Neighborhood Services Department - Zoning Administration

Abandoned Motor Vehicles

Abandoned motor vehicle means a motor vehicle, trailer or Semi-trailer or part of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer that:

1. Is inoperable and is left unattended on public property, other than an interstate highway or primary highway, for more than 48 hours; or

2. Has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours; or

3. Has remained for more than 48 hours on private property without the consent of the property owner, regardless of whether it was brought onto the private property with the consent of the owner or person in control of the private property; or

4. Is inoperable, left unattended, or both, on an interstate highway; or

5. Is inoperable, left unattended, or both, on the shoulder of a primary highway.

Removal and disposition of unattended or immobile vehicles on private or city property.
Whenever any motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer is:

1. Left unattended on a public highway or other public property and constitutes a traffic hazard; or

2. Illegally parked; or

3. Left unattended for more than ten days either on public property or on private property without the permission of the property owner, lessee or occupant; or

4. Immobilized on a public roadway by weather conditions or other emergency situation; such motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer may be removed for safekeeping, by or under the direction of a police officer, to a storage garage or area; provided, however, that no such vehicle shall be so removed from privately owned premises without the written request of the owner, lessee or occupant thereof.

The person at whose request a motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer is removed from privately owned property pursuant to this section shall indemnify the city against any loss or expense incurred by reason of the removal, storage or sale thereof.

For the purposes of this section, it shall be presumed that a motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer or part thereof is abandoned if it lacks either a current state license plate; a current county, city or town plate or sticker; or a valid state inspection certificate or sticker and has been in a specific location for four days without being moved.

This section shall not apply to police, fire or public health vehicles or where a vehicle shall, because of a wreck or other emergency, be parked or left temporarily upon the property of another.

Section 74, Chesapeake City Code

Revised 10/12/2006 AHL