For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. § 160A-303, an abandoned vehicle is one that is left:
(1) Upon a public street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking; or
(2) On property owned or operated by the town, for longer than 24 hours; or
(3) On private property without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof, for longer than two hours; or
(4) On a public street or highway, and is either:
(a) Left for longer than seven days; or
(b) Determined by law enforcement to be a hazard to the motoring public.
AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL. The supervisory employee of the Police Department or the Code Enforcement Officer, respectively, designated to authorize the removal of vehicles under the provisions of this chapter.
ENCLOSED AREA. An area shall be deemed an enclosed area when surrounded by a fence, wall or other structure that is at least seven feet tall measured from the ground, is constructed of an opaque material, and surrounds the area on all sides, such that abandoned or junked vehicles behind the said fence, wall or other structure are not visible from the public right-of-way or other private or public property.
ENCLOSED STRUCTURE. A garage or building structure erected pursuant to the lawful issuance of a building permit, constructed in accordance with all applicable zoning and building code regulations and which provides a complete enclosure such that abandoned or junked vehicles are not visible from the public right-of-way or other private or public property.
HIGHWAY. Defined, pursuant to G.S. § 20-4.01(13), as the entire width between property or right-of-way lines of every way or place of whatever nature, when any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purposes of vehicular traffic. The terms HIGHWAY, STREET, ROAD and other cognates are included within the foregoing definition.
JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE. As defined by G.S. § 160A-303.2, a vehicle which does not display a current license plate and that:
(1) Is partially dismantled or wrecked; or
(2) Cannot be self-propelled or moved in the manner in which it originally was intended to move; or
(3) Is more than five years old and appears to be worth less than $500.
MOTOR VEHICLE or VEHICLE. Any machine designed or intended to travel over land or water by self-propulsion or while attached to any self-propelled vehicle.
NUISANCE VEHICLE. A vehicle on public or private property that is determined and declared to be a 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;
(2) A point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation over eight inches in height;
(3) A point of collection of pools or ponds of water;
(4) A point of concentration of quantities of gasoline, oil or other flammable or explosive materials as evidenced by odor;
(5) One which has areas of confinement which cannot be operated from the inside, such as trunks, hoods and the like;
(6) So situated or located that there is a danger of it falling or turning over;
(7) One which is a point of collection of garbage, food or animal waste, or any other rotten or putrescible matter of any kind;
(8) One which is a place in which debris, bottles or other solid waste is discarded and is present within the vehicle;
(9) One which has sharp parts thereof which are jagged or contain sharp edges of metal or glass; and/or
(10) Any vehicle specifically declared a health and safety hazard and a public health nuisance by the Macon County Department of Health.
(Ord. passed 12-3-12; Am. Ord. 2024-005, passed 4-1-24)