Looking for something with a little more teeth and a way to effectively deal with a few problem properties in town, the City Council passed an ordinance regarding junk vehicles. The ordinance deals with general junk but is intended specifically for abandoned motor vehicles cluttering up private property in the city.
The ordinance limits the number of vehicles parked in a yard, driveway, on the street, or street right of way at any residence to that of the number of licensed drivers living at the residence. Basically, it's one vehicle for each permanent resident. Excluded in the junk car count are any vehicles stored inside a garage, shed, or other permanent structure. The ordinance also excludes the vehicles of any guests who may be temporarily staying at the residence for a period of no more than 72 hours. Should any guest keep his/her vehicle at the residence, not in an enclosed permanent structure for more than 72 hours, he/she would then be in violation of this ordinance.
The city will notify by letter a resident in violation of this ordinance, informing him/her of the violation and allowing the resident two weeks to come into compliance. If the resident is still not in compliance after the 2-week period, the city may tow away and impound as many vehicles as necessary until the property meets the specifications set forth by this section. Violation is considered a misdemeanor and the fine would be up to the judge.
Chief Brian Nelson will be in charge of enforcing this ordinance. The intention, he says, is not to harass residents or simply to fine them, but bring a handful of violators into compliance and cleanup a few eyesores around town.
An abandoned vehicle is defined in the ordinance as one that lacks vital component parts or is in an inoperable condition that it has no substantial potential for further use consistent with its usual functions, unless it is kept in an enclosed garage or storage building, and/or it does not display current registration or license. A junk vehicle is considered to be three years old or older; is extensively damaged, with the damage including things such as broken or missing wheels, motor, drive train or transmission; is apparently inoperable; does not have a valid, current registration plate; and has an approximate fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it.
