The Township shall have authority to remove and impound or to
order the removal and impounding of any vehicle parked illegally,
provided that no such vehicle shall be removed or impounded except
in strict adherence to the provisions of this article.
The 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 the Board of Supervisors. Every such garage shall
submit evidence to the Board of Supervisors that it is bonded or has
acquired liability insurance in an amount satisfactory to the Board
of Supervisors 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 and storage. The approved
storage garage shall submit to the Board of Supervisors its schedule
of charges for towing and storage of vehicles under this article,
and when the schedule is approved by the Board of Supervisors, those
charges shall be adhered to by the approved storage garage: no different
schedule of charges shall be adopted without approval of the Board
of Supervisors, 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. The Board of Supervisors shall delete
from its list of approved storage garages any garage that makes any
unapproved charge in connection with any vehicle removed or impounded
under this article.
Within two business days from 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 certified mail by the Township
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 or storage charges authorized by 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 District Justice. Payment of towing and storage charges shall not
relieve the owner or driver of any vehicle from liability for any
fine or penalty for the violation of the provision of this chapter
for which the vehicle was removed or impounded.
The Police Department shall cause a record to be kept 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 vehicle.
No vehicle shall be removed under the authority of this article
if, at the time of the intended removal, the owner or the person in
charge of the vehicle is present and expresses a willingness and intention
to remove the vehicle immediately and in fact does remove said vehicle
in question in a timely fashion.