Hi The city is after us for having project cars in our yard , they are writing it up as against the California "vehicle abatement " act. Is there a provision in it that allows collector cars to be kept ? Can anyone point me to a website that might give me some ideas how to stop these clowns , I think calling them collector cars or classics might be a way to slow them down , but need some Vehicle code numbers to help, Any help or stories of what worked or did not work is helpful, I need to come up with a plan quick as I only have 5 days ! Thanks Beaulieu
See Ca. Vehicle Code 5051--it has to do with "collector" cars and what you can do with them---parts cars,etc. I've used this a couple times in just these kind of cases.Google VC Section 5051.
What do you have, what condition is it in, how and where are these cars stored? What paperwork do you have? What city are you in? Most areas have basic laws about vehicle storage, etc. There are certain things that must be done as far as how they are stored, how they look, and if they can be seen by others from the street. Simply calling it a collector car and leaving it look like shit won't help you at all. Typically once you find out what the real beef is, that is after you talk to the inspector that cited you, you can buy time by becoming compliant. If you read the code, you will see that car collectors are not picked on, unless they go outside the guidelines.
Thanks....found this on google http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/veh/5050-5052.html VC 5052. Except as otherwise provided by local ordinance, a collector may maintain one or more vehicles described in Section 5051, whether currently licensed or unlicensed, or whether operable or inoperable, in outdoor storage on private property, if every such vehicle and outdoor storage area is maintained in such manner as not to constitute a health hazard and is located away from public view, or screened from ordinary public view, by means of a suitable fence, trees, shrubbery, opaque covering, or other appropriate means. This might help Any more ideas ? </pre>
That's pretty much the deal right there. If they are hidden from view, and give the appearance of being complete or operational, you are basically compliant. A car cover in your front yard won't fly though. So no flat tires, broken/ missing glass, lights/lenses, missing fenders, doors, etc, and usually you are OK. If you have a torn apart car, just tell them you will be getting rid of it, and you need 30 days. Usually they will give it to you. But your individual city or town may have stricter limits that you need to be compliant with as well. I don't know where you live, so I can't help you with that.
Well I would just like a way to have them in the back yard , out of site, and VC 5052. seems to agree with that. Now I just hope the city did not write a local ordinance to say otherwise !
i think this is the problem, my city has a ordinance about car storage. they say it needs to be inside a structure fully inclosed.
I checked my city website and the "vehicle abatement " part says its from the state code (probably that gets them state funds), so I would think they need to go with the VC above says its OK to have them if they are out of sight, We will see, any more ideas ? thanks for your help , it may save me
What city are you in? I think the key words are "health hazzard" if the place is a mess, they will get you.
pictures of the cars and some shots of your property from the street might help? if worse comes to worse do you know any place you could stash them for a bit?
Around here we get away with the "opaque covering" angle by putting everything under tarps. Good Luck. Al
You can also have a problem if a neighbor can see your stuff in your yard and files a complaint. Plus, there is a limit as to how many vehicles. Then ground pollution questions come into play-leaking oil, coolant, etc. Even guys I know that live outside the City Limits have had problems with all of this stuff.
Hi all well we moved a bunch of cars around today to get the front cleared , trying to make it look the best from the street we can , neighbors are not the problem , its at the end of a dead end street with a storm wash behind , its just if they will let us cover the cars in the back with tarps etc , and still not sure what to do with the extra parts , Maybe it would be easier to collect stamps ! Anyway keep them cards and letters coming thanks Beaulieu
sorry can't say the city , its not my house , and I have no idea who else reads this that could cause more trouble, parinoid,,,,,YES , but stranger stuff has happened. They came to another friends house with a photo from a plane ! he had a 8 ft block wall in the back at the street but that did not stop them
Cheez, I live in Los Angeles (Hollywood to be exact), try to find my house, you must live in some two horse town.
"...if every such vehicle and outdoor storage area is maintained in such manner as not to constitute a health hazard and is located away from public view, or screened from ordinary public view..." I can't imagine the view from an airplane being considered "ordinary public view." I'd fight that. And the way I'd do it is in person, face-to-face, and demand a straight answer from the highest official you can. It's been my experience that people will screw you right up to the point where they admit, in plain english, that they're screwing you. Ask them questions in person, and make them answer. "How am I not complying with state and local ordinances. Be specific." "The code says "ordinary public view." If you can't see it from the street, or even from a neighbor's yard, how am I in violation as the law is written?" You're a tax payer, and asking for a straight, clear answer isn't unreasonable. But ask the guy who is IN CHARGE of the department screwing you, not the monkey sending you the letters. I did this with the editors of the Atlanta Journal Constitution to get my swap meet listed in the newspaper with all the other events. They kept giving me reasons they wouldn't put it in, I kept pointing out that what they were saying was counter to their policy, other shows operating under criteria they cited as examples were listed, etc. I finally said "If you tell me you just don't want to run my show in your listing, that's fine. Your paper, your rules. But don't make up a bunch of stuff and give me the run-around. All the other reasons you've given me aren't legitimate reasons, according to the answers you've just given me. Tell me it's because you don't like me, and I'll stop bugging you." It works. -Brad
for the view from the airplane view they got him for having weeds in the yard that they said could be a fire hazard, then they got him for the rest of his stuff , it pissed him off enough that he sold his house the next year and moved to Nevada and 5 acres
FYI. I had a 70 Nova SS that had registration issues. In Calif, if it is a limited production automobile of interest, the state will wave the fees of back registration. The original quote of $700 ws reduced to $100. I brought in a book that showed the production numbers of the SS verses plain jain Novas and they ok'd it.
My suggestion is, if you can tag them put current tags on them. Then move them around often enough to look like they might have been driven. No grass growing up under or around them that isn't mowed.
UPDATE,,,,,I talked with the city guy and he basically said you cannot have any cars or car parts in your yard , I told him about the California Vehicle code section 5051-5052 and he did not care . He is coming out tomarrow to see what progress we made , and then he will decide, Well we moved a few cars away , and cleaned up the areas you can see from the street , but I do not think that is going to be good enough for him after what he said on the phone today, Not sure what we can do , I am not sure if his supervisor will be better , (it would be hard to be worse) And its too much $$$ to hire a lawyer to fight it I think we are screwed ! Beaulieu
The Jalopy Journal
