(a) No person in charge or control of any property within the City, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise shall store on, place on, permit to be stored or placed on or allow to remain on any private property in the City a dismantled, partially dismantled, inoperable motor vehicle, any part of a motor vehicle, untitled motor vehicle or unregistered motor vehicle except in a completely enclosed building or upon the premises of an authorized junk yard or impound yard, as may be permitted under the Howell City Zoning Code. Placement of a tarpaulin or other covering over a motor vehicle described in this chapter shall not be deemed to be in compliance herewith.
(b) No person in charge or control of any property within the City, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise shall dismantle, cut up, remove parts from otherwise disassemble a motor vehicle, except in a completely enclosed building or upon the premises of an authorized junk yard, as may be permitted under the Howell City Zoning Code.
(c) This section shall not be constructed to permit the parking or placing of dismantled, partially dismantled, inoperable motor vehicles, any part of a motor vehicle, untitled motor vehicles or unregistered motor vehicles on any street area in the City of Howell or in any front yard, as defined in the Howell City Zoning Code.
(d) The Chief of Police, or the Code Enforcement Officer, as designated in Section 208.03 of the Howell City Code, may remove or cause to be removed any dismantled, partially dismantled or inoperative motor vehicle, untitled motor vehicle or unregistered motor vehicle or part thereof, from private property in the City after having notified, in writing, the owner or occupant of such property of the intended removal at least ten days prior to such removal. Such notice shall be served personally upon a person in charge or control, whether as owner, tenant, occupant or lessee, of the property, if occupied, or may be posted in a conspicuous place upon vacant or unoccupied property, and such vehicles or parts thereof, so removed, shall be disposed of according to law.
(e) As used in this section:
(1) "Dismantled and partially dismantled motor vehicles" means motor vehicles from which a part which is ordinarily a component of such a motor vehicle has been removed or is missing. Exempt from this definition are motor vehicles which are undergoing regularly scheduled maintenance or mechanical repairs, and which otherwise do not meet any criteria of this section.
(2) "Enclosed building" shall mean a garage or other permanent structure which has four walls, a roof and a means of access for ingress and egress, i.e., doors large enough to accommodate ingress and egress.
(3) "Inoperable motor vehicles" means motor vehicles which, by reason of dismantling, disrepair or other causes, are incapable of being propelled under their own power.
(4) "Motor vehicles" means wheeled vehicles which are self-propelled or intended to be self- propelled.
(5) "Unregistered motor vehicle" is a motor vehicle which has not been registered pursuant to the Michigan State Motor Vehicle Code which is Act 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, as amended, being M.C.L. 257.1 et seq. and is not registered to the owner, tenant, occupant or lessee of the property wherein the motor vehicle is stored or placed.
(6) "Untitled motor vehicle" is a motor vehicle which has not been titled pursuant to the Michigan State Motor Vehicle Code which is Act 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, as amended, being M.C.L. 257.1 et seq. and is not titled to the owner, tenant, occupant or lessee of the property wherein the motor vehicle is stored or placed.
(f) The presence of a dismantled, partially dismantled, inoperable motor vehicle, part of a motor vehicle, untitled motor vehicle or unregistered motor vehicle on a platted or unplatted parcel of land in violation of any of the provisions of this section is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
(Ord. 724. Passed 3-11-02.)