The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this article:
ABANDONED VEHICLE ON CITY PROPERTY: | One that is parked or otherwise located on property owned or operated by the city (except for a city street or alley) for longer than two (2) hours or in a city owned parking lot for longer than twelve (12) hours, without percussion of the city. |
ABANDONED VEHICLE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY: | One that is parked or otherwise located on private property that has not been moved for a period of seven (7) days and is open to the view of the public. |
ABANDONED VEHICLE ON STREET OR ALLEY: | One that is parked or otherwise located on any highway, street, alley, or other public right of way. Continuous standing of a vehicle on a highway, street, alley or other public right of way for over a seventy-two (72) hour period shall be prima facie evidence of abandonment of such vehicle. |
HAZARDOUS VEHICLE: | Any motor vehicle on private or public property that is declared to be a health or safety hazard by a duly authorized police officer, community service officer, or city inspector, when the vehicle is found to be: (1) A breeding ground or harbor for mosquitoes or other insects, snakes, rats, or other pests; or (2) A point of weed growth and/or other vegetation over ten inches (10") in height; or (3) A point of collection for pools or ponds of water; or (4) A point of concentration of gasoline, oil or other flammable or explosive materials; or (5) So situated that there is a danger of the vehicle falling or taming over; or (6) A place in which debris, bottles or other solid waste is discarded and is present within the vehicle or immediately next to or around the vehicle; or (7) A source of danger for children through entrapment in areas of confinement that cannot be opened from the inside or from exposed surfaces of metal, glass or other rigid materials. |
INOPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLE: | A vehicle from which the engine, wheels or other essential parts have been removed, or on which the engine, wheels or other parts have been altered, damaged or otherwise treated such that the vehicle is incapable of being driven under its own power for a period of at least seven (7) days. Inoperable Motor Vehicle shall not include: |
(1) A motor vehicle which has been rendered temporarily incapable of being driven under its own power in order to perform ordinary service or repair operations; (2) Any motor vehicle that is kept concealed within a building when not in use; or (3) A motor vehicle on the premises of a place of business engaged in repairing, wrecking or junking of motor vehicles where properly zoned. | |
OWNER: | An individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, governmental agency or any combination thereof, as evidenced by the title to the vehicle. If no title to the vehicle is available, then the last record owner as contained in the records of the Secretary of State of the state in which the vehicle was last titled shall be rebuttably presumed to be the current owner. |
SEIZED VEHICLE: | Any vehicle which is seized as a result of an arrest, pursuant to 720 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/36-1 et seq., recovery of a stolen vehicle, or any other lawful seizure. |
UNREGISTERED VEHICLE: | One that: (1) Does not have an attached current registration (license plate) valid in any state; or (2) Does not have displayed a current temporary registration valid in any state; or (3) Has a registration (license plate) which is expired pursuant to the laws of the issuing state. |
VEHICLE: | A machine propelled by power, other than human power, designed to travel by use of wheels, treads, runners or slides and to transport persons or property or pull machinery and shall include, without limitation, automobile, truck, trailer, motorcycle, tractor, buggy, RV, SUV, snowmobile, personal watercraft conversion van, boat, camper, mobile home, pop-up camper, pickup truck, and wagon. |
VEHICLE HAVING EVIDENTIARY VALUE: | Any vehicle which is seized so it can be searched for evidence of a crime (hit-and-run, blood, fingerprints, etc.). (Ord. 76-19, 5-3-1976; amd. Ord. 01-30, 11-5-2001; Ord. 17-18, 10-2-2017) |