(a) Authority to Remove. Police officers are authorized to provide for the removal of a vehicle under the following circumstances:
(1) When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street, bridge or structure and is so illegally parked so as to constitute a hazard or obstruction to the normal movement of traffic, or so as to unreasonably interfere with street cleaning or snow removal operations.
(2) When any vehicle is left unattended in a no parking and/or no standing zone or in any place where no parking and/or no standing is permitted.
(3) When any vehicle has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner and is located upon either public or private property.
(4) When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required plates and is located upon any public street or other property owned by or open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
(5) When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a felony and is located upon either public or private property.
(6) When any vehicle has been damaged or wrecked so as to be inoperable or violates equipment provisions of this Traffic Code whereby its continued operation would constitute a condition hazardous to life, limb or property, and is located upon any public street or other property owned by or open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
(7) When any vehicle is left unattended either on public or private property due to the removal of an ill, injured or arrested operator.
(8) When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision and is located either on public or private property.
(9) When any vehicle has been operated by any person who is driving without a lawful license or while his license has been suspended or revoked and is located upon a public street or other property owned by or open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
(Ord. 458-95. Passed 7-11-95.)
(10) When any vehicle is found for which two or more parking tags for violations of this Traffic Code have been issued and the owner or operator thereof has failed to respond to such parking tags as lawfully required, and is located illegally parked upon a public street or other property owned by or open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
(Ord. 1239-98. Passed 12-8-98.)
(11) When any vehicle against which two or more parking tags have been issued for traffic violations is found and the owner thereof has failed to respond to such parking tags, and affidavits therefor have been filed in Municipal Court but the owner has not been apprehended.
(12) When any vehicle against which two or more notices of liability have been issued, pursuant to TMC Section 313.12, and the vehicle owner, as defined by TMC Section 313.12(b)(4), has failed or refused to comply with the civil penalty assessed, but after the appeal period has expired, pursuant to TMC Section 313.12(d)(4).
(Ord. 68-10. Passed 3-2-10)
(b) Parking Tag; Notice to Owners. Any vehicle removed under authority of subsection (a)(3) hereof shall be ordered into storage and/or disposed of as provided under Ohio R.C. 4513.60 et seq. Whenever the Police Division removes any other vehicle and impounds the same as authorized in subsection (a), a parking tag shall be attached to such vehicle stating the violation or violations on account of which such vehicle was impounded and the Police Division shall give notice in writing to the owner thereof of the fact of such removal and the reason or reasons therefor.
(c) Vehicle Pound. The Mayor is hereby authorized to designate a commercial parking garage or commercial parking lot to which vehicles may be removed by police officers in the manner hereinabove provided. Such commercial parking garage or commercial parking lot shall be adequately supervised at all times for the purpose of removing, safeguarding and discharging vehicles removed thereto by the Police Division.
(d) Release of Impounded Vehicle. If the owner or other person claiming such impounded vehicle appears at the Police Division and furnishes evidence of his identity and ownership and secures a release and receipt from the Police Division showing the payment of all fees for the violation on account of which the vehicle was impounded, the vehicle shall be released to him by the commercial parking garage or commercial parking lot upon payment of the fees aforesaid.
(e) Protest of Payment of Fees Assessed. In case protest is made against the payment of any fees for the violation on account of which the vehicle was impounded, the Police Division, upon satisfactory evidence of the identity and ownership of the person claiming such impounded vehicle, may release the vehicle to such person upon his or her written promise to appear in Municipal Court on a date named by the Police Division to answer to the violation on account of which the vehicle was impounded.
(f) Impounding Records to be Kept. It shall be the duty of the Police Division to keep the names of all owners of vehicles impounded, the number of their license tags; and the nature and circumstances of each violation, as well as the disposition of each case, and to account for all fees collected under this section, and pay the same into the City Treasury.
(Ord. 458-95. Passed 7-11-95.)