[Adopted 4-6-1970 by Ord. No. 637 (Ch. XII, Part 3, of the 1962 Code)]
[Amended 5-4-1970 by Ord. No. 638]
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to remove and impound, or to order the removal and impounding of any vehicle parked on any of the streets, highways or public property of the Borough in violation of any of the provisions of the law or of any ordinance of the Borough, if the same interferes with the normal flow of traffic to and from said street, or may cause a threat to the passage of, or performance of emergency vehicles, or otherwise in any way, impair work, repairs, cleanup, or snow removal, or in any way cause a nuisance to pedestrians or users of the highways. Provided: no vehicle shall be removed or impounded except in strict adherence to the provisions of this article.
[Amended 6-6-1988 by Ord. No. 930]
Borough Council shall designate approved storage garages, as pounds for the storage of impounded vehicles, from time to time, by resolution of Council.
Every such approved storage garage shall post a bond, in the amount of $5,000, to be filed with the Borough Secretary, for the indemnifying of the owner of any such impounding vehicle against the loss thereof, or injury or damage thereto, while in the custody of the said poundkeeper.
[Amended 5-7-1984 by Ord. No. 870]
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 owner of such impounded vehicle shall pay a towing charge as set forth in a schedule of fees and charges adopted by resolution of Borough Council.
Within 12 hours from the time of removal of any vehicle under authority granted by this article, notice of the fact that such vehicle has been impounded shall be sent by the Chief of Police of the Borough to the owner of record of such vehicle. Such notice shall designate the place from which said vehicle was removed, the reason for its removal and impounding, and the pound in which it shall have been impounded.
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 a magistrate or 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.
No vehicle shall be removed under the authority of this article if, at the time of the intended removal thereof, the owner or person for the time being in charge of such vehicle is present and expresses a willingness and intention to remove such vehicle immediately.
[Added 6-3-1996 by Ord. No. 1052]
A. 
No person shall make repairs to a vehicle in the Borough of Catasauqua on public property, including the streets of the Borough, rendering the vehicle immobile for over 24 hours, as such a vehicle shall constitute a safety hazard and shall be subject to removal as described in Subsection B, below.
B. 
If it is found and determined by the Police Department of the Borough of Catasauqua that a vehicle constitutes a safety hazard as discussed above, the Police Department may have the vehicle removed immediately and within 12 hours submit written notice to the registered owner of the vehicle stating the cause of removal and the procedure to follow in reclaiming the vehicle.