WESTOVER — An ordinance tightening up Westover’s junk vehicle law (Article 1101) will be before council when it next meets on Feb. 18.
Under changes to the law, an “abandoned vehicle” will be any vehicle, or major part thereof, which is inoperative and which has been abandoned on private property for more than five days. That’s down from 13 days in the existing code.
An “inoperable vehicle” will be any vehicle that’s not road worthy; cannot pass a state motor vehicle inspection; has no registration, improper registration or a registration that’s expired 30 days or more; has no inspection sticker or a sticker that’s expired 30 days or more.
The third time a person is found in violation of the law within a calendar year will result in a fine ranging from $50 to $500, which is an increase of the current cap of $250. Further, it was explained anyone found in violation with three or more vehicles will be fined immediately.
The mayor or any Westover police officer is authorized to have any vehicle in violation of the ordinance impounded until lawfully claimed or disposed of by the city in accordance with state law.
“If we’ve got to keep doing this with you, instead of how it is now, waiting 13 days and keep moving them around, we’re going to remove them and then hit you with a big fine,” Mayor Bob Lucci said. “And it’ll be just like anything else, if we tow it and it’s your vehicle, you’re the one paying for it if you want it back. That’s how it is.”
Lucci explained that even if a vehicle is sitting in a private driveway, it’s subject to the law if it’s visible from the street and meets the criteria spelled out in the city ordinance.
In other city news, Westover recently wrapped up its inaugural urban archery hunt without incident.
According to Lucci, a total of 13 deer were taken during the hunt, which ran from Sept. 7 through Dec. 31, then reopened Jan. 13-31.
“Of those deer, five were donated for the Hunters Feeding the Hungry. The others were either taken by the hunter or the property owner,” he said.
Westover City Council approved the initial hunt as a pilot program this past August, adopting a law that mirrored what Morgantown put in place prior to its first urban hunt in fall 2011.
Lucci said city leadership will review the program with hunt organizers and determine if the city wishes to continue the program.
