§ 12-1120. Abandoned Vehicles. 162

   (1)   Definitions. In this Section, the following definitions shall apply:

      (a)   Abandoned Vehicle. As defined in Section 102 of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa. C.S. § 102; including, but not limited to, any vehicle not capable of being moved under its own power, or with deflated tire or tires, or without tire or tires, or without current license tags, which remains parked upon such street or highway for a period of more than forty-eight (48) hours.

      (b)   Salvor. Any person who maintains an established place of business and is engaged in the business of buying, selling or exchanging abandoned vehicles and junkers for the purpose of remodeling, taking apart, or rebuilding the same, or buying or selling of parts, as defined in Sections 1337(c)(2) and 7301(a) of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa. C.S. §§ 1337(c)(2) and 7301(a); and regulations thereunder, 67 Pa. Code § 253.2.

      (c)   Authorized Salvor. Any salvor complying with the requirements of Chapter 73 of the Vehicle Code, as defined in Section 7301(a) thereof, 75 Pa. C.S. § 7301(a).

   (2)   No person shall leave parked upon a street or highway any vehicle not capable of being moved under its own power; or with deflated tire or tires; or without current license tags.

   (3)   Such vehicle may be removed by the Police Department or by an authorized salvor pursuant to police direction, or the direction of an authorized Public Safety Officer, as an abandoned vehicle if the vehicle is not moved after ten days' written notice for removal has been sent to the last registered owner thereof; except that if the vehicle constitutes a safety hazard, the Police Department may remove it immediately and within twelve (12) hours send a written notice to the last registered owner, stating cause of removal, the location of vehicle and the procedure to follow in reclaiming the vehicle.  163

      (a)   When a vehicle is towed by the Police Department as an abandoned vehicle, the provisions of Chapter 12-2400, Towing and Immobilizing of Parked or Abandoned Vehicles, shall apply.

   (4)   If such vehicle is not removed by the Police Department within sixty (60) days after written notice for removal has been sent to the last registered owner, the Police Department, or an authorized Public Safety Officer, shall request in writing that an authorized salvor take possession of and remove such abandoned vehicle. The Police Department, or an authorized Public Safety Officer, may request in writing an authorized salvor to take possession of and remove such vehicle prior to the expiration of the sixty (60) days' notice when in the Departments' judgement, or in the judgement of an authorized Public Safety Officer, the Department will not be able to remove the abandoned vehicle within sixty (60) days.  164

   (5)   Upon written request of the Police Department, or an authorized Public Safety Officer, as per 67 Pa. Code § 253.5(b), an authorized salvor shall take possession of and remove to the storage facility of the salvor any abandoned vehicle located within thirty (30) miles of the place of business of the salvor. When a vehicle is towed by an authorized salvor as an abandoned vehicle, the provisions of Chapter 73 of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301 - 7312, and of Chapter 253 of the Pennsylvania Code, 67 Pa. Code §§ 253.1 - 253.6 shall apply.  165

   (6)   The towing and storage fees that may be charged by an authorized salvor for the towing and storage of an abandoned vehicle shall be assessed in accordance with the provisions of Section 12-2406.1 of this Code. 166

 

Notes

162	Amended and subsections added, 1984 Ordinances, p. 21.
163	Amended, Bill No. 210802 (approved June 1, 2022).
164	Amended, Bill No. 210802 (approved June 1, 2022).
165	Amended, Bill No. 210802 (approved June 1, 2022).
166	Amended, Bill No. 060156 (approved April 20, 2006); amended, Bill No. 080373 (approved June 18, 2008).

§ 12-1121. Electrical Work Not To Be Performed Without Approval. 167

   (1)   No person shall alter, or place in service any electrically powered traffic-control signal unless the Department has approved the plans, diagrams and specifications of all controllers, circuits and other devices, apparatus or facilities employed in connection therewith or affecting the operation thereof.

 

Notes

167	Added, 1976 Ordinances, p. 879.

§ 12-1122. Use of Audio Headphones While Operating Motor Vehicles. 168

   (1)   No person shall operate a motor vehicle on a street or highway while wearing headphones connected to an audio device.

   (2)   For the purposes of this Section, the term motor vehicle shall include any automobile, truck, bus, motorcycle, or motor-bike.

 

Notes

168	Added, 1982 Ordinances, p. 1656.

§ 12-1123. Audible Motor Vehicle Alarms. 169

   (1)   No person shall park a motor vehicle upon a public highway or on private property if the vehicle has in operation an audible anti-theft alarm device thereon unless such alarm device is of a type capable of, and is programmed to, automatically terminate the sounding of its audible alarm within five (5) minutes of its being activated. Any sounding of an audible anti-theft alarm from a motor vehicle for more than five (5) continuous minutes shall be deemed a violation of this subsection.

   (2)   No person shall park a motor vehicle upon a public highway or on private property if the vehicle has in operation an audible anti-theft alarm thereon that is of a type capable of, and is programmed to, have its audible alarm activated without direct physical contact occurring to the motor vehicle, except such alarm may be remotely activated by such person.

 

Notes

169	Added, Bill No. 518 (approved March 29, 1995), 1995 Ordinances, p. 156.

§ 12-1124. Use of Certain Streets by Mobile and Motor Homes. 170

   (1)   The parking of Mobile and Motor Homes as defined in The Vehicle Code of the Commonwealth shall be restricted as provided by ordinance of City Council.

 

Notes

170	Added, 1984 Ordinances, p. 717.

§ 12-1125. Operation of Motor Vehicles on a Portion of South Street Prohibited During Certain Hours. 171

   (1)   The operation of motor vehicles on South street between Broad street and Front street is prohibited from midnight to 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights except for the period from December 1st to March 1st. The Streets Department and the Police Department are authorized to enforce these provisions by appropriate regulations and procedures.

 

Notes

171	Added, 1991 Ordinances, p. 33.

§ 12-1126. Sound Reproduction Devices. 172

   (1)   No person, while driving, parked or in control of any vehicle, shall operate a radio, tape player or any other type of sound reproduction device, in any area within the City at a sound level which produces a sound audible at a distance of greater than twenty-five feet from the location of such radio, tape player or other sound reproduction device, unless such device is being used in connection with the holding of a public assembly for which a permit or license has been issued by the City.

 

Notes

172	Added, 1993 Ordinances, p. 131; amended, 1993 Ordinances, p. 790.

§ 12-1127. Excessive Idling of and Noise from Motor Vehicles. 173

   (1)   No person shall cause or permit the engine of a motor vehicle to idle for longer than three minutes while parking, stopping or standing, except this prohibition shall not apply to:

      (a)   any vehicle if the ambient outside temperature is less than twenty degrees Fahrenheit (20°F);

      (b)   an Authorized Emergency Vehicle, including Public Utility vehicles engaged in emergency repair work and maintenance;

      (c)   vehicles engaged in road repairs performed by or on behalf of a governmental entity;

      (d)   vehicles which are being serviced; for which idling is part of that service;

      (e)   vehicles that must idle to operate auxiliary equipment, including, but not limited to, pumps, compressors and refrigeration units, but excluding vehicle heaters and air conditioners;

      (f)   vehicles enroute to a destination but stopped by traffic congestion; or

      (g)   a bus or truck idling at any terminal point along an established route (such a bus or truck is subject to the provisions of subsection 12-1127(2)).

   (2)   No person shall cause or permit the engine of a bus or truck to idle for longer than five (5) minutes while parking, stopping or standing at any terminal point along an established route, except that this prohibition shall not apply to:

      (a)   any bus or truck when the ambient temperature is forty degrees Fahrenheit (40°F) or less;

      (b)   a bus or truck enroute to a destination but stopped by traffic congestion; or

      (c)   a bus that pursuant to law must maintain a specific temperature for passenger comfort, provided that such a bus may idle in excess of five (5) minutes only to the minimum extent necessary to comply with such law.

   (3)   No person, while driving, parked or in control of a motor vehicle within any of the areas listed below, shall cause or allow noise, produced in any manner or form, to come from the motor vehicle at a sound level that is plainly audible at a distance greater than one hundred feet from the vehicle, unless such noise is being created in connection with the holding of a public assembly, parade or procession for which a permit or license has been issued by the City. This prohibition shall apply within the following areas: 174

      (a)   South Street District, which for purposes of this Section is defined as the area bounded by Lombard street on the north, Front street on the east, Bainbridge street on the south, and Eleventh street on the west.

      (b)   The Delaware River Entertainment District, which for purposes of this Section is defined as the area bounded by Berks street on the north, the Delaware River on the east, Oregon avenue on the south, and Second street on the west.

   (4)   Unless the violation is caused by a Nuisance Vehicle and is subject to penalties pursuant to Section 12-1136, any person who violates subsection 12-1127(3), after having received notice of a prior violation, shall be guilty of a separate offense of Repeat Violation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 12-1128, the penalty for committing the offense of Repeat Violation shall be a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300), or imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or both. A person shall be guilty of a Repeat Violation regardless of whether the second or subsequent violation occurs before or after a judicial finding of a first or previous violation. Each violation, after the first, shall constitute a separate Repeat Violation offense. 175

 

Notes

173	Added, 1993 Ordinances, p. 1196; amended, Bill No. 960747 (approved April 30, 1997).
174	Added, Bill No. 960747 (approved April 30, 1997); amended, Bill No. 230415-A (approved September 13, 2023).
175	Added, Bill No. 960747 (approved April 30, 1997); amended, Bill No. 230415-A (approved September 13, 2023).

§ 12-1128. Commercial Vehicles to Display Name, Address and Telephone Number of Owner. 176

   (1)   The term Commercial Vehicle shall mean any vehicle used, constructed or equipped for the transportation of goods, wares, merchandise, tools or equipment in trade, commerce, repair or service work.

   (2)   Every commercial vehicle operating on the streets of the City shall at all times display permanently on both sides of the commercial vehicle in letters and numerals not less than three inches in height the name and address of the owner, and the type of business for which the vehicle is used. The name, address and telephone number of the owner and the type of business for which the Commercial Vehicle is used shall be printed on the vehicle or contained on signs affixed to the vehicle. 177

      (a)   These provisions shall not apply to the following vehicles:

         (.1)   Public Utility vehicles which have a clearly identifiable prominently displayed company logo.

         (.2)   Commercial vehicles which have markings that comply with the Federal Motor Carrier regulations, 49 C.F.R. § 390.21.

 

Notes

176	Added, 1994 Ordinances, p. 748. Enrolled bill numbered this as Section 12-1126 in error; renumbered by Code editor. Section 3 of the Ordinance provides that it takes effect in 90 days.
177	Amended, Bill No. 1194 (approved December 28, 1995), 1995 Ordinances, p. 1413.