2023-32 AN ORDINANCE TO ENACT SECTION 452.20 ENTITLED “PARKING IN MUNICIPAL PARKING LOTS” OF CHAPTER 452 ENTITLED “PARKING GENERALLY” OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF VERMILION AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
WHEREAS, at the Legislative Committee meeting of April 17, 2023, the Vermilion City Council favorably recommended the enactment of Section 452.20.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Vermilion, Counties of Erie and Lorain, State of Ohio:
SECTION 1: That City Council hereby enacts Section 452.20 entitled “Parking in Municipal Parking Lots” of Chapter 452 entitled “Parking Generally” to read henceforth as follows:
452.20 PARKING IN MUNICIPAL PARKING LOTS.
(a) No person shall park any motor vehicle within a Municipal parking lot for twenty-four (24) hours or more. For purposes of this section, a Municipal Parking lot shall be any parking lot owned or leased by the city of Vermilion and contains signage advising of same.
(b) No person shall park any motor vehicle within a Municipal parking lot for the principal purpose of:
(1) Advertising;
(2) Displaying such vehicle or any article for sale;
(3) With the purpose of repairing such vehicle except repairs necessitated by an
emergency.
(c) No person shall park any motor vehicle within a Municipal parking lot which is leaking any measurable quantity of oil, grease, transmission fluid, radiator coolant, battery acid or any other fluid, other than water, onto the pavement. Any vehicle found in this condition shall be deemed a safety hazard and subject to immediate removal.
(d) Any vehicles to be found in violation of section (a) and (b), shall be subject to being ticketed and after forty-eight (48) hours, towed, at the owner’s expense, and the towing service is authorized to retain possession of the vehicle until its reasonable towing and storage charges are paid in full.
(e) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on a second offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; on each subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
SECTION 2: This Council finds and determines that all formal actions of this Council concerning and relating to the passage of this Ordinance were taken in an open meeting of this Council and that all deliberations of this Council and of any committees that resulted in those formal actions were in meetings open to the public in compliance with the law.
SECTION 3: That this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency for the public peace, health, and safety of the city; with the emergency necessity being any vehicle imposing a safety hazard can be subject to removal. Wherefore, this Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its passage and approval of the mayor, providing it meets the statutory requirements for passage; otherwise, it shall take effect and be enforced from and after the earliest period allowed by law.