[R.O. 2008 § 215.030; R.O. 2004 § 235.010; CC 1990 § 235.010; Ord. No. 641 § 2-001, 4-4-1988; Ord. No. 1090 § 1, 9-15-2005]
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this Article:
ABANDONED PARTS
Any part or parts of automobiles or other motor vehicles that indicate no clue as to ownership.
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE
Any motorized vehicle manufactured and used exclusively for off-highway use, with an unladen dry weight of one thousand five hundred (1,500) pounds or less, traveling on three (3), four (4) or more non-highway tires, with either:
1. 
A seat designed to be straddled by the operator, and handlebars for steering control, but excluding an electric bicycle; or
2. 
A width of fifty (50) inches or less, measured from outside of tire rim to outside of tire rim, regardless of seating or steering arrangement.
DAMAGED OR DISABLED VEHICLE
Any vehicle, except for all-terrain vehicles, which is not registered or is improperly registered with the State of Missouri, has been inoperable for more than seventy-two (72) hours or is in such a state of repair as to be inoperable, except those on the premises of a duly licensed automobile repair or sales business or in a duly licensed automobile junking yard.
DERELICT
Any motor vehicle which is so wrecked, dilapidated, burned out, stripped, vandalized or is of such condition as to constitute a health or safety hazard or nuisance or is of no apparent value, other than scrap.
HISTORIC MOTOR VEHICLES
Any motor vehicle over twenty-five (25) years old which is owned solely as a collector's item and which is used and intended to be used for exhibition and educational purposes and which is permanently registered with the State of Missouri pursuant to the provisions of Section 301.131, RSMo.
JUNK
Any metal, glass, paper, rags, wood, machinery parts, cloth or other waste or discarded material of any nature or substance whatsoever or scrap or salvage materials.
MINOR MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIRS
Incidental repairs or services to motor vehicles which must be completed within seventy-two (72) hours, including changing flat tires, repairing or servicing the electrical or ignition system, replacing hoses, cleaning or replacing filters, installing minor accessories, and adding or replacing lubricants, coolants, refrigerants or hydraulic system fluids.
OWNER
For the purposes of this Article shall also include any person, firm or corporation having a recorded mortgage, lien or other encumbrance on the parcel of land on which the vehicle or junk is located.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
RACE CAR
A vehicle modified or designed primarily for racing and/or racetrack competition.
REGISTRATION PRIMA FACIE
The presence of any vehicle in violation of the provisions of this Article shall be prima facie evidence that the person in whose name such vehicle is registered in either the records of the license collector or records of the Department of Revenue, State of Missouri committed or authorized such violation.
STREET OR HIGHWAY
The entire area between the boundary lines of every publicly maintained way when any part thereof is open to the use thereof for purposes of vehicular travel.
VEHICLE
A machine propelled by power other than human power, designed to travel along the ground by use of wheels, treads, runners or slides and transport persons or property or pull machinery and shall include, without limitation, automobile, truck, trailer, motorcycle, tractor, buggy and wagons or any part thereof.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.040; R.O. 2004 § 235.020; CC 1990 § 235.020; Ord. No. 641 § 3-001, 4-4-1988; Ord. No. 1090 § 3, 9-15-2005]
Any damaged, disabled or unlicensed vehicle, any part thereof or junk located on any property, street or highway, or which presents an immediate hazard to persons, or which harbors tall grass, weeds or other vegetation, or which creates a fire hazard, or which affords a breeding place or nesting place for mosquitoes, flies, rodents, rats or other vermin; or any vehicle or part thereof or junk allowed to remain unmoved on any property, driveway, sidewalk, path, alley, street or highway for forty-eight (48) hours is a public nuisance.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.060; R.O. 2004 § 235.040; CC 1990 § 235.040; Ord. No. 641 § 5-001, 4-4-1988]
No person in charge or control of any property within the City, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise, shall allow any partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked, junked or discarded vehicle to remain on such property longer than seventy-two (72) hours; and no person shall leave any such vehicle on any property within the City for a longer time than seventy-two (72) hours; except that this Article shall not apply with regard to a vehicle in an enclosed building, a vehicle on the premises of a business enterprise operated in a lawful place and manner when necessary to the operation of such business enterprise or a vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained in a lawful place and manner by the City.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.080; R.O. 2004 § 235.060; CC 1990 § 235.060; Ord. No. 641 § 6-001, 4-4-1988]
The Chief of Police or any member of his/her department designated by him/her is hereby authorized to remove or have removed any vehicle left at any place within the City which reasonably appears to be in violation of this Article or lost, stolen or unclaimed or any vehicle which appears to have been lost, stolen or unclaimed. Such vehicle shall be impounded until lawfully claimed or disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
[1]
State Law Reference: As to towing of unattended/abandoned vehicles/property, §§ 304.154 et seq., RSMo.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.090; R.O. 2004 § 235.070; CC 1990 § 235.070; Ord. No. 641 § 7-001, 4-4-1988]
A. 
Prior to the sale or other disposition of any such property, the Chief of Police shall cause to be posted in City Hall, the place of storage and at least one (1) other public place a notice of sale or of the proposed disposition of the property stating:
1. 
The City is selling or otherwise disposing or abandoning such property;
2. 
The color, make, year, motor number and serial number, if available, and any other information necessary for an accurate identification of the property;
3. 
The terms of the sale;
4. 
The date, time and place of the sale. This notice shall be so published in a newspaper of general circulation not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale or other disposition of said property. Notice of such sale or disposition may be mailed by enclosing such in a sealed envelope, posted prepaid, directed to the owner of such property, if known, either at his/her place of business or residence in the City or elsewhere. Said notice shall be deemed to be served twenty-four (24) hours after the mailing of said notice.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.100; R.O. 2004 § 235.080; CC 1990 § 235.080; Ord. No. 641 § 8-001, 4-4-1988]
Any vehicle or junk which shall be transported to a storage area by or at the discretion of the Chief of Police or his/her duly authorized representative shall be so transported at the expense of the owner or person in custody thereof. The person entitled to possession may redeem such property within thirty (30) days by payment to the City of the actual cost of its removal and a reasonable storage fee. If the vehicle or junk is unredeemed after the expiration of the thirty-day period, the Chief of Police may sell it to the highest bidder or, if it has no sale value, may otherwise dispose of it. Any money received from the disposal of any vehicle or junk shall be applied to the expenses charged to the owner or person in charge thereof.
[R.O. 2008 § 215.110; R.O. 2004 § 235.090; CC 1990 § 235.090; Ord. No. 641 § 9-001, 4-4-1988; Ord. No. 1090 § 2, 9-15-2005; Ord. No. 1239 § 1, 10-18-2010; Ord. No. 1524, 9-21-2020]
The Chief of Police or his/her duly authorized representative may upon observation of a violation or breach of this Article enter upon private property for inspection of any vehicle or junk and prior to towing or removal shall issue a notice of violation for any breach of this Article. Said notice shall be in writing, shall state the date of said notice, the time of said notice, shall describe the offending vehicle or junk with reasonable specificity and particularity, shall be served upon the person in charge or control of the property by delivering a copy of same to said person or, if none be found, shall be served by posting same conspicuously on or about the property and mailing by certified mail. Unless the vehicle or junk constitutes a public nuisance and presents an immediate hazard or threat to the health, safety and well-being of other persons in accordance with Section 215.040 of this Article, the person in charge or control of the property shall have forty-eight (48) hours from the date and time of the notice to remove the vehicle from the property or make the necessary repairs to same. In the event the vehicle is not removed, or the necessary repairs are not made within forty-eight (48) hours after issuance of the notice of violation, the Chief of Police or his/her duly authorized representative may enter upon the private property for the purpose of impounding and removing any vehicle or junk in accordance with the provisions of this Article.