For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED VEHICLES. As authorized and defined in G.S. §160A-303, an ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE is one that:
(1) Is left upon a public street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking; or
(2) Is left on property owned or operated by the city for longer than 24 hours; or
(3) Is left on private property without the consent of the owner, occupant, or lessee thereof for longer than two hours; or
(4) Is left on a public street or highway for longer than seven days or is determined by law enforcement to be a hazard to the motoring public.
APPROVED MOTOR VEHICLE COVER. A ready-fit cover made expressly for motor vehicles which will resist decay, mildew, and ultra-violet sunlight.
AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL. The Police Chief or Police Officers of the Police Department of the City of Monroe are designated to authorize the removal of vehicles under the provisions of this chapter.
CITY. The City of Monroe, North Carolina or its authorized agent.
HAZARDOUS VEHICLE. A vehicle on public or private property that is determined and declared by the proper authorizing official to be a health or safety hazard, a public nuisance, and unlawful, including a vehicle found to be:
(1) A breeding ground or harbor for mosquitoes, other insects, rats or other pests; or
(2) A point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation over twelve inches in height; or
(3) A point of collection of pools or ponds of water; or
(4) A point of concentration of quantities of gasoline, oil, or other flammable or explosive materials; or
(5) One which is a source of danger for children through entrapment in areas of confinement which cannot be operated from the inside, such as trunks, hoods, and the like; or
(6) So situated or located that there is a danger of the vehicle falling or turning over; or
(7) One which is a point of collection of solid waste, garbage, food waste, animal waste, or any other rotten or putrescible matter of any kind; or
(8) One which is a source of danger for children from exposed sharp parts thereof which are jagged or contain sharp edges of metal or glass; or
(9) Any other vehicle specifically declared a health and safety hazard and a public nuisance by the City Council.
JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. §160A-303.2 the term JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE shall mean a vehicle that does not display a current license plate and that:
(1) Is partially dismantled or wrecked; or
(2) Cannot be self-propelled or moved in the manner in which it originally was intended to move; or
(3) Is more than five years old and appears to be worth less than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
MOTOR VEHICLE or VEHICLE. All machines designated or intended to travel over land or water by self-propulsion or while attached to any self-propelled vehicle.
(Ord. passed 7-2-91; Am. Ord. O-1998-26, passed 7-7-98; Am. Ord. O-1999-66, passed 10-5-99; Am. Ord. O-2004-32, passed 9-7-04; Am. Ord. O-2008-06, passed 5-5-08)