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County narrows pre‑towing authorization requirement; board adopts ordinance revision after industry and apartment representatives support change
Summary
The board adopted revisions to Hillsborough County Ordinance 17‑34 to eliminate a 15‑minute wait and authorization requirement before towing, following presentations from code enforcement and supportive comments from towing industry and apartment association representatives.
At a public hearing on Nov. 5, Hillsborough County staff presented proposed amendments to Ordinance 17‑34 to remove the 15‑minute wait and prior authorization requirement before towing, removal or immobilization of trespassing vehicles.
Joe Gross, director of Code Enforcement, said staff engaged stakeholders including the Bay Area Apartment Association, professional wrecker operators and the Hillsborough County Towing Association to identify operational issues that emerged after earlier revisions in August. Industry representatives — including Justin Heller (Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida) and Eric Garduño (government affairs director, Bay Area Apartment Association) — spoke in support and thanked staff for collaborative work to refine the ordinance.
After public comment and discussion, the board adopted the ordinance revisions to eliminate the 15‑minute authorization requirement and related language. The measure passed 7–0.
The changes are intended to reduce administrative hurdles for property owners and towing operators while preserving regulatory oversight by code enforcement. Staff said they will continue to coordinate with stakeholders to monitor outcomes and adjust administrative practices as needed.
