§ 14.52.010. Abandoned vehicles declared a nuisance—Definitions.

In addition to and in accordance with the determination made and the authority granted by the state of California under Section 22660 of the Vehicle Code to remove abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof as public nuisances, the city council makes the following findings and declarations:

The accumulation and storage of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof on private or public property not including highways is found to create a condition tending to reduce the value of private property, to promote blight and deterioration, to invite plundering, to create fire hazards, to constitute an attractive nuisance creating a hazard to the health and safety of minors, to create a harborage for rodents and insects and to be injurious to the health, safety and general welfare. Therefore, the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or part thereof, on private or public property not including highways, except as expressly hereinafter permitted, is declared to constitute a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

As used in this chapter, (1) "city" means the city of Fillmore; and (2) "city council" means the city council of the city of Fillmore. (3) "Highway" means a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. "Highway" includes street; and (4) "public property" does not include "highway"; and (5) "vehicle" means a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, except a device moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. (6) "Private property" means all real property in the city which is not publicly owned. (7) "Private property visible from a public street" means all private property which can be seen from a public street, and which is not behind a six-foot high opaque fence, (or a chain link fence conforming with Section 6.04.18.7 of the Fillmore zoning ordinance which has had wood, plastic, or metal privacy slats installed along the entire frontage adjacent to any public rights-of-way). (8) "Public street" means a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to use of the public, for the purposes of vehicular traffic; and (9) "operative vehicle" means a vehicle which is currently registered, and in condition to be legally operated upon a public street or highway within the state.

(Ord. 743 § 1, 1999: Ord. 365 § 1, 1968)