During their June 7, 2011 meeting, the Burlington City Council voted to approve the “Ordinance to Amend City of Burlington Code of Ordinances Pertaining to Junked Motor Vehicles.” The amendments to the Junked Motor Vehicles Ordinance will take effect on October 1, 2011 at which time enforcement will begin.
The amendments to this ordinance outlaw junked motor vehicles, abandoned vehicles, and hazardous motor vehicles from City limits.
A “junked motor vehicle” is defined as:
A vehicle that does not display a current license plate and meets one of the following criteria:
A) Is either partially dismantled or wrecked
B) Cannot be self-propelled or moved in the manner in which it was originally intended to move
C) Is more than five years old and appears to be worth less than $100.00
“Abandoned motor vehicles” are defined as:
A) A vehicle that have been left upon a street or highway in violation of a law or ordinance
B) Is left on city property for longer than 24 hours
C) Is left on private property without consent for more than two hours
D) Is left on any public street for more than seven days.
A “hazardous motor vehicle” is defined as:
A vehicle that is declared to be a health or safety hazard by City Code Enforcement staff or the Police Department.
Once a City Code Enforcement Officer becomes aware of a violation of the ordinance, they will notify the property owner and allow 14 days for the owner to come into compliance with the Junked Motor Vehicle Ordinance. Voluntary compliance with the ordinance is highly encouraged but, if compliance is not reached within 14 days, the vehicle will be towed from the property by a City contracted towing company. The vehicle may be redeemed by the owner post-towing if all associated towing and storage fees are paid.
In order to issue a complaint regarding a junked, abandoned or hazardous motor vehicle, citizens may call the “Connecting Burlington Communities” hotline at 222-5024. A Code Enforcement Officer will then investigate the complaint and issue a notice of non-compliance if necessary.
For more information regarding the Junked Motor Vehicle Ordinance or its enforcement, please contact David Beal of the Burlington Planning Department at 222-5110.