found for which three or more citation tags for violations of this Traffic Code have been issued and the owner or operator thereof has failed to respond to such citation tags as lawfully required.

      (17)   When any vehicle is left unattended within the Front and Center Urban Renewal Project, on public or private property, and blocks ingress or egress for delivery, sanitation pickup, utility vehicles, maintenance purposes or emergency services.

      (18)   Upon complaint of a person in lawful control of a premises, an officer may order the impounding of any motor vehicle that has been left on private property without the permission of the property owner for at least 48 hours. The person in control of the premises shall sign an affidavit, attesting that they are in lawful control of the property, that the motor vehicle has been there for at least 48 hours without the property owner’s permission, and that they authorize the removal of the motor vehicle.

         (Ord. 72-2017. Passed 10-9-17.)

   (b)   The Police Department shall forthwith take reasonable steps to notify the registered vehicle owner of the fact of such removal and impounding, reasons therefor and the place of storage.

   (c)   Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on a second offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; on each subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.