<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 10-181. - Disposition of abandoned motor vehicles.</div>
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            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Duty of the owner of vehicle to remove.</span> If a motor vehicle is abandoned on county-owned property, or public grounds or on
               privately-owned property within the county, it shall be the duty and responsibility
               of the owner of such motor vehicle, after due notice, to cause the removal of such
               vehicle immediately and pay all costs incident to such removal. It shall be unlawful
               for any person to abandon a motor vehicle, or to allow a motor vehicle to remain abandoned
               as defined under subsection (d) of this section, on any public street, public property
               or private property.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Removal.</span> Whenever any motor vehicle is abandoned on county-owned property or public grounds
               within the county or upon privately-owned property without the permission of the owner,
               lessee or occupant thereof, any such vehicle may be removed by or under the direction
               of an official designated by the board of county commissioners to a storage garage
               or area, provided that no such vehicle shall be removed from private property without
               the written request, or permission, or consent of the owner, lessee or occupant on
               which the vehicle is located unless the same has been declared to be a health or safety
               hazard by the board of county commissioners. When such vehicle is removed from privately
               owned property, the person at whose request such vehicle is removed may be required
               to pay or otherwise indemnify the county for any expenses incurred by reason of its
               removal and storage. Written notice by mail of each removal shall be given to the
               owner of the vehicle as promptly as possible. The owner of such vehicle, before obtaining
               possession thereof, shall pay to the county all reasonable costs incident to the removal,
               storage and locating the owner of the vehicle.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Sale of abandoned motor vehicles.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Should the owner of a motor vehicle fail or refuse to pay the costs mentioned in this
               section or should the identity or whereabouts of such owner be unknown and unascertainable
               after a diligent search has been made by a law enforcement officer or officer designated
               by the board of commissioners and after notice to him at his last known address and
               to the holder of any lien of record in the office of the department of motor vehicles
               against the vehicle, a designated officer of the board of commissioners may, after
               holding the vehicle for 30 days and after having the value of such vehicle determined
               by three disinterested automobile dealers or garage men, dispose of the same by public
               or private sale or, in the event of an appraised value of less than $250.00, by other
               means in the discretion of the board of commissioners or the designated officer and
               the proceeds of the sale shall be forwarded to the county accountant.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Twenty days' notice shall be given the department of motor vehicles before the date
               of sale giving all information which can be reasonably ascertained to identify the
               vehicle. The county accountant shall pay, from the proceeds of the sale, the costs
               of removal, investigation as to the ownership and sale, and liens, in that order.
               If, after the sale, the ownership thereof at the time of its removal is established
               satisfactorily by the person claiming such ownership, he shall be paid so much of
               the proceeds from the sale of such vehicle as remains after paying the costs of removal,
               storage, investigation as to ownership and sale, and any liens, as required in this
               section. However, if the owner cannot be ascertained, any remaining proceeds shall
               be deposited to the general fund of the county.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Whenever any such vehicle shall remain unsold for a period of 60 days from and including
               the day when the same shall have been delivered under the direction of any county
               officer charged with the keeping or sale of the same, any such vehicle may be destroyed,
               removed or otherwise disposed of by such county officer.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Abandoned vehicle defined.</span> A vehicle shall be deemed to have been abandoned for the purposes of the foregoing
               subsections in the following circumstances:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It has been left upon county-owned property or public grounds within the county in
               violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               The vehicle fails to display a current license plate;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It is partially dismantled or wrecked;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (4)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It is incapable of self-propulsion or being moved in the manner for which it was originally
               intended;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (5)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It is left on property owned or operated by the county for a period of not less than
               24 hours;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (6)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It is left on private property without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee
               thereof for a period of not less than two hours; or
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (7)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               It is left on any public grounds within the county for a period of not less than seven
               days.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Immunity from civil and criminal action.</span> No person shall be held to answer in any civil or criminal action to any owner or
               other person legally entitled to the possession of any abandoned, lost or stolen vehicle
               for disposing of such vehicle as contemplated in this section.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (f)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Salvage yards.</span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to bona fide and operational salvage
               yards.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 2-3-1997, Â§ 72-1)
               </p></div>