[Amended 8-3-1993 by Ord. No. 287]
This article is enacted under the authority
of 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 6109(a)(22) of the Vehicle Code and gives
authority to the Borough to remove and impound:
A. Vehicles parked overtime on any street in the Borough, in violation of any provision of Article
III of this chapter;
B. Vehicles parked in metered and unmetered parking lots
operated by the Borough, in violation of any ordinance provision governing
those lots; and/or
C. Any boat, trailer or vehicle which is parked or stored in violation of §
315-27.
The police officers of the Borough shall have authority to remove and impound, or to order the removal and impounding, of any vehicle parked over-time or otherwise illegally, provided that the circumstances of that parking are within the authority of this article, as stated in §
315-28. Provided, no such vehicle shall be removed or impounded except in strict adherence to all provisions of this article.
Removal and impounding of vehicles under this
article shall be done only by "approved storage garages" that shall
be designated from time to time by Council. Every such garage shall
submit evidence to Council that it is bonded or has acquired liability
insurance in an amount satisfactory to Council as sufficient to indemnify
owners of impounded vehicles against loss or damage to those vehicles
while in the custody of the garage keeper for the purpose of towing
or storage. The approved storage garage shall submit to Council its
schedule of charges for towing and storage of vehicles under this
article, and, when the schedule is approved by Council, those charges
shall be adhered to by the approved storage garage; no different schedule
of charges shall be adopted without approval of Council and no different
charges shall be demanded of or collected from any person whose vehicle
is removed or impounded under this article by any approved storage
garage. Council shall delete from its list of approved storage garages
any garage that shall make any unapproved charge in connection with
any vehicle removed or impounded under this article.
Within 12 hours after the time of removal of
any vehicle under authority granted by this article, notice of the
fact that the vehicle was removed shall be sent by the Chief of Police
to the owner of record of the vehicle. The notice shall designate
the place from which the vehicle was removed, the reason for its removal
and impounding, and the garage in which it was impounded.
The payment of any towing and storage charges
authorized under this article shall, unless payment is made "under
protest," be final and conclusive, and shall constitute a waiver of
any right to recover the money so paid. If payment of any towing or
storage charges is made "under protest," the offender shall be entitled
to a hearing before a Magisterial District Judge. Payment of towing
and storage charges shall not relieve the owner or operator of any
vehicle from liability for any fine or penalty for the violation of
the provision of this chapter on account of which the vehicle was
removed and impounded.
The Chief of Police shall keep a record of all
vehicles impounded under this article and shall be able at all reasonable
times to furnish the owners or the agents of the owners of those vehicles
with information as to the place of storage of the vehicles.
No vehicle shall be removed under the authority
of this article if, at the time of the intended removal, the owner
or the person for the time being in charge of the vehicle is present
and expresses a willingness and intention to remove the vehicle immediately.