(a) (1) For the purpose of this section, “vehicle” means everything on wheels or runners which is propelled by power other than muscular power, including, but not limited to automobiles, motor homes, campers, trailers, semitrailers and light and heavy equipment.
(2) For the purpose of this section, “unlicensed motor vehicle” means any motor vehicle that does not have displayed thereon license plates for the current year, unless the vehicle is stored in a completely enclosed building or garage.
(3) For the purpose of this section, “inoperable vehicle” means any vehicle found to be extensively damaged, such damage including but not limited to any of the following: body damage; missing wheels, tires, motor, motor parts or transmission; and apparently inoperable, unless the vehicle is stored in a completely enclosed building or garage.
(b) No person shall willfully leave an unlicensed and/or inoperable motor vehicle unenclosed for more than ten days after receipt of a notice as provided in this section. The Police Division shall issue a written warning to the owner, person in charge of, or in possession of the property where the unlicensed and/or inoperable motor vehicle is found, and a ten-day period shall commence the next day following the service of written warning. The fact that the unlicensed and/or inoperable vehicle is left on the premises is prima facie evidence of willful failure to comply with the written warning and each five days after the unlicensed and/or inoperable vehicle continues to be left constitutes a separate offense as outlined in Section 303.99. For the period of one year from the issuance of the notice, in the event the unlicensed and/or inoperable motor vehicle is removed during the ten-day time period and at a later time such unlicensed and/or inoperable motor vehicle is returned to the property in an unlicensed state, violation shall be complete upon return of the unlicensed and/or inoperable motor vehicle to the property provided ten days have elapsed since service of notice.
(c) Junk dealers and licensed automobile dealers are specifically excluded from this section. Further, exception is made for those persons who are in a lawful vehicle repair business, provided that there are not more than fifteen customer inoperable vehicles on the property stored outside of the building at any one time that cannot be repaired immediately, and that no customer vehicle is left on the property outside the building for longer than sixty days.
(d) If the offender has previously been convicted of a violation of this section, the offenses is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree and shall be sentenced in accordance with Section 303.99.
(Ord. 2005-059. Passed 6-14-05; Ord. 2020-025. Passed 3-10-20.)