No person shall leave unattended any motor vehicle, trailer,
semi-trailer or mobile home on any public street or highway or public
or private property for such time and under such circumstances as
to cause the vehicle to reasonably appear to have been abandoned.
When any such vehicle has been left unattended on any City street
or highway or on any public or private property within the City without
the permission of the owner for more than 72 hours, the vehicle is
deemed abandoned and constitutes a public nuisance.
Any vehicle in violation of this article shall be impounded until lawfully claimed or disposed of under § 630-22, except that if the Chief of Police or his/her authorized representative determines that the cost of towing and storage charges for the impoundment would exceed the value of the vehicle, the vehicle may be junked by the City prior to expiration of the impoundment period upon determination by the Chief of Police or his/her authorized representative that the vehicle is not wanted for evidence or other reason.
A.
Vehicles with value over $500.
(1)
If the Police Chief or his/her authorized representative determines
that the value of the abandoned vehicle exceeds $500, he shall notify
the owner and lienholders of record by certified mail that the vehicle
has been deemed abandoned and impounded by the City and may be reclaimed
within 15 days upon payment of accrued towing, storage and notice
charges and, if not reclaimed, shall be sold.
(2)
If an abandoned vehicle determined to exceed $500 in value is not
reclaimed within the period and under the conditions as provided above,
it may be sold by sealed bids. The description of the vehicle and
the terms of sale shall be published as a Class 1 notice five days
before the sale.
B.
Vehicles with value less than $500 (junk vehicles). Any abandoned
vehicle which is determined by the Chief of Police or his/her authorized
representative to have a value of less than $500 may be disposed of
by direct sale to a licensed salvage dealer upon determination that
the vehicle is not reported stolen. The Chief of Police is authorized
to promulgate any administrative rules or policies necessary to effectuate
the provisions of this section.
The owner of any abandoned vehicle, except a stolen vehicle,
is responsible for the abandonment and all costs of impounding and
disposing of the vehicle. Costs not recovered by the sale of the vehicle
may be recovered in a civil action by the City against the owner.
Within five days after the sale or disposal of a vehicle as provided in § 630-22, the Police Chief or his/her authorized representative shall advise the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, of such sale or disposition on a form supplied by the Division. A copy of such form shall also be given to the purchaser of the vehicle. A copy shall also be retained on file in the City.