§ 50-16. Abandoned vehicles.

(a)

For the purpose of this section only, the term "abandonment" shall mean the relinquishment of property, or a cessation of the use of the property, by the owner or lessee without any intention of transferring rights to the property to another owner or of resuming the use of the property.

(b)

No automobile, vehicle, or trailer of any kind or type, without a valid license plate attached thereto, whether it is in safe operating condition or inoperative or in junk condition, shall be abandoned upon any property zoned residential unless it is located completely enclosed within a building, nor upon any property of any other zone unless such vehicle is not visible from any public property or nearby habitable structure. Excepted from the provisions of this section are:

(1)

Property actually zoned as a junkyard;

(2)

Any off-road vehicles which by law do not require a license plate, provided such off-road vehicles are in safe operating condition;

(3)

Any farm truck, tractor, or trailer, provided that:

a.

Such vehicle is kept in safe operating condition;

b.

Such vehicle is operated only upon private property zoned A-1 or F-1; and

c.

The number of such vehicles upon each such private property does not exceed one vehicle for each ten acres or part thereof.

(c)

No automobile, vehicle, or trailer of any kind or type which shall be inoperative or in a junk condition shall be parked or stand on any property unless:

(1)

It is either enclosed fully within a building or not visible from any adjoining public or private property;

(2)

It shall be on the premises of a business enterprise operated in a lawful manner, when necessary to the operation of such business enterprise; or

(3)

It shall be on property occupied and used for repair, reconditioning or remodeling of vehicles in conformance with this chapter.

(d)

An inoperative or junk condition shall include, but shall not be limited to, any automobile, vehicle, trailer of any kind or type, or contrivance, or a part thereof, the condition of which is one or more of the following:

(1)

Wrecked;

(2)

Dismantled;

(3)

Partially dismantled;

(4)

Inoperative;

(5)

Abandoned;

(6)

Discarded;

(7)

Scrapped; or

(8)

Does not have a valid license plate attached thereto.

(e)

Nothing in this section shall authorize the maintenance of a public or private nuisance as defined under other provisions of law.

(f)

This section shall not be the exclusive regulation of discarded, dismantled, wrecked, scrapped, ruined, or junk motor vehicles, or contrivances, within the unincorporated limits of the county, but shall be supplemental to and in addition to other regulations and ordinances of the county and statutes or provisions of law heretofore and hereinafter enacted by the county, state, or other legal entity or agency having jurisdiction.

(g)

In all instances where the owner of any abandoned or junk motor vehicle and/or trailer cannot be determined or the owner of any junk or abandoned motor vehicle and/or trailer refuses to remove or give consent for the county to remove any junk or abandoned motor vehicle and/or trailer which has been determined to constitute a health hazard or unsightly nuisance, such junk or abandoned motor vehicle and/or trailer shall be removed under the authority and provisions of O.C.G.A.tit. 40, ch. 11.

(Ord. of 12-7-2004, art. VI, § 6.12)