§ 70.40 TOWING.
   (A)   (1)   Any company or person which tows a motor vehicle without the consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle shall not charge a towing fee in excess of $175.
      (2)   Any company or person which tows a motor vehicle without the consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the motor vehicle shall not charge a fee in excess of $50 per day for storing the towed motor vehicle. There shall be no storage fee for the first 24 hours after a motor vehicle is towed.
   (B)   No company or person shall charge any fee other than a towing fee or storage fee, as provided for in § 70.40(A), for a motor vehicle which has been towed without the consent or authorization of the owner or operator; except a company or person may charge a service fee of up to $50 to release a motor vehicle from a storage lot to its owner or operator at a time other than regular business hours. In the event a service fee is charged, the company or person shall have the owner or operator sign an acknowledgment upon the release of the motor vehicle. The acknowledgment shall specify the date and time the vehicle was released, the location of the storage lot, and the amount of the service fee charged. No "hoisting", "let-down", "standby" or "gate" fee shall be charged.
   (C)   Any company or person which has towed a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner or operator shall release to theowner or operator any and all property contained within or on such vehicle, but not attached to the vehicle, upon request by the owner or operator of the vehicle without requiring the payment of any fee therefor, including the towing fee and the storage fee provided for in § 70.40(A).
(Ord. passed 11-19-96; Am. Ord. passed 4-6-99; Am. Ord. passed 9-4-02; Am. Ord. passed 10-4-05; Am. Ord. passed 7-2-13; Am Ord. passed 10-4-22)