For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDONED VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. § 160A-303, an ABANDONED VEHICLE is one that:
(1) Has been left upon a public street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking;
(2) Is left upon a public street or highway for longer than seven days or is determined by law enforcement to be a hazard to the motoring public;
(3) Is left upon property owned or operated by the town for longer than 24 hours; or
(4) Is left upon private property without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof for longer than two hours.
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL. The supervisory employee of the Police Department or the Town Code Administrator, respectively, designated to order the removal of vehicles under the provisions of this chapter.
JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE. As authorized and defined in G.S. § 160A-303.2, the term JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE means a vehicle that does not display a current license plate lawfully upon that vehicle and that:
(1) Is partially dismantled or wrecked;
(2) Cannot be self-propelled or move in the manner in which it originally was intended to move; or
(3) Is more than five years old and appears to be worth less than $100.
MOTOR VEHICLE or VEHICLE. All machines designed or intended to travel over land by self-propulsion or while attached to any self-propelled vehicle.
NUISANCE VEHICLE. A vehicle on public or private property that is determined and declared to be a health or safety hazard, a public nuisance and unlawful, including a vehicle found to be:
(1) A breeding ground or harbor for mosquitos, other insects, rats or other pests;
(2) A point of heavy growth of weeds or other noxious vegetation which exceeds eight inches in height;
(3) In a condition allowing the collection of pools or ponds of water;
(4) A concentration of quantities of gasoline, oil or other flammable or explosive materials as evidenced by odor;
(5) An area of confinement which cannot be operated from the inside, such as, but not limited to, trunks or hoods;
(6) So situated or located that there is a danger of it falling or turning over;
(7) A collection of garbage, food waste, animal waste or any other rotten or putrescent matter of any kind; or
(8) One which has sharp parts thereof which are jagged or contain sharp edges of metal or glass.
(Ord. passed 3-4-1997)