(A) Any motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer parked on a public highway or public ground against which there are three or more unpaid or otherwise unsettled parking citations may be removed by towing to a place within Prince William County designated by the Chief of Police for the temporary storage of such vehicles at the owner’s expense.
(B) Any motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer parked upon private property, including privately owned streets and roads, may be removed in the manner provided in division (A) above, provided the following conditions are met:
(1) No motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer may be removed from property that is owned or occupied as a single-family residence.
(2) The owner of the property or an association of apartment or condominium owners formed pursuant to VA Code §§ 55-79.1 et seq., or VA Code §§ 55-79.39 et seq., has given written authorization to enforce this section.
(C) The removal of the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer shall be by or under the direction of an officer or employee of the Police Department.
(D) Upon removal of the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer, the Police Department shall inform as soon as practicable, the owner of the removed motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer of the nature and circumstances of the unsettled parking citations for which the vehicle was removed.
(E) The owner of a removed motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer, or other person acting on his behalf, shall be permitted to repossess or to secure the release of the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer by tendering payment for the outstanding parking citations for which the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer was removed, including all costs incidental to the removal, and storage of the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer, and the efforts to locate the owner of the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer.
(F) If the owner fails or refuses to pay the fines and costs identified in division (E) above, or should the identity or whereabouts of the owner be unknown and unascertainable, the motor vehicle, vehicle, or trailer may be sold in accordance with the procedures set forth in the VA Code § 46.2-1213, after giving notice to the owner at his last known address and to the holder of any lien of record with the office of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
(Ord. O-2022-03, passed 5-17-2022; Ord. O-2023-16, passed 12-5-2023)