Contra Costa County Municipal Code Ch. 430-6 Administration and Enforcement

The sheriff and the director of the department of conservation and development are designated the enforcement officers for this division. The sheriff and the director of the department of conservation and development, and their regularly salaried full-time employees, are responsible for enforcing and administering this division pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 22663. To the extent allowed by law, these employees and other persons duly authorized by the sheriff or the director of the department of conservation and development may enter upon private or public property to examine a vehicle or vehicle parts, obtain information as to the identity of a vehicle, and to remove or cause the removal of an abandoned vehicle.

(Ord. No. 2008-36, § III, 12-16-08; Ords. 95-2 § 3, 86-58 § 3, 77-112).

The enforcement officer may have abandoned vehicles abated and/or removed in accordance with the procedure prescribed in this division.

(Ords. 95-2 § 3, 86-58 § 3, 77-112).

(a) Notice. The enforcement officer shall mail a ten-day notice of intention to abate and remove an abandoned vehicle as a public nuisance, by registered or certified mail, to the owner of the land, anyone known to be in possession of the land and the owner of the vehicle, unless the vehicle is in such condition that identification numbers are not available to determine ownership, or unless the property owner and the vehicle owner have signed releases authorizing removal and waiving further interest in the vehicle or parts thereof.

(b) Contents. The notice shall contain an estimate of the cost of abatement (including administrative and removal costs) and a statement that this cost may be levied as a special assessment on the landowner's land (parcel). It shall contain a statement of the possessor, property and vehicle owner's heading rights and notice to the property owner that the property owner may appear in person at a hearing or may submit a sworn written statement denying responsibility for the presence of the vehicle on the property owner's land, with reasons for such denial, in lieu of appearing.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 95-2 § 3, 86-58 § 3, 77-112).

(a) This chapter's notice of intention is not required for removal of a vehicle or part thereof which is inoperable due to the absence of a motor, transmission or wheels and incapable of being towed, and is valued at less than two hundred dollars by a person specified in Vehicle Code Section 22855; provided, that the property owner has signed a release authorizing removal and waiving further interest in the vehicle or part thereof. Prior to final disposition under Vehicle Code Section 22662 of such a low valued vehicle or part for which evidence of registration was recovered, the enforcement officer shall provide notice to the registered and legal owners of intent to dispose of the vehicle or part, and if the vehicle or part is not claimed and removed within twelve days after the notice is mailed from a location specified in Vehicle Code Section 22662, final disposition may proceed. The county, the enforcement officer or any contractor thereof shall not be liable for damage caused to a vehicle or part thereof by removal pursuant to this section.

(b) This section applies only to inoperable vehicles located upon a parcel that is: (1) zoned for agricultural use; or (2) not improved with a residential structure containing one or more dwelling units.

(Ords. 95-2 § 3, 86-58 § 3, 84-64 § 2: Vehicle Code § 22661).