Sec. 7-518. Exemption from sign requirements.

   Signs are not required to tow a motor vehicle left in a private parking area for more than seventy-two (72) consecutive hours. However, the Tucson Police Department shall be notified as specified in Section 7-521.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)

Sec. 7-519. Permission to tow required.

   (a)   A person towing a motor vehicle from private property, including private parking areas, must have permission from the vehicle owner, or written permission from the property owner or the property owner's authorized representative, as follows:

   (1)   The property owner shall sign each towing order at the time of the towing, or

   (2)   The property owner shall enter into a written contract authorizing towing, with the following provisions:

   (A)   The property owner's name, representative's name, and phone numbers;

   (B)   The towing carrier's name, owner's or designee's name, and phone numbers, including a phone answered twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week;

   (C)   The date of the contract;

   (D)   The term of the contract does not exceed one (1) year; and

   (E)   The contract is not transferable between property owners or between towing carriers.

   (b)   When an authorized representative acts on behalf of the property owner, the representative shall show the written authorization, upon request, to a law enforcement officer. If requested, the towing carrier shall provide a copy of the written authorization to the law enforcement officer within one day (not including weekends or city holidays) of the request.

   (c)   A person towing a motor vehicle shall not act as the property owner's representative.

   (d)   The person towing a motor vehicle under this section shall show a copy of the current written contract, upon request, to a law enforcement officer. If requested, the towing carrier shall provide a copy of the current written contract to the law enforcement officer within one day (not including weekends or city holidays) of the request.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)

Sec. 7-520. Photographic evidence of parking violation required.

   Prior to mechanically connecting a vehicle to a tow truck, the towing carrier shall document, through the use of date- and time-stamped digital photography or digital video, the precise nature of the violation of the private property parking regulations. The photographic evidence shall include images of the vehicle that also contain the sign pursuant to Section 7-517, if applicable; images of the entire vehicle taken from each of the four corners of the vehicle; and the license plate or vehicle identification number (VIN). The towing carrier shall provide all images to the claimant, if requested.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)

Sec. 7-521. Notice to Police Department required.

   (a)   Any person towing a motor vehicle from private property without permission from the vehicle owner shall notify the Tucson Police Department within one hour of mechanically connecting a vehicle to a tow truck.

   (b)   The person towing the motor vehicle shall provide the Tucson Police Department with the following information:

   (1)   The name and address of the vehicle owner, if known;

   (2)   The motor vehicle license number, vehicle identification number (VIN), and description;

   (3)   The reason the motor vehicle was towed;

   (4)   The street address of the impound lot where the motor vehicle will be taken;

   (5)   The name of the person that has or will tow the motor vehicle; and

   (6)   The towing carrier's name, address, and phone number(s), including a phone answered twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)

Sec. 7-522. Staging prohibited.

   A towing carrier is only authorized to tow a motor vehicle from the parked location directly to a property owned or leased by that towing carrier for the storage of vehicles.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)

Sec. 7-523. Reasonable care required.

   (a)   A towing carrier shall exercise reasonable care when mechanically connecting a vehicle to a tow truck.

   (b)   A towing carrier shall exercise reasonable care when transporting a vehicle from the parked location to the towing carrier's permanent impound lot.

   (c)   A towing carrier shall exercise reasonable care to keep the towed vehicle and its contents safe and secure at all times, which shall include appropriate permanent fencing.

(Ord. No. 12055, § 1, 11-14-23)