§ 5.64.010. Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:

"Accident vehicle" means a motor vehicle which has been damaged or rendered inoperative as the result of a collision or accident.

"Disabled vehicle" means a motor vehicle which has been rendered inoperative as a result of wear and tear or mechanical failure.

"Emergency relocation tow" means the emergency relocation of a motor vehicle requested by a department or agency of the city, a public utility, or a similar entity.

"Financially interested" means a person having a financial interest in a towing company, or any other transactions or events in which financial interests of the towing company are involved. He may not be serving as an officer, employee or member of the board of directors of a business or other entity or be in a position of control over the entity. Each towing company must have a unique business name which is licensed, and have a tax identification number, bank account(s), and insurance policy that is separate from any other towing company on the police directed tow list.

"Illegally parked vehicle" means any vehicle which is left standing or parked in any area in which parking is prohibited and in which such vehicle is a menace, nuisance or obstacle to the free and effective movement of any traffic or to the operation of emergency vehicles, emergency work or emergency workers, except that any vehicle which is so left standing or parked shall be removed at any time without regard to the forty-eight-hour period mentioned in the preamble of this chapter.

"Impound vehicle" means a vehicle seized and ordered held by the police department for reasons including, but not limited to, evidentiary purposes, violations of the law, or safe keeping.

"Owner/applicant" shall mean the towing company applying for a license to tow vehicles in the city of Salisbury and shall include individual owner(s) of the towing company that is applying for a license.

"Police directed tow license" means a license to engage in towing, at the request or direction of the city of Salisbury or the Salisbury Police Department, of disabled, illegally parked and scofflaw vehicles within the corporate limits of the city of Salisbury, issued pursuant to this chapter before or after January 23, 2012.

"Regular business day" means that period between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The last transaction is to be initiated prior to 5:30 p.m.

"Scofflaw vehicle" means a motor vehicle for which three or more citations for municipal parking violations have been issued and remain unsatisfied, where at least thirty (30) days have elapsed since the issuance of the third unsatisfied citation.

"Towing" means the moving or removing, or the preparation thereof, of a disabled vehicle, illegally parked or scofflaw vehicle by another vehicle, for which a service charge is made.

"Towing company" means a natural person, partnership, corporation, fiduciary, association or other entity owning, operating or conducting the business of disentangling, removing or towing illegally parked or scofflaw vehicles and vehicles damaged by collision or other accident pursuant to a request of the city of Salisbury or the city police department.

"Towing vehicle" means a vehicle that tows, carries or removes a disabled vehicle, illegally parked vehicle or scofflaw vehicle for a fee.

(Ord. No. 2188, 2-13-2012)