§ 34-103. Abandonment of vehicles; prima facie evidence; notice; removal.

(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person within the City to abandon any vehicle within the municipal limits of the City, and no person shall have any vehicle at any place within the City for such time and under such circumstances as to cause such vehicle reasonably to appear to have been abandoned.

(b)

The absence of a motor vehicle license plate for the current year or a current motor vehicle registration shall be prima facie evidence that such vehicle is abandoned, junked or discarded. The presence of a current license plate or registration shall not in and of itself exempt any motor vehicle from the provisions of this division.

(c)

It shall be the duty of the code enforcement officer to give written notice to the registered owner, lessee or person in possession of the private land upon which an abandoned vehicle is situated when the identity of the registered owner is not readily ascertainable, advising such person that such vehicle violates the provisions of this division, and demanding that such vehicle be removed from the City within 72 hours to such an extent that it is not a violation of this division by virtue of being dismantled, partially dismantled, wrecked, junked or nonoperating. Such notice may be given by personal service, registered mail or posting of the notice in a conspicuous place on the abandoned vehicle.

(d)

If such vehicle is not removed from the property, suitably housed or moved to the premises of a business enterprise licensed to receive such vehicles within 72 hours from the giving notice as set forth in subsection (c) of this section, the code enforcement officer may have the vehicle removed from the property and assess the cost of such removal against the owner as a lien against the vehicle or an addition to any fine to which the owner may be subjected.

(Ord. No. 99-1, § 12, 2-9-1999; Ord. No. 2000-15, § 12, 11-7-2000)

State law reference

Reporting of unclaimed motor vehicle, F.S. § 715.05.

Cross reference

Traffic and vehicles, ch. 70.