(A) When a vehicle is placed in a manner or location that constitutes an obstruction to traffic or a hazard to public safety, a police officer shall order the owner or operator of the vehicle to remove it. If the vehicle is unattended, the officer may cause the vehicle to be towed and stored at the owner’s expense. The owner shall be liable for the costs of towing and storing, even if the vehicle was parked by another or if the vehicle was initially parked in a safe manner, but subsequently became an obstruction or hazard.
(B) The disposition of a vehicle towed and stored under authority of this section shall be in accordance with the procedures of the city relating to impoundment and disposition of vehicles abandoned on the city streets.
(C) The impoundment of a vehicle will not preclude the issuance of a citation for violation of a provision of this chapter.
(D) Stolen vehicles may be towed from public or private property and stored at the expense of the vehicle owner.
(E) Whenever a police officer observes a vehicle parked in violation of a provision of this chapter or state law, if the vehicle has five or more unpaid violations outstanding against it, the officer may, in addition to issuing a citation, cause the vehicle to be impounded. An impounded vehicle shall not be released until all outstanding fines and charges have been paid. Vehicles impounded under authority of this division (E) shall be disposed of in the same manner as provided in division (B) above.
(F) Any law enforcement officer may immobilize a vehicle by installing on it, or attaching to it, a device designed to restrict the normal movement of the vehicle under the following condition only: the owner of the subject vehicle has failed to pay all outstanding penalties for three or more parking citations.
(Prior Code, § 5.20.430) (Ord. 177, passed 6-19-1989; Ord. 205, passed 12-2-1991; Ord. 210, passed 6-1-1992; Ord. 272, passed 3-6-2000; Ord. 399, passed 10-17-2011)