All vehicles on a property must have a current registration (cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, etc.) and be operable unless they are stored in a completely enclosed structure (garage) with the door down.

(A) Abandoned or inoperative vehicles; storage of vehicles; unlawful. It is hereby declared unlawful and a nuisance to the general public to leave any abandoned or inoperative vehicle, as defined in Section 2.2 or 40.355 of the Zoning Code of the City of Margate, or any parts thereof, in the public streets, alleys, or rights-of-way or upon any private property. It is hereby prohibited for any owner or person in control of any vehicle or part thereof to leave same abandoned or inoperative upon the public streets, alleys, or rights-of-way or upon any other public or private property within the City of Margate, or for the owner or person in control of any such vehicle or the owner, occupant, tenant, lessee, person in control, or person in possession of any property to permit or suffer the same to be stored on any privately owned property, unless said vehicle is stored inside a completely enclosed structure or a designated storage area. Any such designated storage area shall be in a B-3, C, or M-1 district, and enclosed by an eight-foot concrete block wall stuccoed or precast concrete wall on any side visible from areas outside of the property where it is situated. No storage area or wall surrounding same shall be located in a required setback area.

1. The above prohibition shall not apply to motor vehicles which are offered for sale in a lot or space specifically designated and zoned for the sale of new or used vehicles where adequate space has been provided for same and a Local Business Tax Receipt has been issued by the City of Margate.

2. The above prohibition shall not apply to motor vehicles which are parked on private property zoned for vehicle repair while said vehicles are temporarily and actively being repaired by a business or concern which has been issued a Local Business Tax Receipt by the City of Margate provided they are in an area not visible from any roadways classified by Broward County Metropolitan Organization's Broward Highway Functional Classifications Map as local roads in a residential area or any arterial roadways.

(B) Removal; notice to owner.

1. Whenever a police officer or code enforcement officer of the City of Margate shall ascertain that an inoperative vehicle or an unlawfully stored vehicle, as provided in the zoning code, is present on public or private property, they shall cause a notice to be placed upon or immediately adjacent to such vehicle. Such notice shall be substantially in the following form:

"TO THE OWNER OR PERSON RESPONSIBLE: This vehicle located at (briefly describe location) is improperly stored and must be removed within five (5) business days. You have the right to a hearing before the City Manager or their designee for the purpose of showing cause why this vehicle should not be removed or disposed of. You must request a hearing not later than five (5) business days from this date. If you do not request a hearing within such time or if you do not show good cause, the City will remove and dispose of the vehicle. You, as owner or the person responsible for the vehicle, will be liable for the cost of removal and disposition.

Dated this ___ day of _______, ___. Signed (set forth name, title, address and telephone number of officer."

2. The City Manager or their designee shall hold an informal hearing at the request of any person or entity claiming an interest in the posted vehicle within five (5) business days following the request, or at such later date as the City Manager or their designee shall determine, and where such request for a hearing has been received by the City within five (5) business days following the posting of notice, the vehicle shall not be removed by the City prior to the expiration of two (2) business days immediately following the hearing if the vehicle is determined to be inoperative. The purpose of such hearing is to provide an opportunity for the owner, or person or entity responsible for the vehicle to demonstrate that, in fact, the subject vehicle is not inoperative or unlawfully stored. Failure to request a hearing or failure to attend a scheduled hearing shall constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing and consent to the removal and disposition of the vehicle as inoperative. If a hearing is waived or if it is determined at or following a hearing that the subject vehicle is an operative vehicle, following a two-day period as above provided, the vehicle shall be removed by the City as soon as practicable, and shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

3. Where a police officer or code enforcement officer of the City of Margate has cause to place a notice, as provided in subsection (a) above, on a vehicle and the vehicle has been removed and thereafter the vehicle reappears either as an inoperative vehicle or unlawfully stored vehicle within a three-month period, he/she shall cause a notice to be placed upon or immediately adjacent to such vehicle. Such notice shall be substantially in the following form:

"TO THE OWNER OR PERSON RESPONSIBLE: This vehicle located at (briefly describe location) is improperly stored and must be removed within twelve (12) hours. You have the right to a hearing before the City Manager or their designee for the purpose of showing cause why this vehicle should not be removed or disposed of. You must request a hearing not later than twelve (12) hours from this date and time. If you do not request a hearing within such time or if you do not show good cause, the City will remove and dispose of the vehicle. You, as owner or the person responsible for the vehicle, will be liable for the cost of removal and disposition.

Dated this ________ day of _______, ___. Signed (set forth name, title, address and telephone number of officer.)"

The City Manager or their designee shall hold an informal hearing at the request of any person or entity claiming an interest in the posted vehicle within two (2) business days following the request, or at such later date as the City Manager or their designee shall determine. The purpose of such hearing is to provide an opportunity for the owner, or person or entity responsible for the vehicle to demonstrate that, in fact, the subject vehicle is not inoperative or unlawfully stored. Failure to request a hearing or failure to attend a scheduled hearing shall constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing and consent to the removal and disposition of the vehicle as inoperative. If a hearing is waived or if it is determined at or following a hearing that the subject vehicle is an operative vehicle, the vehicle shall be removed by the City as soon as practicable and shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

4. In respect to any vehicle removed and disposed of by the City, an administrative charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be made, in addition to any cost actually incurred by the City, which charge shall be payable by the registered owner of the vehicle or any other person responsible for the vehicle. A bill shall be sent to such person's last known address by certified mail, return receipt requested, and any charge remaining unpaid after thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of the bill shall constitute a debt subject to collection by legal process. In addition, such unpaid charges shall constitute a lien against the private real property from which the vehicle was removed upon ten (10) calendar days' notice to the owner of said property to pay the bill for removal of the vehicle. The liens provided herein shall be prior to all other liens on such lands liened except for those for state, county, municipal or other governmental taxes. That upon an action for foreclosure, the City shall receive all costs including reasonable attorney's fees. Interest from the date of removal shall be calculated and charged at the rate provided for in F.S. § 170.09, as amended.