Council Member Oliver, chair of the Wilmington City Public Works and Transportation Committee, said the committee voted to advance an ordinance clarifying when the city may immobilize or tow vehicles. The committee moved the measure out of committee by voice vote after a motion and second.

The ordinance amends language in Chapter 37 of the Wilmington City Code to resolve conflicting provisions about warnings and the threshold for immobilization, Oliver said. “This ordinance, makes stylistics changes to section 37 dash 25. Everything else really remains the same,” he said, adding the revisions are intended to remove confusing text and give vehicle owners clearer notice.

The change came after what the transcript described as inconsistencies in the code and a court review. The chair said a judge reviewed the chapter and that a court case involving the ACLU prompted clarification. The ordinance clarifies how and when officers place warnings on vehicles and aims to reduce instances in which owners find their cars booted without prior notice.

Councilwoman Christian Willower and other members asked for clarification about how the warning functions before enforcement. Willower asked whether officers would place a notice on vehicles that owe amounts below the higher immobilization threshold; Oliver responded that the change “gives individuals a head up opposed to just coming out your house because everybody's busy.”

Councilwoman Yolanda McCoy asked to be added as a cosponsor during the committee discussion. After questions from committee members, the chair asked for a motion to move the ordinance out of committee; the motion was made and seconded, the committee chair called for a voice vote and said, “Motion carried.”

The committee indicated the ordinance will appear on the city agenda; staff was asked to confirm the date. The committee discussion and the committee-level motion advance the ordinance to the next formal council agenda for final consideration.