(a) Impoundment.
(1) The City's Chief of Police, upon complaint of any person adversely affected, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in Section 454.08 of this Traffic Code, that has been left on private residential or private agricultural property within the City for at least four (4) hours without the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property. The Chief of Police, upon complaint of a repair garage or place of storage, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle, that has been left at the garage or place of storage for a longer period than that agreed upon. When ordering a motor vehicle into storage pursuant to this division, the Chief of Police may arrange for the removal of the motor vehicle by a private towing service and shall designate a storage facility.
(2) A towing service towing a motor vehicle under division (a)(1) of this section shall remove the motor vehicle in accordance with that division. The towing service shall deliver the motor vehicle to the location designated by the Chief of Police not more than two (2) hours after the time it is removed from private property, unless the towing service is unable to deliver the motor vehicle within two (2) hours due to an uncontrollable force, natural disaster or other event that is not within the power of the towing service.
(3) Subject to division (b) of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that has been removed pursuant to this division may recover the vehicle only in accordance with division (d) of this section.
(b) Reclamation While Vehicle is Being Prepared for Removal.
(1) If the owner or operator of a motor vehicle that has been ordered into storage pursuant to division (a)(1) of this section arrives after the motor vehicle has been prepared for removal, but prior to its actual removal from the property, the towing service shall give the owner or operator oral or written notification at the time of such arrival that the vehicle owner or operator may pay a fee of not more than one-half (½) of the fee for the removal of the motor vehicle established by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under ORC 4921.25, in order to obtain release of the motor vehicle. However, if the City has established a vehicle removal fee, the towing service shall give the owner or operator oral or written notification that the owner or operator may pay not more than one-half (½) of that fee to obtain release of the motor vehicle. That fee may be paid by use of a major credit card unless the towing service uses a mobile credit card processor and mobile service is not available at the time of the transaction.
(2) Upon payment of the applicable fee, the towing service shall give the vehicle owner or operator a receipt showing both the full amount normally assessed and the actual amount received and shall release the motor vehicle to the owner or operator. Upon its release, the owner or operator immediately shall move it so that it is not on the private residential or private agricultural property without the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, or is not at the garage or place of storage without the permission of the owner, whichever is applicable.
(c) Record of Vehicles.
(1) The City's Chief of Police shall maintain a record of motor vehicles that the Chief orders into storage pursuant to division (a)(1) of this section. The record shall include an entry for each such motor vehicle that identifies the motor vehicle's license number, make, model, and color, the location from which it was removed, the date and time of its removal, the telephone number of the person from whom it may be recovered, and the address of the place to which it has been taken and from which it may be recovered. The Chief of Police shall provide any information in the record that pertains to a particular motor vehicle to any person who, either in person or pursuant to a telephone call, identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(2) Any person who registers a complaint that is the basis of the Police Chief's order for the removal and storage of a motor vehicle under division (a)(1) shall provide the identity of the law enforcement agency with which the complaint was registered to any person who identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(d) Reclamation of Vehicle from Storage.
(1) The owner or lienholder of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to division (a)(1) of this section may reclaim it upon both of the following:
A. Payment of all applicable fees established by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under ORC 4921.25 or, if the City has established fees for vehicle removal and storage, payment of all applicable fees established by the City.
B. Presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title to the motor vehicle, a certificate of registration for the motor vehicle or a lease agreement.
C. When the owner of a vehicle towed under this section retrieves the vehicle, the towing service or storage facility in possession of the vehicle shall give the owner written notice that if the owner disputes that the motor vehicle was lawfully towed, the owner may be able to file a civil action under Section 454.04 of this Traffic Code or under ORC 4513.611.
(2) Upon presentation of proof of ownership as required under division (d)(1)B. of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage under division (a)(1) of this section may retrieve any personal items from the motor vehicle without retrieving the vehicle and without paying any fee. However, a towing service or storage facility may charge an after-hours retrieval fee established by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under ORC 4921.25 if the owner retrieves the personal items after hours, unless the towing service or storage facility fails to provide the notice required under ORC 4513.69, if applicable. The owner of a motor vehicle shall not do either of the following:
A. Retrieve any personal item that has been determined by the Chief of Police to be necessary to a criminal investigation; or
B. Retrieve any personal item from a vehicle if it would endanger the safety of the owner, unless the owner agrees to sign a waiver of liability.
For the purposes of division (d)(2) of this section, "personal items" do not include any items that are attached to the motor vehicle.
(e) Duties of Towing Service.
(2) No towing service or storage facility shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section.
(f) Limitations. This section does not apply to any private residential or private agricultural property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with Section 454.02 of this Traffic Code.
(g) Penalties. Whoever violates division (e) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(h) Definitions. As used in this section, "private residential property" means private property on which is located one (1) or more structures that are used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one (1) or more persons, if no more than three (3) separate households are maintained in the structure or structures. "Private residential property" does not include any private property on which is located one (1) or more structures that are used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by two (2) or more persons, if more than three (3) separate households are maintained in the structure or structures.
(ORC 4513.60)