Q: What is the law or definition for an abandoned car on a public street? Abandoned vehicle?
It’s often overparkingAlong Ala Napunani Street in Salt Lake, near the Country Club Village project, there are various vehicle owners who take advantage of the free street parking. A car may stay in one spot from one day to two weeks before the owner moves them to another spot on the street.
The cycle then begins all over again. The street has no meters or parking stall markings. If the street is monitored closely, i.e., parking tickets or tow-away zones, would that increase funds for the city/state? Also, would the stall markings and parking street signs need to be placed first?
We’ll answer the easy part of your question first, courtesy of David Mau, the city’s assistant licensing administrator, whose division in the Finance Department oversees abandoned vehicles.
Abandoned vehicles, by law, are those left unattended for a 24-hour period on a public road. “That’s it in a nutshell,” Mau said.
The problem is that the vehicles may not really be abandoned. In fact, Mau says, most complaints about abandoned vehicles are really about parking problems.
Often, inspectors go out in response to an abandoned vehicle
complaint, mark the vehicle, then return after 24 hours only to find it has been moved.
As it is, it takes five to seven days after a complaint comes in to remove a vehicle deemed abandoned, figuring in time for inspectors to check the scene, return after 24 hours, cite the owner, then initiate a work order to have the vehicle towed, Mau noted.
If the cars are parked illegally or are a danger, call police at 911.
Otherwise, you should take the matter to your City Council representative to lobby for parking restrictions, such as tow-away zones, Mau said. The city Department of Transportation Services would first study the matter, then make its recommendations to the Council, he said.
- Possible zoning code violation
- Parking on city streets
- Mahalo