[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
This Part shall be known as the "Vehicle Towing Services Ordinance
of Doylestown Borough".
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
The purpose of this Part is to promote the health, safety, and
general welfare of the inhabitants of the Borough of Doylestown by
providing for the licensing and regulation of vehicle towing services
operating within the Borough of Doylestown as authorized by the provisions
of 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 3353(c).
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987; as amended by Ord. 2006-7, 6/19/2006]
Includes the total of all charges for any and all activity
by a licensee relating to the provision of vehicle towing services
hereunder.
Any vehicle as defined by 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 102.
(The Vehicle Code).
Any business or enterprise operated by a person, partnership,
corporation, or other entity which engages in the activity of towing,
hauling, driving or otherwise removing any vehicle parked or left
unattended on private property or on any private parking lot in violation
of 75 Pa. C.S.A. § 3353(b)(1) and (2) or who causes such
activity to take place.
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
1.
No person, firm partnership, corporation or other entity shall engage
in vehicle towing services within the Borough of Doylestown without
first obtaining a license from the Borough of Doylestown authorizing
such activity.
2.
Any entity requiring a license under the provisions of this Part
shall make application for such license with the Chief of Police of
the Central Bucks Regional Police Department on such form as is provided
for that purpose, providing thereon such information as the Chief
Police of the Central Bucks Regional Police Department may reasonably
require for the effective enforcement of this Part.
[Amended by Ord. 2013-15, 12/16/2013]
3.
In any case where the Borough of Doylestown is determined to be liable
for the payment of police-directed towing and storage services, the
maximum removal and towing charge to be charged and collected by any
approved towing service company shall not be in excess of the industry's
usual and customary charges, or such other maximum charges as established
by resolution of Borough Council.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2019-6, 12/16/2019]
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987; as amended by Ord. 2013-15, 12/16/2013]
Licenses shall be issued for one calender year or portion thereof
only and shall be renewable annually thereafter upon compliance with
the same application requirements provided herein for initial, licenses
and with all other provisions of this Part. A license fee of $10 shall
be charged and shall accompany the application for license and any
renewal thereof and shall be payable to the Central Bucks Regional
Police Department. The amount of the license fee may be modified from
time to time by resolution of Borough Council.
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
Each licensee shall produce and maintain, in full force and
during the entire term of license, a policy of garagekeeper insurance
with an insurance company authorized to do business in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, on any vehicle removed and stored, in an amount not
less than $50,000. Proof of such insurance shall be attached to the
application for license or any renewal thereof.
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987; as amended by Ord. No. 2019-6, 12/16/2019]
No licensee may charge for removal and towing services, or charge
for storage services, in an amount in excess of the industry's usual
and customary charges, or such other maximum charges as established
by resolution of Borough Council.
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
In addition to the notice of primary restrictions required by
the Pennsylvania Code (Title 67, § 217.3(a)(1)), a private
parking lot within the Borough of Doylestown shall have posted thereon,
a notice or notices containing the name, address and, telephone number
of the licensee employed or to be employed for vehicle removal as
well as the charges to be incurred before any licensee shall be authorized
to remove any vehicle therefrom. Such notice shall be permanent in
nature, posted and of such size as is provided for in the Pennsylvania
Code (Title 67, § 217.3(b) and (c).
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987]
No vehicle shall be removed from any private parking lot by
any licensee if, prior to the actual removal of such vehicle from
the private parking lot, the owner, operator or other person in charge
of such vehicle is present, expresses a willingness and intent to
remove the vehicle and does, in fact, remove such vehicle immediately
from the private parking lot. In such cases no charges may be imposed
upon such owner, operator or other person in charge.
[Ord. 1987-8, 8/17/1987; as amended by Ord. 2013-15, 12/16/2013]
Any person, firm, corporation, licensee or other entity who
shall violate any provision of this Part shall, upon conviction thereof,
be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300, payable to the Central
Bucks Regional Police Department, and/or imprisonment for a term not
to exceed 90 days, and, in addition, to suffer administrative revocation
of the license provided for herein for a period of two years.
