[Amended 9-10-2002 by L.L. No. 14-2002]
A. 
When any vehicle is parked or abandoned on any public street, highway or public parking lot within this Town during a snowstorm, flood, fire or other public emergency which affects that portion of the public highway or parking lot upon which said vehicle is parked or abandoned, said vehicle may be removed by or under the direction of the appropriate authority.
B. 
When any vehicle is found unattended on any public street, highway or public parking lot within the Town where said vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic, said vehicle may be removed by or under the direction of the appropriate authority.
C. 
When any vehicle is abandoned pursuant to this article, on any public street, highway or public parking lot within the Town, said vehicle may be removed by the appropriate authority.
D. 
Immobilization.
(1) 
When any commercial vehicle is parked on or abandoned on any public street, highway or Town parking field within the Town of North Hempstead in violation of any provision of this Code prohibiting or regulating the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles and said vehicle has been so parked or abandoned for a period in excess of 48 consecutive hours, the Department of Public Safety may immobilize said vehicle with a device designed for the immobilization of vehicles, and/or said vehicle may be removed by the appropriate authority.
(2) 
When any commercial vehicle is immobilized pursuant to the provisions of this article, a notice shall be placed upon said vehicle sufficient to warn the owner and/or operator thereof that the vehicle had been immobilized and any attempt to move said vehicle may result in damage to the vehicle, and further said notice shall provide information as to the reason for immobilization and the procedures for release of said vehicle.
(3) 
No commercial vehicle shall be immobilized pursuant to this section unless a violation shall have been issued to said vehicle for violating at least one of the provisions of this Code prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles at least 24 hours prior to the immobilization of said vehicles, and the vehicle is in the same location.
The owner or person in charge of any commercial vehicle immobilized pursuant to § 38 shall be charged a fee of $250 for each and every twenty-four-hour period or part thereof for which the vehicle is immobilized.
It shall be the duty of the appropriate authority to ascertain, to the extent possible, the owner or registrant of the vehicle or the person having charge of the same and to notify said person of the immobilization or removal and disposition of such vehicle and of the costs which will be required to redeem the same. Said authority shall also, without delay, report the removal and disposition of any vehicle removed as provided in this article to the Town Clerk.
After immobilization of a commercial vehicle as provided in this article, the owner or person in charge of the vehicle may secure the release of said vehicle by paying all applicable fees for the immobilization of the vehicle to the Town Clerk. Upon submission to the Town Clerk of documentation showing that the summons issued to the vehicle for a violation of this Code has been dismissed on the merits, the Town Clerk shall refund all monies paid for the release of the vehicle.
A. 
A motor vehicle shall be deemed to be an abandoned vehicle if left unattended as follows:
(1) 
With no license plates affixed thereto on any public street, highway or other public place; or
(2) 
With license plates affixed, if parked illegally for more than four consecutive days.
B. 
No person shall cause any vehicle to be an abandoned vehicle. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that the owner of an abandoned vehicle caused such vehicle to be abandoned. A violation of this provision shall be deemed a violation punishable by a fine of not less than $150 nor more than $1,000.
C. 
For the purpose of this section, the term "owner" means any person, corporation, partnership, firm, agency, association, lessor or organization which:
(1) 
Has title to such vehicle; or
(2) 
Is the registrant or coregistrant of such vehicle registered with the Department of Motor vehicles of the State of New York or any other state, territory, district, province, nation or other jurisdiction; or
(3) 
Is the beneficial or equitable owner of the abandoned vehicle.
D. 
The last owner of an abandoned vehicle shall be liable to the Town of North Hempstead for the costs of removal of such vehicle.
E. 
Abandoned vehicles shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 40A of the Town Code.
After the removal of any vehicle as provided in this article, the appropriate authority 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 stored the amount of all expenses actually and necessarily incurred in effecting such removal and storage.