In addition to and in accordance with the determination made and the authority granted by the State under Section 22660 of the Vehicle Code to remove abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof as public nuisances, the City Council makes the following findings and declarations:
The accumulation and storage of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof on private or public property, not including highways, is found to create a condition tending to reduce the value of private property, to promote blight and deterioration, to invite plundering, to create fire hazards, to constitute an attractive nuisance, to create a hazard to the health and safety of minors, to create a harborage for rodents and insects and to be injurious to the health, safety and general welfare of the public. Therefore, the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle, or parts thereof, on private or public property, not including highways, is declared to constitute a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and those of Chapter 8.12 of this code.
Vehicles to which this chapter shall apply include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Abandoned Vehicles. Abandoned vehicle means any vehicle, or vehicle part or parts, that is wrecked, dismantled or otherwise inoperative which is parked, stored, or left standing where it is visible from the street or other public or private property, even if partially screened, for more than five (5) consecutive days. A vehicle shall be presumed inoperative if it shows a registration sticker indicating it is registered or certified as a non-operative vehicle with the Department of Motor Vehicles, or its registration as an operative vehicle has been expired for at least sixty (60) days. A presumption of abandonment shall arise when a vehicle is located in a residential zone in an area not specifically designed for vehicular parking. Areas not specifically designed for vehicular parking in residential zones shall include, but are not limited to, front, side and rear yards and unpaved areas.
B. Unsightly Vehicles. Unsightly vehicle means any vehicle, which becomes unsightly and detracts from the appearance of the neighborhood due to such factors as excessive rust, corrosion, or faded, chipped or peeled paint.
(Ord. 2002-01-1301 § 2)