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Commission recommends Title 17 changes to give code officers more authority to remove abandoned vehicles
Summary
The planning commission voted 5-0 to forward proposed changes to Title 17 that would expand definitions, authorize enforcing officers to obtain warrants for entry, permit contracting with tow companies, and add DMV notification rules. Commissioners also pressed staff to fix grammar and clarify notice provisions for abandoned vehicles.
The San Benito County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend ordinance changes to Title 17 — the county’s traffic and abandoned‑vehicle provisions — to the Board of Supervisors.
Robin Leland, the county’s code enforcement officer, explained the draft revisions would add definitions (abandoned vehicle, dismantled vehicle, public nuisance vehicle), explicitly allow an enforcing officer (including designated county staff or contractors) to enter property to remove public nuisance vehicles and to obtain warrants for entry when consent is refused, and require DMV notification when vehicles are removed. Leland said the changes were largely drawn from the California Vehicle Code.
Commissioners focused on three practical issues: inconsistent printed versions of the draft ordinance and language that needs proofreading; whether notice requirements strike the right balance when a vehicle has no motor or wheels; and whether the county should explicitly allow contracted tow companies access to private property to remove vehicles. Commissioner Ringhaden said he found a passage on page 82 that “doesn’t parse” and asked staff to reconcile the versions. Commissioners also discussed whether a 10‑day sticker notice should still be required in every case; staff described the existing CHP/DMV notice process and agreed to add clarifying language allowing a 48‑hour notice in cases where vehicles have no wheels or driveline and cannot be moved.
The commission voted to forward the revised Title 17 provisions to the Board of Supervisors with the edits and clarifications discussed. The motion carried 5-0; staff said it would reconcile the printed versions and present a corrected ordinance for the board’s consideration.
