Borough Council recognizes and finds that the accumulation of
junked vehicles and accessories creates a hazard or threat or potential
threat to the health, safety or welfare of the Borough's citizens
because such accumulation provides a breeding area for rodents and
vermin and because such accumulator provides an attractive nuisance
for children who are not aware of the dangers involved.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall
be applicable:
JUNKED MOTOR VEHICLE
A motor vehicle or trailer which is partially dismantled,
unused, unusable or wrecked and which cannot safely or legally be
operated on the streets or highways of this Borough or commonwealth.
Currently licensed, registered and inspected vehicles shall be included
within this definition.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Any self-propelled land vehicle which can be used for towing
or transporting people or materials, including, but not limited to,
automobiles, trucks, buses, motor homes, motorized or towed campers,
motorcycles, motor scooters, tractors, snowmobiles, dune buggies and
other off-the-road vehicle.
PERSON
Includes any natural person, firm, partnership, association,
corporation, or other legal entity of whatever kind.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
Any real property not owned by the federal government, state,
county, school district or other political subdivision.
PUBLIC NUISANCE
The unsheltered storage of a junked motor vehicle as otherwise
defined in the chapter which constitutes a hazard or threat or potential
threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the Borough's citizens.
REMOVAL
The physical location or relocation of a motor vehicle to
an authorized location.
TRAILER
Any wheeled device used as a means of carrying, hauling or
conveying any vehicle, person, animal, boat or other object.
UNSHELTERED STORAGE
Any storage except storage inside a building or in an area
completely surrounded by a solid fence of a height not less than the
height of the motor vehicle or trailer being sheltered.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having custody
of any junked motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessories which create
a hazard or threat or potential threat to the health, safety or welfare
of the Borough's citizens to store or permit any such vehicle
or accessories to remain in unsheltered storage on any private property
or public street or highway within the Borough. It shall further be
unlawful for any person, after notification to remove any junked motor
vehicle or motor vehicle accessories constituting a public nuisance
hereunder from any private property has been given, to move the same
to any other private property upon which such storage is not permitted
or onto any public highway or other public property for purposes of
storage.
The Riverside Police Department, on routine inspection or upon
receipt of a complaint, may enter upon private property to investigate
a suspected junk motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessories stored
or maintained in violation of this chapter and record the make, model,
style and identification numbers and its situation and condition.
A verbal request to remove the junked motor vehicle or motor
vehicle accessories will be given by the Riverside Borough Police
Department to the owner or person or persons having possession of
said junked motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessories. If after five
days the junked motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessories remain
on the property, the Police Department will inform the owner or person
or persons having possession of said junked motor vehicle or motor
vehicle accessories by certified letter. The letter will give the
owner or person or persons having possession 10 days to remove said
junked motor vehicle or motor vehicle accessories from said premises.
Upon failure to remove said items from the premises, he or she shall
be subject to a fine not exceeding $100 for each offense, plus costs
of prosecution, and each period of 10 days during which a person,
firm or corporation violates the provisions of this chapter shall
be a separate offense. The Police Department of the Borough of Riverside
shall file new charges every 10 days until the junked motor vehicle
or motor vehicle accessories have been removed.
All ordinances or parts or provisions of such ordinances which
are in conflict with the provisions hereof shall be and the same are
hereby expressly repealed.
This chapter shall become effective immediately upon its enactment
and as otherwise provided by law.