City to crack down on junk vehicles

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 28, 2001

DADE CITY -- City commissioners on Tuesday agreed to get tough on residents who keep junk vehicles in their yards.

Commissioners gave preliminary approval to a revised ordinance that would let code enforcement officers go onto private property to investigate cars, trucks and boats parked in public view.

Any car that is falling apart, without a valid registration or otherwise inoperable must be kept in an enclosed building or behind a 6-foot fence, out of sight from the road.

Under the new provision, a code enforcement officer could tag a junk vehicle with a 10-day warning notice. After 10 days, if the owner has taken no action, the city would have the vehicle towed. If the owner does not retrieve the vehicle, the tow truck operator would be allowed to keep the vehicle and sell it for scrap to recover towing and storage fees.

Junk vehicles left on public rights of way would be towed within 72 hours, commissioners agreed.

The measure is scheduled to go up for final approval July 24 and, if passed, would take effect 10 days later.

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