§ 12-23. Removal

(a) Generally. The police jury shall be responsible for the administration of this article and shall remove or cause to be removed from the highways, roads, sidewalks, neutral ground or vacant lots, or any unused portion of an occupied lot in the parish, all junked, wrecked or used automobiles or motor vehicles and any other junk, discarded or abandoned major appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers, ranges or machinery or any other metal, tin or discarded items, all in accordance with this article.

(b) Notice left on property. At least ten (10) days prior to the removal of any vehicle, major appliance, etc., the police jury shall have placed in a prominent place thereon, so as to be plainly in public view, a notice, which shall state:

(1) That the vehicle, appliance, etc., unless claimed within ten (10) days, shall be considered public property and removed from the highway, road, street or lot on which it is located and sold for junk.

(2) The date the notice was placed thereon.

(3) The date the ten-day notice will expire.

(4) That any person claiming to have an interest in the vehicle, appliance, etc., should contact the Natchitoches Parish police jury.

(c) Disposal. The police jury, after the time provided in subsection (b) has expired, shall remove or cause to be removed the motor vehicle, appliance, etc., from the highway, road, street or lot where same is located, and is further authorized to convey same to a scrap iron dealer approved by the police jury for sale as scrap iron.

(d) Service charge. All junked, wrecked or used automobiles or motor vehicles removed from the highways, roads, streets, sidewalks or neutral grounds in accordance with this section shall be subject to a service charge not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) from the owner of said automobile or motor vehicle.

(Ord. of 7-18-73, § 3)

refstatelaw

Maximum amount that may be collected from owner, R.S. 33:4876(C).

(e) Notice given to owner. In the case of other abandoned property, such as major appliances, including refrigerators, freezers, ranges or machinery as set forth in this article, the notice shall be placed on the junked appliance and a copy of same shall also be given to the owner of the lot or parcel of ground upon which the junked material is located. This shall likewise be done in the case of junked automobiles or motor vehicles located on private property. Exactly the same notice shall be placed on automobiles or appliances on private property as placed upon items in the highways, roads or streets or on public property.

(f) Lien. In the case of junked, wrecked or abandoned property, such as motor vehicles or major appliances, on private property, after a written notice has been placed on the automobile or appliance and a written notice sent by certified mail to the owner of said lot, then the cost of removing said material shall constitute a special lien against the lot or property, collectible in the same manner as special assessments are collectible by law. The lien shall not exceed the actual cost of removal of said abandoned property or motor vehicle.

(g) Report. A report shall be furnished to the director of the motor vehicle division of the state department of revenue each month with the following information:

(1) The location where the junked or abandoned motor vehicle was abandoned.

(2) All identification information available.

(3) The date of sale and the name and address of the scrap iron dealer who purchased the junked, wrecked or used motor vehicle.