(a) As used in this section,
JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE means any motor vehicle which is three years old or older; extensively damaged, such damage including but not limited to any of the following: missing wheels, tires, motor or transmission; apparently inoperable; and having a fair market value of $200 or less, that is left uncovered in the open on private property for more than 72 hours with the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, except if the person is operating a junk yard or scrap metal processing facility licensed under authority of Ohio R.C. §§ 4737.05 to 4737.12, or regulated under the authority of the municipality; or if the property on which the motor vehicle is left is not subject to licensure or regulation by any governmental authority, unless the person having the right to possession of the property can establish that the motor vehicle is part of a bona fide commercial operation; or if the motor vehicle is a collector’s vehicle, as defined in Ohio R.C. § 4501.01(F). An UNLICENSED MOTOR VEHICLE shall mean any vehicle not displaying a current valid license plate, including any validation sticker, other than a vehicle exempt in Ohio R.C. Chapter 4503. An INOPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLE shall mean any vehicle missing wheels, tires, windshield, motor or transmission or which has been so damaged as to appear not safely operable, or if a motor is unable to start and run for at least one minute. Any vehicle that remains parked at or near the same location for more than 30 consecutive days shall be presumed to be inoperable.
(b) No person shall store or park for longer than three days any junk, unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicle in any residential district established by the Zoning Code, specifically including the R-1, R-2, R- 3, R-4, R-O-C, R-PUD-1, and R-PUD-2 zones or on any property outside those zones used for residential purposes, other than in a garage or in a place not open to view from any other residential property or any public street or place. For the purposes of this section, a junk, unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicle draped by a tarpaulin or similar covering is deemed open to view from another residential property, public street or place unless it is in a garage or other permanent enclosed structure. Each day’s violation shall be considered a separate offense.
(c) The Chief of Police or the Code Enforcement Officer may give notice to the person having the right to possession of the property on which a junk, unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicle is left, by certified mail with return receipt requested, by regular U.S. mail to the person’s last known place of residence, or by personally serving the person in charge of such premises by leaving such notice at his or her usual place of residence, that within ten days of receipt of the notice, the junk motor vehicle either shall be covered by being housed in a garage or other suitable structure or shall be removed from the property.
(Ord. 90-35, passed 8-6-1990; Am. Ord. 01-08, passed 3-20-2001)
(d) No person shall willfully leave a junk motor vehicle uncovered in the open for more than ten days after receipt of a notice as provided in this section. The fact that a junk motor vehicle is so left is prima facie evidence of willful failure to comply with the notice, and each subsequent period of 30 days that a junk motor vehicle continues to be so left constitutes a separate offense.
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC § 4513.65)