[Amended 1-14-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015]
It is the legislative intent of this article to prevent potential abuses in the towing for hire industry, whereby a motor vehicle which has been parked on private property within the jurisdiction of the Town of Huntington without authorization of the property owner might be towed or removed to another location over the public streets, roads and highways of the Town, at the expense of the vehicle owner or operator, without their prior knowledge, consent and/or authorization, or that such vehicle owner or operator might be charged an exorbitant rate for such towing or removal or redemption of their vehicle.
[Amended 1-14-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015]
No motor vehicle which is parked on private property within the jurisdiction of the Town, without the authorization of the property owner, shall be towed or removed therefrom unless by a licensee and all of the conditions set forth in this article have been previously complied with.
[Amended 1-14-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015]
A. 
Filing. A licensee or his/her/its agent shall, not less than annually, file with the Town Clerk and the Huntington Precinct Commander of the Suffolk County Police Department a copy of any written agreement made by him/her/it with a private property owner authorizing the licensee to remove any unauthorized motor vehicles parked on the private property owner's premises.
B. 
Content. Said written agreement shall set forth the following:
(1) 
The entire agreement between the parties thereto.
(2) 
Explicit authorization to tow or remove said vehicles.
(3) 
The rate to be charged the owners and/or operators of said vehicles.
(4) 
The business location, within the Town of Huntington, where said vehicles will be towed or removed to and stored, and where they may be redeemed.
(5) 
Acknowledgement of twenty-four (24) hour on-premises availability at said business location for redemption of any vehicles so towed.
(6) 
Copies of all licenses, certificates and permits issued by the Town for operation of said Class B towing business, its vehicles and operators.
A. 
Requirement. The property owner shall first post signs in requisite locations, containing specific information, as set forth hereinbelow, and shall maintain said signs in a clear and readable manner at all times.
B. 
Contents. The above-required signs shall be in lettering in the sizes, colors and order indicated below, on a white background, and shall indicate the following information:
(1) 
The words, "WARNING - TOW AWAY ZONE," in red capital letters at least four (4) inches high and underlined.
(2) 
The words, "Parking for (name of property owner or tenant) Only," in black letters at least two (2) inches high.
(3) 
The words, "Unauthorized Vehicles Will Be Towed At Owners Expense," in red letters at least two (2) inches high.
(4) 
The amount to be charged, in red letters at least two (2) inches high.
(5) 
The name of the towing business that is authorized to remove vehicles and the location where the vehicle can be redeemed, indicating that it can be redeemed twenty-four (24) hours per day, in black letters at least two (2) inches high.
C. 
Locations. The above-required signs shall be posted in the following locations:
(1) 
In parking lots, at all entrances and exits thereto, facing outward toward entering traffic, and at the center of the front line of every row of parking spaces, facing toward the parking spaces.
(2) 
In parking areas, at the center of the front line of the parking space, if only one (1) space, or at the center of the front line of the first and last parking space in each or any row of said spaces, with arrows pointing toward the other sign, all facing toward the parking space or spaces.
[Amended 1-14-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015]
Each instance of the towing of an unauthorized vehicle from private property shall occur only after a specific, written request from, and under the specific direction of, the property owner or their authorized agent to the towing business authorized to do so pursuant to the filed written agreement.
For each instance of towing under this Article VI, the towing business shall make the vehicle available for release twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven days per week without exception.
[Amended 1-14-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015]
Each instance of the towing of an unauthorized vehicle from private property shall occur only after specific notice of such towing or removal of each unauthorized vehicle is made to the Police's Huntington Precinct by the licensee, indicating the location from and to which the vehicle is being towed and whereat it can be redeemed.
The maximum rates for each instance of towing of an unauthorized vehicle from private property shall be limited to those rates set forth in this chapter for regular towing, subject to review and approval of the Town Director of Public Safety or their designee.