[VIDEO] Clark To Begin Crackdown on Residents Storing Disabled Vehicles

After investigating a complaint from a resident about disabled vehicles on a neighbor's property, Clark officials decided to take stock of what other residents were storing disable vehicles, which is a violation of town code. 

At Monday night's Clark Council meeting, Business Administrator John Laezza said that police found 39 disabled vehicles – including vehicles with four flat tires, no license plates, rust and other offenses – on 22 properties in town.

"Neighbors shouldn't have to live next to facilities like that," said Laezza. "We're going to go after them."

See the town code regarding disabled vehicles below and in a full PDF in our gallery, right.

§ 343-2. Findings.

A. It is hereby declared that the keeping, storage or abandonment of any motor vehicle which is in such defective condition as to be unable to be moved under its own power or which is not licensed or inspected for the current year or of any unused machinery or equipment is adverse to the public welfare in that such motor vehicles, machinery or equipment is unsightly and detrimental to the neighborhood.

B. It is hereby further declared that such vehicles, machinery and equipment located on public and private lands and premises within the Township constitute attractive nuisances insofar as children are concerned and thereby invite injury, and they likewise tend to attract vermin and thereby cause disease and are otherwise inimical to the health, morals, safety and general welfare of the people of the Township.

§ 343-3. Prohibited acts. No person shall keep, store, abandon or leave upon any parcel of land, street, road, alley, way or parkway in the Township any motor vehicle which is in such defective condition as to be unable to be moved under its own power or which is not licensed or inspected for the current year or any unused machinery or equipment, except in the case of emergency, and then for a period of not more than 24 hours, provided the police have been so notified.

§ 343-4. Exceptions.

A. Storage in building. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to prohibit the placing, keeping or storing of any such motor vehicle, machinery or equipment in an enclosed garage or other building in the Township.

B. Antique car. This chapter is not intended in any way to affect the lawful pursuit by citizens of the Township of any activities or hobbies relating to the retention and repair of antique or classic motor vehicles.

C. Service stations. Service stations, auto body shops, auto mechanical shops and other business enterprises dealing with the storing and repairing of inoperable motor vehicles shall be required to retain any such vehicle on their property behind screened areas which obscure such vehicles from view, so as not to constitute a nuisance throughout the Township.

§ 343-5. Responsibility of owners and occupants.

A. No owner or occupier of any private lands or premises shall permit or suffer any inoperable motor vehicle or component parts thereof to be parked, left, stored or maintained on his/her land or premises unless the owner or occupier complies in full with the provisions as set forth in § 343-3, except as hereinafter provided in Subsection B below.

B. An owner of open land may permit the storage of a mechanically inoperable motor vehicle on his/her premises where the intent of such maintenance is to store and warehouse such vehicle for a period of time not to exceed one year; provided, however, such motor vehicle shall be stored in a shed or otherwise screened from view.

§ 343-6. Notice of violation. When it has been ascertained that a violation of this chapter exists, the owner of the abandoned vehicle or the unused machinery or equipment, if he/she can be found, or the owner or tenant upon whose land the violation exists shall be given 10 days' written notice by the Construction Code Official to:

A. Remove the motor vehicle, machinery or equipment from the premises;

B. Place the same in an enclosed garage or building; or

C. Make the vehicle operable or obtain current license plates and inspection certificates.

§ 343-9. Removal by Township. If the owner of the motor vehicle, machinery or equipment or the property owner or tenant fails to comply with the written notice, the Township is hereby authorized to go upon the property and remove the vehicle, machinery or equipment and charge the owner of the same or the property owner or tenant with the reasonable cost of such removal.