Parking and towing rules for tow-away zones

(a) When official signs are erected designating a street or portion thereof as a tow or tow-away zone, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, even momentarily, between the hours indicated on such sign; provided, however, that stops may be made for the expeditious loading or unloading of freight and passengers in official loading and unloading zones; and provided, further, that buses may stop for the expeditious loading and unloading of passengers in official bus stops. In no case shall the stop for the loading or unloading of freight and passengers exceed the time as established by the pertinent zones. Provided, however, that when requested for noncommercial or nonbusiness purposes only, the County council may by resolution suspend for a period of not more than one week any parking prohibition herein provided. (b) The chief of police is hereby authorized to remove or cause to be removed a vehicle from a street or highway to a storage area or other place of safety under the provisions of this section. The chief of police shall promulgate and adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out such removal and storage of vehicles pursuant to the enforcement of this section. (c) The County is hereby authorized to contract with another entity for the towing and storage of vehicles pursuant to this section and the rules and regulations promulgated and adopted pursuant to this section. (d) Whenever an officer of the police department removes or causes to be removed a vehicle from a street as authorized herein and knows or is able to ascertain from the registration records in the vehicle the name and address of the owner thereof, such officer shall immediately give or cause to be given notice to the police department dispatch office the fact of such removal and the reasons therefor, and of the place to which such vehicle has been moved. The police department shall notify the owner of said vehicle in writing of the removal and the whereabouts of said vehicle. (e) Whenever an officer of the police department removes or causes to be removed a vehicle from a street and does not know and is not able to ascertain the name of the owner as hereinbefore provided and in the event the vehicle is not returned to the owner within a period of three days, then and in that event, the officer shall immediately send or cause to be sent a written report of such removal by mail to the County director of finance whose duty it is to register motor vehicles. Such report shall include a complete description of the vehicle, the date, time, and place from which removed, the reasons for such removal and the name of the garage or place where the vehicle is stored. (f) The director of finance is hereby authorized and empowered to dispose of vehicles which have been taken into custody by the chief of police or the chief’s subordinates as prescribed herein. Such disposition shall be at public auction under such procedure as the director of finance shall establish with the approval of the mayor and the County council. Written notice of such auction shall be sent to the last known registered owner by certified mail, addressed to the owner's last known address, at least ten days prior to the date of auction, and said auction shall be held not earlier than sixty days after the date upon which such vehicle shall have been taken into custody. Any person entitled to any such vehicle may claim the same at any time prior to such auction upon payment of all costs and expenses relating to the towing and storage of such vehicle, as determined by the director of finance, provided that such costs shall not exceed that established by State statutes. (g) In the event that no bid is received, the director of finance shall offer such vehicle to the department of public works, automotive division for its use or for salvage; and in the event said division shall reject such offer the director of finance shall dispose of such vehicle at a County landfill at the expense of the County. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC § 24-202.1 (h) The streets or portions thereof described in schedule 29, section 24-281, are designated as tow or tow-away zones, and appropriate signs or markings giving notice thereof shall be erected. (i) Any vehicle which is parked unattended in the areas designated in schedule 29 shall be towed from the area. The registered owner of said vehicle shall be subject to all reasonable expenses incurred by such removal. (1988, ord 88-168, sec 4; am 1997, ord 97-47, sec 1; am 2012, ord 12-53, sec 2.)24-202.1