[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Upper Darby 3-21-2012 by Ord. No. 3000. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Upper Darby Township Immobilizing of Vehicles Ordinance."
The following words and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
BOOT, BOOTING or BOOTED
The act of immobilizing a motor vehicle, in such a manner as to prevent its operation, with a device which will cause no damage to such vehicle unless it is moved while such device is in place.
UNSETTLED CITATIONS
Citations for unpaid parking violations for which a citation/summons has been issued, to which either no response has been made or for which a warrant has been issued, and including adjudicated citations for which the fines and costs imposed are unpaid.
UNSETTLED PARKING VIOLATIONS
Violations of the parking regulations of Upper Darby Township or the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code which are outstanding and unpaid over 45 days from the date of issuance.
A motor vehicle found parked within Upper Darby Township upon any public ground at any time may, by or under direction of the Director of Parking Enforcement or his designee or any parking enforcement officer or any police officer, be booted if there are five or more unsettled parking violations or five or more unsettled citations or three or more arrest warrants as a result of parking violations pending against the owner of the motor vehicle.
Upon booting of such motor vehicle, the parking enforcement officer or employee or officer of Upper Darby Township shall place or cause to be placed on the vehicle, in a conspicuous manner, notice sufficient to warn any individual that the vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move vehicle might result in damage to the vehicle. The notice should also outline the procedure for obtaining removal of the boot. As soon as is practicable, the parking enforcement officer or employee or officer of Upper Darby Township shall provide the owner of the booted vehicle, at his request, a list of the prior unsettled parking violations or unsettled citations for which, or on account of which, such vehicle was booted.
The owner of a booted vehicle or other authorized person shall be permitted to secure the release of the vehicle upon:
A. 
Either:
(1) 
Depositing of the collateral required for his or her appearance before a Magisterial District Judge to answer for each unsettled citation; or
(2) 
Paying the amount of the fine, penalty and court costs, if any, for each Unsettled citation and each unsettled parking violation; and
B. 
Payment of the booting fee outlined in § 527-8 of this chapter.
The boot shall remain in place for 72 hours, except as provided below, unless the owner has complied with § 527-5 of this chapter regarding payment of fines, costs and fees. If such compliance has not occurred within 72 hours, the vehicle shall be towed and impounded under the provisions of Chapter 532, Impoundment and Towing of Vehicles, of this Code. A record of the tow shall be maintained by the Police Department, and a release must be obtained by the owner from the Police Department prior to the towing agent releasing the vehicle. Towing and storage fees shall be paid, as well as the fees specified in § 527-5, before the owner or authorized person of such vehicle shall be permitted to secure the release of the vehicle. If the booting occurs when a vehicle is parked in violation of any provision of the law or any ordinance of Upper Darby Township or, if the booted vehicle or the immobilization device appears to have been tampered with, such vehicle is subject to immediate towing and impounding. All towed vehicles shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 532, Impoundment and Towing of Vehicles, of this Code, including but not limited to such provisions thereof governing unclaimed and/or abandoned vehicles and the disposal thereof.
The owner of the booted vehicle shall be subject to a fee, which shall initially be $100, and which can be modified and reset by resolution of Council from time to time.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who shall tamper with, remove or attempt to remove any device used to immobilize a motor vehicle that has been booted pursuant to this chapter, or who shall move or attempt to move the vehicle booted before release of vehicle has been officially secured, shall be punishable by the filing of a non-traffic criminal citation with the Magisterial District Judge with jurisdiction over the violation, or as otherwise permitted by the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. Any person, firm, or corporation who violates the provisions of this chapter shall, upon being found guilty in a summary criminal proceeding, be sentenced to pay a fine of $300 plus any extraordinary expenses of the Township incurred in the prosecution of the criminal case.
It shall be the duty of the officers of the Parking Enforcement Department or other designated employees or officers of Upper Darby Township, acting in accordance with the instructions by the Mayor, to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to deprive any person of his or her constitutional right to a hearing or trial as to the violations for which parking violation tickets or citations have been issued.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to abridge or alter the remedies now existing at common law or by statute, but the provisions of this chapter are in addition to such remedies.
The provisions of this chapter are severable, and if any clause, sentence, subsection or section hereof shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, such judgment or decision shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder but shall be confined in its operation and application to the clause, sentence, subsection or section rendered. It is hereby declared the intent of the Council that this chapter would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional clause, sentence, subsection, or section had not been included therein.