The Police Chief and/or a person or persons designated by him or her may remove and impound a vehicle from public or private property in any of the following situations:
(A) The vehicle is in a condition that the continued operation of the vehicle would constitute an immediate hazard to the public;
(B) The vehicle is parked or standing in a manner as to create an immediate public hazard or an obstruction of pedestrian or vehicular traffic;
(C) The vehicle is parked in a posted tow away zone;
(D) There is reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle or any part of the vehicle is stolen;
(E) It is necessary to seize the vehicle to preserve evidence of a crime or there is reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle was used in the commission of a crime;
(F) Removal of the vehicle is necessary in the interest of public safety because of fire, flood, storm, snow, natural or man-made disaster and other emergency;
(G) The vehicle is hampering the use of private property by the owner or person in charge of that property or is parked in a manner which impedes the movement of another vehicle;
(H) The driver of the vehicle is taken into custody by the Police Department and the vehicle would thereby be left unattended;
(I) Removal is necessary to permit snow removal, street construction, cleaning and repair; tree work and other public utility work after at least 24-hours notice thereof has been posted;
(J) A vehicle is unattended and the registered owner of the vehicle has six or more unpaid outstanding citations for parking violations. In lieu of or prior to impoundment under this provision, the Police Chief and/or a person or persons authorized by him or her may attach to the vehicle a device that will prevent the vehicle from being moved. A fee set by Council resolution shall be charged for attachment and removal of the device. The device may be removed by the Police Chief and/or a person or persons designated by him or her if the violations and fee for attachment and removal are paid, if security is posted for court appearance on the violations, if the violations are dismissed, or if it is necessary to impound the vehicle it is unlawful for any person to remove a device without authorization of the Police Chief and/or a person or persons designated by him or her;
(K) Inoperative vehicles.
(1) No person shall park, store, leave or allow to be left upon private property controlled by him or her, any motor vehicle in a rusted, wrecked, junk and partially dismantled or inoperative condition whether attended or not, unless in connection with an auto maintenance or repair business or unless the vehicle is completely enclosed within a garage.
(2) Provided, however, that while no vehicle can be maintained in the rear yard for a period not to exceed 30 days after notice to remove the vehicle is served by the city so long as the vehicle is not within 20 feet of an abutting residential lot.
(L) Unregistered vehicles. No person shall park, store, leave or allow to be left upon the streets, highways or parking lots of the city, any motor vehicle not displaying current license plates registered to that vehicle; and
(M) In any other situation in which impoundment is authorized under the State Motor Vehicle Code and adopted by the Uniform Traffic Code.
(Ord. 440, passed 1-30-1992; Am. Res. 2020-32.2, passed 5-26-2020)