[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Camden 2-8-1990 by Ord. No. MC-2520 (Ch. 555 of the 1987 Code); amended in its entirety 12-14-2021 by Ord. No. MC-5368. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
New Jersey Statutes Annotated 39:4-139.13 authorizes the City of Camden to enact an ordinance authorizing the impoundment or immobilization of vehicles found within the City if there are any outstanding warrants against such vehicles. The Camden City Council hereby exercises this authority and delegates to the City of Camden Parking Authority and its agents the authority to impound or immobilize motor vehicles found within the City if there are any outstanding warrants against such vehicles.
Any vehicle unlawfully parked within the City of Camden for a period in excess of 30 minutes or any vehicle which is operated in violation of the motor vehicle laws of the State of New Jersey or any vehicle for which there are any outstanding warrants or three or more delinquent traffic or parking tickets may be taken into possession or immobilized by the City of Camden Parking Authority or its designee. The City, the Parking Authority, their agents, servants or employees shall not be responsible or liable in any manner for damage incurred in towing, storage, immobilization, possession or disposition of such vehicles.
In the event that a vehicle is immobilized for unpaid parking violations as provided in § 815-2 of this chapter, an immobilization fee of $60 shall be assessed.
If any outstanding warrants are not paid by 12:00 midnight of the 30th day following the day on which the vehicle was impounded or immobilized, the vehicle may be sold at public auction. The City shall give notice of the sale by certified mail to the owner, if his name is known, and to the holder of any security interest filed with the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, and by publication in the form prescribed by the Director of Motor Vehicles, by one insertion, at least five days before the date of the sale, in one or more newspapers published in this state and circulating in the City. Vehicles owned by lessors who have complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:4-139.2 et seq. respecting lessors shall not be sold.
A. 
At any time prior to the sale, the owner of the motor vehicle or other person entitled to the motor vehicle may reclaim possession of it upon payment of:
(1) 
The reasonable costs of removal and storage of the motor vehicle, including a towing charge, not to exceed the amount as specified in any contract between the Parking Authority and its contractor for the towing and storage of said vehicle.
(2) 
Any fines imposed by this chapter.
(3) 
Any fine or penalty and court costs assessed against the owner of the vehicle for violation(s) which gave rise to the impoundment or immobilization of the vehicle, including any outstanding warrants against such vehicle.
B. 
The owner-lessor of a motor vehicle who has complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:4-139.2 et seq. respecting owners-lessors shall be entitled to reclaim possession without payment, and the lessee shall be liable for any fine, penalty, court costs and outstanding warrants against the vehicle.
Any proceeds obtained from the sale of the vehicle at public auction in excess of the amount owed to the City, the Parking Authority or an agent or agents acting under a contract approved by the City of Camden or the Parking Authority for the reasonable costs of removal and storage of the motor vehicles and any fines or penalties and court costs assessed against said vehicle for the violation which gave rise to the impoundment or immobilization of the motor vehicle, including any outstanding warrants against such vehicle, shall be returned to the owner of the vehicle, if his or her name and address are known.
A. 
It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to impair, render inoperative or cause any person to impair or render inoperative any immobilization device which has been attached to a vehicle in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to move or cause to be moved any vehicle, wherever immobilized, which has been immobilized, in accordance with this chapter.
Unless otherwise provided in the chapter, penalties against persons violating the provisions of this chapter shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of § 1-15.