[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Towanda 4-5-1965. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Solid waste — See Ch. 253.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 264.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 305.
Unlicensed vehicles — See Ch. 311.
[Amended 2-4-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-2]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ABANDONED
As used in this chapter shall mean any motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer which is allowed to stand or is parked on any street, highway, parking lot or other public property of the Borough for a period of two days, without having been removed during said two-day period, or is left on private property within the Borough without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof for longer than two hours.
ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE
One that:
A. 
Is left upon a public street or highway within the Borough in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking;
B. 
Is in such a state of disrepair as to be incapable of being moved under its own power;
C. 
Is missing one or more tires or wheels;
D. 
Is in a dismantled or partially dismantled condition;
E. 
Does not have a current license plate affixed;
F. 
If applicable, does not have a current inspection sticker affixed;
G. 
Is left on private property within the Borough without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof for longer than two hours; or
H. 
Is allowed to stand or is parked on any street, highway, parking lot or other public property of the Borough for a period of two days, without having been removed during such two-day period.
ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE TRAILER
One that is designed for attachment to motor vehicles for the purpose of transporting persons or things and:
A. 
Is left upon a public street or highway within the Borough in violation of a law or ordinance prohibiting parking;
B. 
Is in such a state of disrepair as to be incapable of being moved under its own power;
C. 
Is missing one or more tires or wheels;
D. 
Is in a dismantled or partially dismantled condition;
E. 
Does not have a current license plate affixed;
F. 
If applicable, does not have a current inspection sticker affixed;
G. 
Is left on private property within the Borough without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof for longer than two hours; or
H. 
Is allowed to stand or is parked on any street, highway, parking lot or other public property of the Borough for a period of two days, without having been removed during said two-day period.
ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES
As used in this chapter, shall mean any motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer parked on any of the streets, highways, parking lots, or public property of the Borough or left on private property without the consent of the owner, occupant or lessee thereof in violation of the provisions of the law or of any ordinance in the Borough.
[Amended 2-4-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-2]
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to remove and impound, or to order the removal and impounding, of any abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally perked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer on any of the streets, highways, parking lots, or public property of the Borough or on any private property within the Borough in violation of any of the provisions of the law or of any ordinance of the Borough; provided, however, that no motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer shall be removed or impounded except in strict adherence to the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 2-4-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-2]
A. 
Prior to the removal of any abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer, the Chief of Police shall give written notice to the owner or owners of the said motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer that the such motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer will be removed and impounded with costs imposed on the owner or owners.
B. 
The written notice shall state that the owner or owners shall have 48 hours from the receipt of the said notice to remove the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer. If the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer is of no value and not worth the price of removal, the written notice shall state that the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer will be sold when removed and the proceeds obtained therefrom used for payment of the cost of removal.
C. 
In the event that the owner or owners of the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer cannot be found, the Chief of Police will give notice that the said abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer will be removed and impounded with costs on the owner or owners, by publication, in the Towanda Daily Review, two times in seven days, with the second publication appearing not less than three days after the first. Said notice shall contain a description of the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer and its location and a statement that if the abandoned motor vehicle, abandoned motor vehicle trailer or illegally parked motor vehicle or motor vehicle trailer is of no value and not worth the price of removal, it will be sold when removed and the proceeds obtained therefrom used for the payment of the costs of removal.
[Amended 10-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-2]
The following facility is hereby designated as an approved pound for the storage of such impounded vehicles:
Jack Williams Garage, 224 Old Route 6 Road, Wysox, Pennsylvania 18854
Every such approved storage lot shall post a bond, in the amount of $2,000, to be filed with the Borough Secretary, for the indemnifying of the owner of any such impounded vehicle against the loss thereof, or injury or damage thereto, while in the custody of said poundkeeper.
[Amended 6-5-1972 by Ord. No. 7-1972]
The following are hereby fixed and established as the charges that shall be made for the towing and storage of any vehicle removed and impounded under the authority of this article. The towing charge shall be $25 and the storage charge shall be $1 per day.
Within 12 hours of the time of removal of any vehicle under authority granted by this article, written notice of the fact that such vehicle has been impounded shall be mailed by the Chief of Police of the Borough to the owner of record of such vehicle. Such written notice shall designate the place from which said vehicle was removed, the hours of its removal and impounding, the pound in which it shall have been impounded, and the amount of costs for towing and storing the said vehicle.
The payment of any towing and impounding charges authorized by this article shall, unless such payment shall have been made "under protest," be final and conclusive, and shall constitute a waiver of any right to recover the money so paid.
In the event that any towing and impounding charges so imposed shall be paid "under protest," the offender shall be entitled to a hearing before the Mayor or a court of record having jurisdiction, in which case such defendant shall be proceeded against and shall receive such notice as is provided by the Vehicle Code in other cases of summary offenses, and shall have the same rights as to appeal and waiver of hearing.
The Chief of Police shall keep a record of all vehicles impounded and shall be able at all reasonable times to furnish the owners or agents of the owners thereof with information as to the place of storage of such vehicles.
The payment of towing and storage charges shall not operate to relieve the owner or operator of any vehicle from liability for any fine or penalty for the violation of any law or ordinance on account of which the said vehicle was removed and impounded.