In the event any property of any description, excepting a vehicle, shall be found, unattended and outside the presence of any ascertainable owner, existing, standing, parked, erected or lying in or upon any part of any public street, avenue, alley, sidewalk, thoroughfare, parkway, park or other public place within the City so that it obstructs the street, sidewalk, or public right-of-way, it is hereby declared to be a nuisance, and may be removed and conveyed by or under the direction of the Director of Recreation and Parks, or Chief of Police, or a member of the Police Department, or a duly constituted agent thereof, or a City Ranger, to a designated place of impounding, to be kept until redeemed or sold as provided in this Chapter.
(Ord. 2020-07 § 1, eff., 7-2/20)
(a) 
It shall be the duty of the Department authorizing the impound immediately following the impounding of such property, where the ownership is ascertainable, to send through the mails to such owner a letter, stating that such property is impounded, giving the date and location of its keeping, together with the information that before the owner or person in charge of the property shall be permitted to remove the same from the custody of the impounding department, evidence of identity and ownership shall be required together with the fees necessary to cover the cost of removal, storage and redemption. Notice shall be deemed as given as of the date of mailing.
(b) 
If ownership is unascertainable, a description of the property shall be posted at City Hall for at least 10 calendar days. Notice shall be deemed as given at the conclusion of the 10th day.
(Ord. 2020-07 § 1, eff., 7-2/20)
Property impounded as provided in this Chapter shall be not be released to an owner or person having custody of such impounded property until all costs of impounding, giving notice and redemption have been paid. Such charges shall be set by resolution.
(Ord. 2020-07 § 1, eff., 7-2/20)
If the owner or person having custody of such impounded property fails or neglects to call and redeem the same within five days from the date of giving notice as provided in this Chapter, then the designated agent authorizing the impound, shall proceed to sell the property at public auction after giving notice of the time and place of such sale in the same manner as required for the giving of notice of the sale of personal property under execution, and shall apply the proceeds of such sale: (1) to the payment of the costs and expenses of such sale; (2) to the payment of the costs and expenses of impounding and storing of the property. The balance remaining of such proceeds shall be paid to the person who shall furnish satisfactory evidence of identity and ownership in the property, if any is able to do so. Property may be destroyed instead of sold if, in the discretion of the designated agent authorizing the impound, the fair market value of the impounded property would fail to pay for the costs associated with the public auction, including costs of impoundment and storage.
(Ord. 2020-07 § 1, eff., 7-2/20)