A. 
When any vehicle is parked or abandoned on any 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 Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer.
B. 
When any vehicle is found unattended on any 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 Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer.
C. 
In the event that any vehicle is unlawfully parked, stopped, standing or abandoned as provided by this chapter or New York State law, the Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to tow away or have towed away, by a competent person, all such vehicles.
[Added 12-13-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006]
D. 
Nothing herein shall be taken or construed as obligating the Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer, or any other municipal department, for damage done to or destruction of a vehicle impounded, removed, stored, or towed unless otherwise provided by law.
[Added 12-13-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006]
[Amended 12-13-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006]
A. 
After removal of any vehicle as provided in this article, Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer 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 it was stored the cost or charges therefor.
B. 
The cost of towing and storage as hereinbefore provided shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
If the towing or storage is done by a municipal department, the cost thereof shall be in accordance with the reasonable expense incident to same, plus a reasonable charge as compensation therefor, such storage charges not to exceed an amount set forth from time to time by the Town Board.
(2) 
If the towing or storage is done by a private company or individual, then the cost shall be at the rate usually charged for such service by such company or individual, but in no case shall the cost exceed a reasonable compensation for the actual labor, material or space involved.
(3) 
It shall be entirely within the discretion of the Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer as to whether the towing and storage provided in this chapter shall be done by the Town or by a private company or individual; nevertheless, best judgment shall be exercised in determining the means for such towing and the place for storage.
(4) 
The cost of towing and storage shall be charged against the owner of the vehicle and shall be added to and be made a part hereof of any fine hereafter imposed for the above reasons. Irrespective of any method for collecting fines for traffic violations, and in addition thereto, all towing and storage costs imposed under this section shall constitute and be a lien against any vehicle impounded as provided above, and such lien shall not be lost, nor shall same be considered waived, by reason of the owner's taking possession of the vehicle before the costs are paid.
It shall be the duty of the Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer to ascertain to the extent possible the owner of the vehicle or the person having the same in charge and to notify him of the removal and disposition of such vehicle and of the amount which will be required to redeem same. Said Highway Superintendent or Code Enforcement Officer shall also, without delay, report to the Town Clerk the removal and disposition of any vehicle removed as provided in this article.