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Council considers exception for hobby and demolition-derby vehicles in property-maintenance code
Summary
Council members and staff debated whether to create a registration-based exception allowing a limited number of unlicensed or inoperable “hobby” or derby vehicles on residential property during the Delta Fair season; staff recommended allowing one registered hobby/derby/project vehicle that is actively worked on and not idle for more than a year.
The United City Council held a discussion about whether to change the city's property-maintenance code to allow a limited exception for unlicensed or inoperable vehicles that are hobby, project or derby cars.
The City Administrator introduced the item as discussion only and asked the fire department and code enforcement to present options. Victor, identified in the meeting as fire/code-enforcement staff, said the property-maintenance code currently prohibits unlicensed or inoperable motor vehicles under the city's adopted International Building Code and recommended a narrowly written exception: register one unlicensed or inoperable vehicle with code enforcement if it meets criteria, is actively maintained or worked on (not idle for more than a year), and is a derby, project or hobby car. "Vehicles that are idle, deteriorating, or not visibly being worked on may be classified as junk motor vehicles and subject to removal or fines," Victor said.
Council members raised concerns about the Delta Fair demolition derby, which draws dozens of cars and significant attendance. One councilmember argued that outlawing derby cars outright would conflict with the economic benefits of the fair: "If we're gonna make money off from that, the Delta Fair, we can't tell them they can't have the dirt the Derby cars," the councilmember said. Other councilmembers and speakers questioned how many derby cars the event draws; one speaker estimated roughly 45 to 60 cars but acknowledged they were not on the derby committee and did not have an exact count.
Staff said they have not been issuing tickets under the current ordinance but stand ready to enforce the existing rule unless council directs a change. The City Administrator said staff will draft a proposed ordinance to return for first reading at the next council meeting if the council wants to pursue the change. The meeting record included instructions for community members who wish to speak: contact staff by the Friday before the next council meeting to be placed on the public-comment agenda. No ordinance amendment was adopted at this meeting.
