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Residents of Warsaw who park their vehicles on city streets should be aware that those parking spaces aren't solely theirs.
Cpl. Steve Brown, ordinance enforcement officer with the Warsaw Police Department, said residents who are parking boats, trailers and other items along the street are in violation of city ordinance, and tagging and towing of illegally parked vehicles and other items will soon commence.
"The city street is not their private parking lot," Brown said.
Also, any vehicles not moved from city streets for three or more days are considered abandoned, regardless of whether they bear current license and registration. Unmoved cars and trucks are causing problems for city workers trying to clear snow from the roadways, Brown said.
According to Indiana Code, an abandoned vehicle is defined, in part, as:
"(1) A vehicle located on public property illegally.
(2) A vehicle left on public property without being moved for three days.
(3) A vehicle located on public property in such a manner as to constitute a hazard or obstruction to the movement of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on a public right of way."
Unlicensed and inoperable vehicles also are considered abandoned if they are parked on public property or if they are at least three years old and are left on private property in public view for more than 20 days.
Tagging of improperly parked vehicles, boats, trailers, etc., will begin next week, Brown said.
Once a vehicle is tagged, the owner will have 72 hours to move it or it will be towed at the owner's expense. The time and date the vehicle was tagged will be noted on a sticker placed on the vehicle, as will the name and agency of the officer who tagged it.
For more information, call the Warsaw Police Department at 372-9511.
