<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 20-119. - Enforcement.</div>
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               <span class="ital">This section is adapted in part from G.S. 20-219.11.</span>
               
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               This article will be enforced through the following procedures:
               
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               The Martin County manager, Martin County building inspector and any Martin County
               law enforcement officer may issue citations for violation of this article;
               
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               If the vehicle owner can be located, they will receive two letters of warning. The
               first letter will serve as a formal request to relocate the vehicle, and the owner
               will have 30 days to move the vehicle before the county takes additional action. The
               second letter will be a certified letter identifying the vehicle as abandoned and
               that the owner will have ten days to move the vehicle before it is towed.
               
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            <p class="p0">
               Ten days after sending the certified letter identifying the abandoned vehicle, the
               county manager, building inspector or law enforcement officer shall placard the motor
               vehicle as abandoned. After the placard has remained on such abandoned motor vehicle
               for 48 hours, a directed tow may be ordered. The towing company will remove the vehicle
               and relocate the vehicle to a storage space deemed appropriate by the company.
               
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            <p class="p0">
               Whenever a vehicle with a valid registration plate or registration is towed as provided
               in G.S. 20-219.10, the authorizing person shall immediately notify the last known
               registered owner of the vehicle of the following:
               
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                  (1)
                  
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                  A description of the vehicle;
                  
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                  (2)
                  
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                  The place where the vehicle is stored;
                  
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                  (3)
                  
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                  The violation with which the owner is charged, if any;
                  
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                  (4)
                  
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                  The procedure the owner must follow to have the vehicle returned to him; and
                  
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                  (5)
                  
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                  The procedure the owner must follow to request a probable cause hearing on the towing.
                  
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            <p class="p0">
               If the vehicle has a North Carolina registration plate or registration, notice shall
               be given to the owner within 24 hours; if the vehicle is not registered in this state,
               notice shall be given to the owner within 72 hours. This notice shall, if feasible,
               be given by telephone. Whether or not the owner is reached by telephone, notice shall
               be mailed to his last known address unless he or his agent waives this notice in writing.
               
            </p>
            <p class="p0">
               Whenever a vehicle with neither a valid registration plate nor registration is towed
               as provided in G.S. 20-219.10, the authorizing person shall make reasonable efforts,
               including checking the vehicle identification number, to determine the last known
               registered owner of the vehicle and to notify him of the information listed in subsections
               (1) through (5). Unless the owner has otherwise been given notice, it is presumed
               that the authorizing person has not made reasonable efforts, as required under this
               subsection, unless notice that the vehicle would be towed was posted on the windshield
               or some other conspicuous place at least seven days before the towing actually occurred;
               except, no pre-towing notice need be given if the vehicle impeded the flow of traffic
               or otherwise jeopardized the public welfare so that immediate towing was necessary.
               
            </p>
            <p class="historynote0">
               (
               <a class="ordinance-link" href="" data-product-id="15271" data-ordinance-id="1039673">
                  Ord. of 09-09-2020(1)
                  </a>
               )
               
            </p></div>