[Adopted 5-13-1957 by Ord. No. 311 (Ch. 87, Art. IV, of the 1971 Code)]
Unlicensed vehicles or abandoned vehicles are
prohibited from parking on any street or avenue in the Borough of
Columbia for any period longer than 48 hours.
The police of the Borough of Columbia are authorized
to arrest upon view and without warrant any person or persons violating
this article, and the person or persons so violating shall be subject
to a penalty as set forth in the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.
All fines and penalties collected under this
article shall be paid to the Borough of Columbia.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to
remove and impound or to order the removal and impounding of any vehicle
parked on any of the streets, highways or public property of the Borough
in violation of the provisions of this article or the provisions of
law or any ordinance of the Borough.
The Chief of Police shall designate garages
for the storage of such impounded vehicles.
Every such approved storage garage shall post
a bond in the amount of $2,000, to be filed with the Borough Secretary/Treasurer,
for the indemnifying of the owner of such impounded vehicle against
the loss thereof or injury or damage thereto while in the custody
of said garage.
The Chief of Police shall fix and establish
the charges that shall be made for the towing and storage of any vehicle
removed and impounded under the authority of this article.
Within 12 hours from the time of removal of
any vehicle under authority of this article, notice of the fact that
such vehicle has been impounded shall be sent by registered mail by
the Chief of Police to the owner of record of such vehicle. Such notice
shall designate the place from which said vehicle was removed, the
reason for its removal and impounding and the garage in which it shall
have been impounded.
The payment of any towing and impounding charges
authorized by this article shall, unless such payment shall have been
made under protest, be final and conclusive and shall constitute a
waiver of any right to recover the money so paid.
In the event that any towing and impounding
charges so imposed shall be paid under protest, the offender shall
be entitled to a hearing before a District Justice within the Borough
of Columbia, in which case such defendant shall be proceeded against
and shall receive such notice as is provided by the Vehicle Code in
other cases of summary offenses and shall have the same rights as
to appeal and waiver of hearing.
The Chief of Police shall keep a record of vehicles
impounded and shall be able at all reasonable times to furnish the
owners or agents of the owners thereof with information as to the
place of storage of such vehicles.
The payment of towing and storage charges shall
not operate to relieve the owner or operator of any vehicle from liability
for any fine or penalty for the violation of this article or any law
or other ordinance on account of which said vehicle was removed and
impounded.
No vehicle shall be removed under the authority
of this article if, at the time of the intended removal thereof, the
owner or person for the time being in charge of such vehicle is present
and expresses a willingness and intention to remove such vehicle immediately.
It shall be the duties of the Mayor, Chief of
Police and patrolmen to enforce the provisions of this article.
