[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Johnstown 8-17-1981 by L.L. No.
2-1981. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town of Johnstown finds that the storage of abandoned, discarded
or unlicensed motor vehicles is potentially dangerous to the town
citizenry. Abandoned vehicles pose a fire hazard due to the presence
of gasoline and other volatile materials and such vehicles also serve
as an attractive nuisance for young children, who may be injured therein.
Abandoned vehicles may also serve as a place of rodent infestation,
thereby creating a health menace to the community. It is the purpose
of this chapter to provide for the safety, health, protection and
general welfare of persons and property in the Town of Johnstown by
prohibiting the accumulation of abandoned vehicles.
This chapter shall apply to all territory within the confines
of the Town of Johnstown.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Every vehicle operated, driven or capable of being operated
or driven upon a public highway by any power other than muscular power.
"Motor vehicle" shall include motorcycles, house trailers, tractors
and other machinery used exclusively for agricultural purposes, along
with self-propelled caterpillar- or crawler-type equipment, and shall
also include the parts and components of any such motor vehicle.
A.Â
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, either
as owner, occupant, lessee, agent, tenant or otherwise, to store or
deposit, or cause or permit to be stored or deposited, an abandoned,
junked, discarded or unlicensed motor vehicle or motor vehicles upon
the surface of any private lands within the corporate limits of the
Town of Johnstown.
B.Â
Notwithstanding the above, any person, firm or corporation, as owner,
occupant, lessee or otherwise, may store one unlicensed motor vehicle
upon the surface of private lands within the town.
[Amended 7-16-1984 by L.L. No. 1-1984]
If the provisions of this chapter are violated, the Town Building
Inspector or the Town Constable shall serve or cause to be served
written notice upon the owner, occupants or person having charge of
any such land to comply with the provisions of this chapter within
10 days from the date of service of this notice. Such notice shall
be served by personal service of a copy thereof upon the owner, occupants
or person having charge of any such land or upon any adult person
residing in or occupying said premises or by mailing such notice by
certified mail, return receipt requested, direct to such owner, occupant
or person having charge of any such land at such address as may be
reflected upon the tax rolls for the Town of Johnstown.
Any owner, occupant, lessee, agent or tenant who shall neglect
or refuse to remove said abandoned, junked, discarded or unlicensed
motor vehicle as directed by this chapter, or who shall fail or refuse
to comply with the provisions of any notice herein provided for, shall
be, upon conviction thereof, guilty of a violation punishable by imprisonment,
by fine or by both such fine and imprisonment as set forth in the
Penal Law. A continuation of an offense against the provisions of
this chapter shall constitute, for each day the offense is continued,
a separate and distinct offense hereunder.
