Chapter 8.10
JUNKED AND ABANDONED VEHICLES Revised 4/24
Sections:
8.10.010 Declaration of policy.
8.10.030 Abandonment of vehicles.
8.10.040 Leaving wrecked vehicles on the street.
8.10.050 Junked, inoperative, or unregistered vehicles on private property. Revised 4/24
8.10.010 Declaration of policy.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the town of Granby to prohibit vehicles, as herein defined, from being allowed or permitted to remain upon the streets and alleys or upon public or private property within the town of Granby, in order to prevent and reduce fire hazards, interference with the orderly flow of traffic, the reduction in value of property, blight within the town, theft, mischief and unsightliness; to preserve enjoyment of property; and to provide for the public health, safety and welfare. [Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 167 § 1, 1965. Code 1999 § 8‑1‑1].
8.10.020 Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter:
“Antique vehicles/collectors’ items” shall mean any motor vehicle, including trucks or truck tractors, which is at least 25 years old and is registered pursuant to Sections 42-12-102 and 42-3-138, C.R.S.
“Person” shall mean any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or public or private organization of any kind.
“Property” shall mean any real property within the town of Granby which is not a street or highway.
“Recreational camping vehicle” means any vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis or mounted on a truck chassis or any folding structure, designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational, and vacation uses.
“Street” or “alley” shall mean the entire width between the boundary lines of every public way for the use of the public for purposes of vehicular or pedestrian travel or traffic, whether regularly maintained or not.
“Vehicle” shall mean a machine propelled or towed by power, other than human power, designed to move or travel along the highways, roads, streets or ground by use of wheels, treads, runners or slides, or any other means to transport persons or any kind of property or pull machinery, and shall include, by way of explanation and not limitation, automobiles, airplanes, trucks, trailers, motorcycles, motor scooters, tractors, buggies and wagons; provided, however, the term shall not include antique vehicles as herein defined.
“Vessel” includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water (1 U.S.C. 3). [Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018. Code 1999 § 8-1-2].
8.10.030 Abandonment of vehicles.
(a) No person shall abandon any motor vehicle within the town of Granby.
(b) Any person who abandons any motor vehicle upon a street, highway, right-of-way, or any other public property, or upon any private property without the express consent of the owner or person in lawful charge of that private property, commits abandonment of a motor vehicle.
(c) To “abandon” means to leave a thing with the intention not to retain possession of or assert ownership over it. The intent need not coincide with the act of leaving.
(d) It is prima facie evidence of the necessary intent that:
(1) The motor vehicle has been left for more than seven consecutive days unattended and unmoved; or
(2) License plates or other identifying marks have been removed from the motor vehicle; or
(3) The motor vehicle has been damaged or is deteriorated so extensively that it has value only for junk or salvage; or
(4) The owner has been notified by a law enforcement agency to remove the motor vehicle, and it has not been removed within three days after notification.
(e) Any person found to have violated this section is subject to the penalties provided by GMC 1.05.090. [Ord. 927 § 1, 2020; Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 167 § 3, 1965. Code 1999 § 8-1-3].
8.10.040 Leaving wrecked vehicles on the street.
No person shall leave any wrecked, discarded, junked or partially dismantled vehicle at any place on any street or highway within the town of Granby, except where a valid hold order thereof has been issued by an authorized law enforcement officer. [Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 167 § 4, 1965. Code 1999 § 8-1-4].
8.10.050 Junked, inoperative, or unregistered vehicles on private property. Revised 4/24
It shall be unlawful, except as provided in GMC 16.125.140(b), for any person who is the owner of, or in possession or control of, any vehicle or any other property, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise, to permit or allow any wrecked, partially wrecked, junked, inoperative, unregistered, or discarded vehicle to remain on private property longer than 30 days; provided, however, that this section shall not apply with regard to registered antique vehicles, a registered inoperable vehicle with a vehicle license plate, sticker, decal, or other evidence of payment issued by a motor vehicle registration facility in accordance with Section 42-3-118.5, C.R.S., as may be amended, or a vehicle in an enclosed building; a vehicle on the premises of a business enterprise operated in a lawful place and manner when necessary to the operation of such business enterprise; or a vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained or used for impounded vehicles by the town of Granby.
(a) A collector or owner of an inoperable, unregistered antique vehicle(s), or antique vehicle part(s), may store one or more motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts on the collector’s property if the vehicle, motor vehicle part, and storage area are maintained so as to not constitute a health hazard, a safety hazard, or a fire hazard; are screened from ordinary public view by means of a garage, tool shed, a solid fence, trees, shrubbery, or other appropriate means; and are kept free of weeds, trash, and objectionable items.
(b) A collector or owner shall not abandon or possess on private property trailers or recreational camping vehicles that are unregistered, in a state of disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled unless such is enclosed within a garage.
(c) A collector or owner shall not abandon or possess on private property inoperable, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, or vessels in a state of disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled unless such is enclosed within a garage or shed. [Ord. 989 § 1, 2023; Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 830 § 1, 2015; Ord. 167 § 5, 1965. Code 1999 § 8-1-5].
8.10.060 Investigation and notice of violation.
Any law enforcement officer of the town of Granby or the town’s code enforcement officer (town manager or other designated person) is hereby authorized to investigate any vehicle left at any place within the town which appears to be in violation of this chapter, or lost, stolen, or unclaimed. If, after an investigation, there is probable cause for belief that a violation of this chapter has occurred or exists, the person making the investigation shall mail a letter or post on said vehicle a notice of violation, ordering its removal or compliance within 30 days of the date of the notice. After the 30 days a summons and complaint shall be issued for any violation of this chapter which occurs on private property. [Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 167 § 6, 1965. Code 1999 § 8-1-6].
8.10.070 Summons and complaint.
In the event that the owner of the vehicle or the owner, purported owner, occupant or person in possession of the premises on which such vehicle is located cannot be found, a summons and complaint, as provided by law, alleging the violation of this chapter, may be issued against the vehicle, describing the same by make, year and model. Law enforcement officers of the town of Granby or the town’s code enforcement officer (town manager or other designated person) are hereby authorized to enter upon such private property for the purpose of making an investigation of any violation of this chapter for the purpose of determining ownership and condition of any vehicle, when probable cause exists that a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter has occurred or exists; or to obtain a search warrant for such purpose as is provided by law. [Ord. 900 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 167 § 7, 1965. Code 1999 § 8-1-7].