(A) Whenever a police officer has reason to believe that a motor vehicle is subject to seizure and impoundment pursuant to this subchapter, the police officer may provide for the towing of the motor vehicle to a facility approved by the Chief of Police.
(B) The police officer shall notify any person identifying himself or herself as the owner of the motor vehicle or any person who is found to be in control of the motor vehicle at the time of the alleged violation, if there is such a person, of the fact of the seizure and of the motor vehicle owner's right to request an administrative hearing to be conducted under this section.
(C) Any motor vehicle that is not reclaimed within 30 days after the expiration of the time during which the owner of record may seek judicial review of the city's action under this subchapter, or the time at which a final judgment is rendered in favor of the city, or the time a final administrative decision is rendered against an owner of record who is in default, may be disposed of as an abandoned or unclaimed motor vehicle as provided by law, provided, however, that where proceedings have been instituted under state or federal drug asset forfeiture laws, the subject motor vehicle may not be disposed of by the city except as consistent with those proceedings.
(D) (1) It shall be the duty of the towing or storage company in possession of the motor vehicle to obtain documentation confirming compliance with all the foregoing requirements of this subchapter and to retain photocopies of that documentation in their files for a period of not less than six months following release of the motor vehicle. The foregoing information shall be made available to the authorities of the city for inspection and copying, upon their request, made to the towing or storage company. The towing or storage company is prohibited from releasing any motor vehicle they may tow within the city until and unless they obtain the documentation as aforesaid.
(2) The towing or storage company shall be entitled to receive a reasonable fee from the owner or person entitled to possession of any such motor vehicle prior to the release of the motor vehicle. The fee shall be to cover the cost of removing said motor vehicle, and, in addition thereto, the cost of storage of said motor vehicle for each day or fraction thereof that said motor vehicle shall remained stored.
(3) The fees in this section shall be in addition to any administrative fee, fine, penalty or charge, levied or assessed against the owner or operator of said motor vehicle by reason of violation of any ordinance or statute, and any arrest which may have resulted from such violation.
(Ord. 1715, passed 11-10-2009; Am. Ord. 1799, passed 10-4-2016)