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Commission accepts first reading of derelict-vehicle ordinance; final vote set for next month
Summary
The board accepted for first reading a new derelict-vehicle ordinance that defines a derelict vehicle, sets 30-day and 14-day timelines, and establishes magistrate-court enforcement and lien authority; no final adoption occurred at the March 17 meeting.
The Habersham County Commission accepted for first reading March 17 a proposed ordinance to regulate derelict vehicles in unincorporated parts of the county.
Planning and code staff presented the draft ordinance, which would define "derelict vehicle" to include unregistered, junked, dismantled, inoperative or abandoned vehicles left on private property for more than 30 days. "Essentially, it defines a derelict vehicle as any unregistered junked, dismantled, inoperative, or abandoned vehicle, which is on private property for more than 30 days," planning staff said while describing the proposal.
Under the draft, property owners would be cited and required to remove a derelict vehicle; if the vehicle is not removed within 14 days, the owner would appear in magistrate court. Commissioners were told that magistrate judges could order removal and that, if the owner failed to comply, the county could remove the vehicle and place a lien on the property.
The ordinance also would prohibit storing derelict vehicles on public property and in road rights-of-way. Staff said the rule targets individual junk vehicles on private property and not licensed junkyards, which fall under separate county rules.
During the public-hearing portion of the meeting, no speakers offered sustained opposition or support. The commission closed the hearing, read the ordinance caption for the record and unanimously voted to accept the proposal for first reading. Final adoption is scheduled for the next regular meeting.
Ending: County staff said they would follow the ordinance procedure, work with the county attorney and bring the ordinance back for a final vote next month.
