File #: 23-0257    Name: Amended Towing Ordinance
Type: Ordinance Status: Approved
In control: City Council Regular Meeting
On agenda: 4/4/2023 Final action: 4/4/2023
Title: Consider/Discuss/Act on an Ordinance Amending Chapter 114 of the City's Code of Ordinances, "Wrecking Services" by Amending Section 114-11, "Permits", Amending Section 114-21, "Auto Pound Specifications - Generally" by Permitting Auto Pound Permittees to be Located within the City's Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction, Deleting Section 114-22, "Same - Indoor Area", in its Entirety, Amending Section 114-29, "Suspension And Removal From Rotation List", Amending "Appendix A - Schedule Of Fees" by Amending the Towing Rate Schedule, Providing a Penalty, Repealing Conflicting Ordinances; Providing a Savings Clause; Providing a Severability Clause; Providing for Publication of the Caption of this Ordinance; and Providing for an Effective Date
Attachments: 1. Ordinance, 2. Ordinance (redline)
Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on an Ordinance Amending Chapter 114 of the City's Code of Ordinances, "Wrecking Services" by Amending Section 114-11, "Permits", Amending Section 114-21, "Auto Pound Specifications - Generally" by Permitting Auto Pound Permittees to be Located within the City's Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction, Deleting Section 114-22, "Same - Indoor Area", in its Entirety, Amending Section 114-29, "Suspension And Removal From Rotation List", Amending "Appendix A - Schedule Of Fees" by Amending the Towing Rate Schedule, Providing a Penalty, Repealing Conflicting Ordinances; Providing a Savings Clause; Providing a Severability Clause; Providing for Publication of the Caption of this Ordinance; and Providing for an Effective Date

Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Safe & Secure Community

MEETING DATE: April 4, 2023

DEPARTMENT: Police Department
City Attorney's Office

CONTACT: Joe Ellenburg, Chief of Police
Mark Houser, City Attorney

RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the Ordinance.

ITEM SUMMARY:
* This ordinance amends the City's existing wrecking services ordinance to give greater operational flexibility to the Police Department in managing those wrecker service permittees operating in the City.
* Key items of the revisions are:
o Permittees may be located either in the City's corporate boundaries or the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ);
o Permittees are no longer required to provide a maximum security indoor storage facility;
o The Chief of Police now has discretion to remove permittees from the City's towing rotation list for certain violations; and
o An $800.00 fee may now be assessed for tows that require use of a heavy duty rotator.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
* Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 permits a local authority to regulate private operators engaged in the practice of vehicle towing and booting within the areas in which the local authority regulates traffic and parking.
* The City previously adopted rules and regulat...

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