A.
When any vehicle is parked, stopped, standing or abandoned
on any street or municipal parking lot within this Village during
a snowstorm, flood, fire or other public emergency which affects that
portion of the street or municipal parking lot upon which said vehicle
is parked, stopped, standing or abandoned, said vehicle may be removed
by or under the direction of the Chief of Police or the Director of
Public Works.
B.
When any vehicle is found unattended on any street
or municipal parking lot within the Village where said vehicle constitutes
an obstruction to traffic, said vehicle may be removed by or under
the direction of the Chief of Police or the Director of Public Works.
C.
In the event that any vehicle is unlawfully parked,
stopped, standing or abandoned as provided by this chapter or New
York State law, the Police Department is authorized to tow away or
have towed away, by a competent person, all such vehicles.
D.
Nothing herein shall be taken or construed as obligating
the Police Department, Department of Public Works, or any other municipal
department for damage done to or destruction of a vehicle impounded,
removed, stored, or towed unless otherwise provided by law.
A.
After removal of any vehicle as provided in this article,
the Chief of Police or the Director of Public Works may store or cause
such vehicle to be stored in a suitable place at the expense of the
owner. Such owner or person in charge of the vehicle may redeem the
same upon payment to the person with whom it was stored the cost or
charges therefor.
B.
The cost of towing and storage as hereinbefore provided
shall be determined as follows:
(1)
If the towing or storage is done by a municipal department,
the cost thereof shall be in accordance with the reasonable expense
incident to same, plus a reasonable charge as compensation therefor,
all as determined by the Village Manager from time to time.
(2)
If the towing or storage is done by a private company
or individual, then the cost shall be at the rate usually charged
for such service by such company or individual, but in no case shall
the cost exceed a reasonable compensation for the actual labor, material
or space involved.
(3)
It shall be entirely within the discretion of the
Police Department or the Director of Public Works as to whether the
towing and storage provided in this chapter shall be done by the Village
or by a private company or individual; nevertheless best judgment
shall be exercised in determining the means for such towing and the
place for storage.
(4)
The cost of towing and storage shall be charged against
the owner of the vehicle and shall be added to and be made a part
hereof of any fine hereafter imposed for the above reasons. Irrespective
of any method for collecting fines for traffic violations, and in
addition thereto, all towing and storage costs imposed under this
section shall constitute and be a lien against any vehicle impounded
as provided above, and such lien shall not be lost, nor shall same
be considered waived by reason of the owner’s taking possession
of the vehicle before the costs are paid.
It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police
or the Director of Public Works or his or her designee to ascertain
to the extent possible the owner of the vehicle or the person having
the same in charge and to notify him or her of the removal and disposition
of such vehicle and of the amount which will be required to redeem
the same. Said Chief of Police or Director of Public Works shall also,
without delay, report to the Village Clerk the removal and disposition
of any vehicle removed as provided in this article.
