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Council adopts ordinance allowing towing of abandoned vehicles from private property with procedural protections
Summary
The council added Section 18-714 to the city code to permit police and code enforcement to tow abandoned or junked vehicles from private property under defined procedures; members urged staff to publish standard operating procedures to protect owner due process.
The Andover City Council on May 26 adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 18 of the municipal code to allow the towing of abandoned or junked motor vehicles from private property under conditions set by the ordinance.
Staff and council debated the balance between enabling property owners and code enforcement to remove nuisance vehicles and protecting vehicle owners’ due process rights. Council members asked whether written policies or standard operating procedures (SOPs) would mirror the ordinance and set clear notification timelines; staff said code enforcement historically follows documented processes but that towing from private property is a newer tool and staff would craft and publish procedures.
Police and code-enforcement staff explained owner protections in the ordinance and administrative processes: property owners or responsible parties can access a vehicle within 48 hours to retrieve belongings, the tow company must notify the city within two hours of tow to prevent mistaken stolen-vehicle responses, and certified-notice timelines and appeals processes exist under related code sections for junked vehicles.
Council members who pressed for clear timelines said SOPs would help the public understand how the ordinance will be applied; the council approved the ordinance by recorded voice vote.
