[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Oxford 9-18-1997 by Ord. No. 97-10 (Ch. 90 of the 1974
Township Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is hereby determined and declared that the
abandonment or storage out of doors of any motor vehicle not currently
in use for transportation and not currently licensed or registered
for use on any public street or on any public or private lands within
the Township is contrary and inimical to the public welfare in that
such vehicles so abandoned or stored attract or may attract persons
of tender years who, being so attracted, may play in and about them
and be injured in so doing and in that such vehicles so abandoned
or stored out of doors deteriorate and are unsightly and are detrimental
to and depreciate the value of properties in the neighborhood where
they are located and in the Township as a whole.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any motor vehicle, omnibus, road tractor, trailer, truck,
truck trailer or vehicle which is found without the current year's
registration or identification markers as required by law for a period
of 10 continuous days, or which is so disabled as to constitute an
obstruction to traffic and the driver or person owning or in charge
thereof neglects or refuses to move the same to a place where it will
not obstruct traffic, or which is found to be mechanically inoperative
and is allowed to remain inoperative for a period of 45 days (said
period of time may be extended for good cause by the Police Department).
Any automobile which is no longer in actual use as a motor
vehicle, which is wholly unfit without rebuilding or reconditioning
for use in highway transportation, or which has been discarded for
use as a motor vehicle or otherwise abandoned.
Any individual, firm, partnership or corporation being the
owner or having any legal right in, of or to the motor vehicle or
other vehicle, as herein defined.
The Police Department of the Township of Oxford.
As defined in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq. of the Revised Statutes
of the State of New Jersey.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon or
suffer or permit the abandoning of any vehicle, omnibus, road tractor,
trailer, truck or truck trailer or other vehicle, as defined herein,
out of doors upon any public or private lands in the Township of Oxford
or on any public street or between the right-of-way side lines of
any public right-of-way therein. Nothing herein contained shall be
deemed to prohibit the placing, keeping or storage of any such vehicle
in a carport, enclosed garage, barn or other building.
B.
This chapter shall not apply to lawfully operated
junkyards nor to motor vehicles located or stored in garages or other
buildings or the impounded areas established by the Township Committee
nor to motor vehicles being held for sale, resale, repair or maintenance,
if at a regular place of business where such commercial activity is
permitted, nor to vehicles used for agricultural, business or property
maintenance purposes, which vehicles are not required to be registered
because they remain and are used solely on private property.
Any vehicle, omnibus, road tractor, trailer,
truck or truck trailer or other vehicle, including motorcycles, motorized
bikes and mopeds, which is abandoned or stolen as hereinabove set
forth shall be impounded by the Police Department. Any person who
seeks to recover an impounded vehicle shall pay a storage fee at the
rate of $15 per day, except that the fee for motorcycles, motorized
bikes and mopeds shall be $5 per day. Storage fees for abandoned vehicles
shall commence upon the date of impoundment; however, storage fees
for vehicles reported stolen shall commence three days following the
date of first notification thereof to the owner by the Police Department.
Fees may be paid and automobiles may be recovered at the Police Department
during the regular working hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday. For purposes of determining the storage fee charged, any vehicle
impounded after 9:00 p.m. shall be deemed to have been impounded on
the following day.
No person shall place, keep or store any junk
automobiles or junk automobile body on any public or private property
within the Township of Oxford, nor shall any person who owns any real
property with the Township allow any such automobile or body to remain
on his land; and failure to remove such automobile or body after seven
days' notice to do so by the police shall constitute a violation of
this chapter.
A.
Any minor charged with violating the provisions of
this chapter for the first offense shall be issued a warning notice
by the enforcement officer, and a copy thereof shall be forwarded
to the parent, guardian or custodian of such minor.
B.
Any minor who shall violate the provisions of this chapter after having been issued a warning notice as described in Subsection A shall be deemed to be a juvenile offender.
C.
Any parent or guardian or any person having the care,
custody and control of any minor under the age of 18 years of age
who shall permit said minor to operate a motor vehicle in violation
of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not
to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term
not to exceed 90 days, or both.
D.
Any person of the age of 18 years or over who shall
violate any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof, be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or by imprisonment
in the county jail for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both.
