§ 22-222 TOWING AND IMPOUNDMENT OF CERTAIN VEHICLES AUTHORIZED.

   (a)   Any vehicle found on any private property, public street or other public place under any circumstances hereinafter set forth and any large recreational vehicle or oversize recreational vehicle parked on private property in violation of §§ 22-162.3 or 22-162.4 of this chapter shall be deemed to be a nuisance per se, and may be towed away and impounded in the manner herein provided (provided, however, that such listed circumstances shall not be deemed exclusive or prohibit such towing and impoundment in any circumstances not listed):

      (1)   When any vehicle or any other property constitutes an obstruction to traffic by being left unattended upon any bridge, viaduct or causeway, or in any underpass or tunnel;

      (2)   When any vehicle is illegally parked so as to block the entrance to any private driveway;

      (3)   When any vehicle is found upon a street, or highway, and information has been reported to the effect that such vehicle has been stolen or complaint has been filed and a warrant thereon issued charging that such vehicle has been stolen or embezzled;

      (4)   When a vehicle upon a street or highway is so disabled that its normal operation is impossible or impractical and the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are incapacitated by reason of physical injury or other reason to such an extent as to be unable to provide for its removal or custody, or are not in the immediate vicinity of the disabled vehicle;

      (5)   When a police officer arrests any person driving or in control of a vehicle for an alleged offense and such officer is by law required to take the person arrested immediately before a magistrate;

      (6)   When any vehicle is parked or standing in or on any portion of a street or highway in such a manner that the vehicle constitutes a hazard or interferes with a normal function of a governmental agency, or by reason of any catastrophe, emergency or unusual circumstance the safety of said vehicle is imperiled;

      (7)   When any vehicle is stopped or standing or parked in violation of any official sign or other traffic-control device where said sign or device gives notice of a tow-away zone;

      (8)   When any vehicle is stored on the public street, sidewalk, parkway or alley, according to the terms of § 22-159;

      (9)   When a vehicle is found to be an abandoned vehicle or a junked vehicle;

      (10)   When any vehicle is found parked on private property according to the terms of § 22-162.1;

      (11)   When any vehicle is found parked on a public street according to the terms of § 22-162.2; and

      (12)   When any vehicle is found parked on private property according to the terms of §§ 22-162.3 or 22-162.4.

   (b)   Whenever the provisions of this section provide for the towing away and impoundment of any vehicle, such service shall be performed either by the city or its duly authorized representative.

   (c)   Whenever a vehicle is towed away and impounded under the provisions of this section or of § 22-221, the procedures in § 22-302 shall be followed, with regard to notice, hearing, appeal, release, storage fees, sale and disposition of the vehicle.

(1964 Code, § 26-123) (Ord. 7016, § 2, passed 6-3-1974; Ord. 7217, § 2, passed 8-25-1975; Ord. 7923, § 1, passed 6-12-1979; Ord. 9852, § 6, passed 3-31-1987; Ord. 17867, § 4, passed 11-6-2007; Ord. 18162-07-2008, § 7, passed 7-8-2008)

Cross-reference:

   Abandoned and junked vehicles, see §§ 22-301 et seq.

Statutory reference:

   Similar provisions, see V.A.C.S. Art. 6701d, § 94

   Unattended motor vehicles, see V.A.C.S. Art. 6701d, § 97