[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Shrewsbury 7-14-1969 by Ord. No. 272 (Ch. 88 of the 1973 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Brush, grass, weeds and debris — See Ch. 77.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 90.
Housing standards — See Ch. 145.
Nuisances — See Ch. 163.
Garbage, rubbish and refuse — See Ch. 210, Art. I.
[Amended 7-7-2003 by Ord. No. 808]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ABANDONED VEHICLE
One which is parked in any of the places mentioned in § 250-2 of this chapter and is any one of the following:
A. 
Parked without the current year's registration or identification markers as required by law, or is not being used for transportation.
B. 
So disabled as to constitute an obstruction to traffic, and the driver or person owning or in charge thereof neglects or refuses to move the same to a place where it will not obstruct traffic.
C. 
Found to be mechanically inoperative.
D. 
Found without one or more tires.
MOTOR VEHICLE, OMNIBUS, ROAD TRACTOR, TRAILER, TRUCK, TRUCK TRACTOR and VEHICLES
Have the meanings stated and as defined in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq. of the Revised Statutes of the State of New Jersey.
It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon a motor vehicle, omnibus, road tractor, trailer, truck, truck tractor or vehicle on any public street or highway in the Borough of Shrewsbury, on any municipally owned or operated parking lot, or any property which is owned, leased or maintained by the Borough of Shrewsbury or Borough of Shrewsbury Board of Education, or any private property in the Borough of Shrewsbury; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be determined to prohibit the placing, keeping, storing or abandonment of any such motor vehicles in a garage or other building in the Borough or on the lands and premises of a licensed new or used automobile dealer or licensed service station operator. However, said licensed service station operator cannot allow any motor vehicle or motor vehicles to be parked on his land and premises without repairs having been completed and the vehicles being removed for a period exceeding 30 days.
Whenever it shall appear to the Code Enforcement Official and/or any member of the Police Department of the Borough of Shrewsbury (who shall hereinafter be referred to as the "officer") that § 250-2 of this chapter is being violated:
A. 
The officer shall determine whether the violation constitutes a traffic hazard; and, if so, he shall forthwith move it or cause it to be moved to a nonhazardous location.
B. 
If the location of the vehicle does not create a traffic hazard or if the vehicle has been removed by the direction of the officer to a nonhazardous location, the officer shall first ascertain, if he can, who is the owner of the vehicle, and shall, in writing, notify such owner to abate the violation forthwith and in all events within five days after the service of the notice upon him, which notice shall be given as required under § 250-6A for the service of notice, and if such violation shall be upon private property, then the owner of the said private property shall be given notice in the same manner.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III).
If the vehicle causing the violation constitutes or may constitute a traffic hazard and it cannot be moved to a nonhazardous location, or if the name and address of the owner of the vehicle cannot be ascertained or if the violation be not abated within the time required by the notice given under the foregoing, the officer shall:
A. 
Determine whether the vehicle has a value in excess of the cost of removing it and storing it until time of sale, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:10A-1.
B. 
Unless the vehicle appears to have a value clearly in excess of such cost, he shall arrange, if he can, for the removal of it by someone who will undertake that removal without cost to the Borough, but otherwise he shall arrange for that removal at the expense of the Borough to an authorized dump.
C. 
If the vehicle appears to have a value clearly in excess of said cost, he shall remove it or cause it to be removed at the expense of the Borough to a storage area.
D. 
If the vehicle be removed, the officer shall, in the manner required by § 250-6A for service of notice thereunder, give notice to the owner of the vehicle of the removal and of the place to which the vehicle has been removed.
If any vehicle impounded by the officer shall remain in his custody after 30 days after notice of the impounding has been given to said owner, the owner's right to reclaim it by paying the costs of removal and interim storage charges shall be deemed to have been forfeited by the owner, and the governing body shall sell and dispose of it as provided in N.J.S.A. 39:10A-1.
A. 
Notice required under § 250-3B shall be served upon such owner, if he resides in the Borough, personally or by leaving it at his usual place of abode with some member of his household over the age of 14 years; but if any such owner shall reside outside the Borough or the state, the notice shall be served upon him by registered mail, addressed to him at his usual residence, if ascertainable, otherwise by notice published once in the legal newspaper of the Borough. The notice shall be likewise served upon the holder of any security interest in the vehicle in the same manner.
B. 
Notice to such owner and anyone claiming a security interest in said vehicle, filed with the Director of Motor Vehicles, of a sale, pursuant to § 250-5, shall be as provided in N.J.S.A. 39:10A-1.
At any time prior to sale, the owner or other person entitled thereto may reclaim possession of the vehicle upon payment of the reasonable cost of removal and storage of the vehicle and any fine or penalty and court costs assessed against him for a violation which gave rise to the seizing or taking possession of such vehicle, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:10A-2.
If the Borough of Shrewsbury takes possession of a motor vehicle pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:10A-3, it shall, in its report thereof to the Director of Motor Vehicles, certify on an application prescribed by him that such vehicle is incapable of being operated safely or of being put in safe operational condition, except at a cost in excess of the value thereof, and the Division of Motor Vehicles shall, without further certification or verification, issue to the Borough, for a fee of $2, a junk title certificate thereto, with proper assignment thereon, which shall be assigned and delivered to the purchaser of the vehicle at public sale.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III).
Upon the sale of any vehicle for which no junk title certificate shall have been issued, the Borough of Shrewsbury shall execute and deliver to the purchaser an application for certificate of ownership prescribed by the Director of Motor Vehicles in the same form and manner as provided in N.J.S.A. 39:10-15, which shall also contain the name and address, if known, of the former owner.
Upon the sale of the vehicle pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, all claims of interest therein shall be forever barred, and the proceeds realized therefrom after payment of the expense of possession and sale shall be remitted to the Borough as its sole property.
[Amended 9-27-1973 by Ord. No. 346]
Anyone violating any provision of this chapter who, upon notice under the provisions of this chapter, fails to abate such violation within five days of said notice, may, on the complaint of the officer and subsequent conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,250, a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof.