San Mateo Municipal Code Ch. 5.36 Automobile Wrecking

No person shall engage in, conduct, manage or carry on the business of an auto wrecker without first obtaining a written permit therefor from the bureau.

prior code § 53.02

The bureau, before considering an application for such a permit, shall require the payment of a one hundred dollar fee therefor. Such permit fee, when the permit is approved, shall entitle any person to operate not more than one auto wrecking yard in the City. Any person desiring to operate additional auto wrecking yards shall make a new application and pay the initial filing fee of one hundred dollars for each such yard.

prior code § 53.03

Every auto wrecker, within forty-eight hours after buying or receiving an automobile or a wrecked automobile, shall make out and deliver to the Chief of Police, on a blank form to be obtained from the office of the Police Department for that purpose, a full, true and complete description of any automobile or wrecked automobile so purchased. Such report shall contain:

(1) The name and address of the person from whom same was purchased or received;

(2) The name, state license number, motor number, serial number, style and seating capacity of any such used motor vehicle purchased or received.

The report of all purchases, assignments and sales or exchanges of motor vehicles shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Chief of Police or any other police officer of the City.

Prior code § 72.02

No person shall dispose of the whole, or any part of, any motor or motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, tires or any other accessories, within five days after the same has been received, unless such person has secured a release from the Chief of Police allowing him or her to sell the whole, or any portion of, such automobile prior to such five-day period.

Prior code § 72.03

No person engaged in conducting or carrying on, the business of auto wrecker shall fail, refuse, or neglect to keep any record or file any report in the time, form, and manner required by this chapter or state or federal law, or fail, refuse, or neglect to exhibit to the Chief of Police or any police officer of the City immediately upon demand, for inspection, any such record or report.

prior code § 72.04

The Chief of Police shall file in some secure place in his or her office, all reports received pursuant to the terms of this chapter, and such reports are to be open to inspection only by members of the Police Department of the City or upon an order of a court of competent jurisdiction made for that purpose.

Prior code § 72.05

No auto wrecker shall remain open for the purpose of buying or selling wrecked or used automobiles, or parts or accessories thereof, between the hours of seven p.m. of any day and seven a.m. of the following day.

Prior code § 72.06

The auto wrecking business may be conducted in an open lot, provided such lot is surrounded on all sides by a tight board fence not less than six feet in height, and designed so as to keep out dust. Such fence shall be painted on the outside with a fire retardant paint. The whole, or a portion, of such fence may be set back for a sufficient distance and width to accommodate a display of not more than six reconstructed automobiles, provided such displayed automobiles do not protrude beyond the property line in any case.

Prior code § 72.07

Every person conducting an auto wrecking business shall, immediately upon receipt of a wrecked or damaged automobile to be dismantled, empty the crank case and gasoline tank completely of their contents so as to avoid all danger of fire or explosion.

Prior code § 72.08

All bodies and other parts of automobiles in an auto wrecking establishment must be piled in an orderly manner, with a sufficient number of clear and adequate passageways to allow free and unobstructed access and movement of the fire department in case of fire. The manner of handling and keeping dismantled automobiles, and parts thereof, in an auto wrecking establishment shall, at all times, be subject to the approval of the chief of the fire department.

Prior code § 72.09