[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983; Ord. No. 246, 10-21-2003]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
ABANDON
Shall mean having the appearance that the owner has relinquished possession without the intention of reclaiming it.
JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE
Shall mean any motor vehicle which has no registration marker plates or invalid registration marker plates and (a) the motor vehicle is apparently abandoned; (b) the market value of such motor vehicle in its current condition is five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less, and (c) the motor vehicle is so vandalized, damaged or in disrepair as to be unusable as a motor vehicle.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Shall mean 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 wagon.
PROPERTY
Shall mean any real property within the town which is not a street or highway.
STREET or HIGHWAY
Shall mean the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part hereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983]
No person shall abandon any vehicle within the town and no person shall leave any vehicle at any place within the town for such time and under such circumstances as to cause such vehicle reasonably to appear to have been abandoned.
[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983]
No person in charge or control of any property within the town, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise shall allow an apparently abandoned or inoperable motor vehicle to remain on such property; and no person shall leave any such vehicle on any property within the town; except that this section 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; a vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained in a lawful place and manner by the town or any vehicle which is in the active process of being restored to operable condition, as determined by the building inspector or any member of his department designated by him based upon his observations and information, if any, supplied by the owner of the vehicle or property, subject to the following criteria:
(1) 
Only one (1) such vehicle shall be permitted at any one (1) time on the property in question;
(2) 
Automobile parts used in the restoration must be stored in the vehicle or in a structure;
(3) 
Such restoration work is not to take place in the required yard areas as set forth in the zoning regulations;
(4) 
One (1) vehicle, in addition to the vehicle being restored, which is being used for parts may be maintained on the property for no more than thirty (30) days;
(5) 
Such vehicles are to be covered with a tarpaulin whenever work is not being done upon them.
[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983]
The building inspector or any member of his department designated by him, is hereby authorized to remove or have removed any motor vehicle which is abandoned or inoperable within the limits of the town which remains unmoved for thirty (30) days after the following:
(1) 
Notice, by personal service or by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the owner of the property on which such motor vehicle so remains, requesting the removal of such motor vehicle; and
(2) 
Notice in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the town.
[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983; Ord. No. 246, 10-21-2003]
(a) 
After giving the required notice and after waiting the required thirty (30) days, the building inspector or any member of his department designated by him, may remove such vehicle by a town truck or by a commercial tow truck, to a commercial garage or an automobile wrecking yard or any suitable place for the disposal of rubbish. The building inspector may thereafter file an action in the name of the town in the appropriate court upon any person upon whom he served the aforesaid demand, for the purpose of recovering the cost of removing and storing the vehicle in the event the proceeds of any sale thereof shall be insufficient to recover the costs.
(b) 
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit or limit the ability of any official identified in §§ 14-150 or 14-151 of the Connecticut General Statutes, et seq. from taking possession of and removing a "junk motor vehicle" as defined in section 13-56 above, in accord with the procedures set forth in § 14-150, et seq. of the Connecticut General Statutes.
[Ord. No. 150, 10-4-1983]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in accordance with section 1-9.
[Ord. No. 246, 10-21-2003]
The town building inspector is authorized to establish a program for the removal of "junk" cars consistent with the provisions of this article and Connecticut General Statutes, which program may include the imposing of a reasonable fee for the removal by the Town of Vernon of a "junk motor vehicle." The amount of any such fee shall be approved by the town council.