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Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

beaulieu

Jedi Warrior
Offline
Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

Hi

The city is after us for having project cars in our yard ,
they are writing it up as violations 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
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

Can they be seen from the street - Usually the city won't cite you unless there was a complaint fro a neighbor. I believe that each city has it's own ordinance. Many of them apply vehicle abatement to abandoned vehicles.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

I dont think there are any exemptions. Your best bet is to get it inside a garage or well camo'd or put in a storage lot. If at all possible get it registered and insured and running just well enough to move under its own power if it has to stay outside.

What county are you in?
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

found this on google, someone pointed me to the vehicle code number

https://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacode...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.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

If they are registered as operational, I'd imagine they would have a hard time proving that the cars are derelict. If these were new or restored cars then they wouldn't have a case at all, so where do you draw the line. Seems like you can put up a fight and they will probably decide it isn't worth the effort. Your neighbors may not feel the same way however.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

neighbors are not the problem ,
one just built onto his house and I think too many city inspectors were around /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
but he works on other peoples cars so is not going to call on my yard.

they do not run , and will not run for sometime,
and yes they look like heck ,
well except to you guys who apprciate "car art"
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

I had the same problem here, I had my 1973 Bronco parked next to the garage. All you could see was the front of the vehicle {headlights and grill}. Still I get an 'Abatement' notice, I had to make room inside my garage for it. I then commenced to "Raise He&&" with the city for every "Eyesore" I spotted. One neighbor had a heap of construction equipment in the open next to his driveway {It is now gone}, Another had three NON running vehicles next to His/Her driveway {I strongly suspect SHE called the city about mine}{Her sister is the city police dispatcher}. They are now gone. I continue to call almost weekly about one thing or another.
Here are a few sayings that most assuridly apply
1. whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
2. what goes around comes around.
Before i`m done these "Clowns" will think twice before coming around here complaining about anything.
I don`t get mad I get even!
My yard is no where near the eyesore some of the others in my neighborhood are. Never has been never will be!
You may well have to spend a few bucks to Fence your cars in so no one can see them without climbing the fence.
P.S. I now have four cars, one truck and my Motorhome parked in my driveway all licensed all running and I occasionaly drive em all. Where as at the time of the complaint one car and one truck and the Bronco next to my garage is all I had.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

Harumph!! I have no problems with old cars outside....what I have problems with is the local utility company keeps wanting to cut my trees because they're "too close to the power line"....I keep them trimmed back away from the overhead lines.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

Down here the fire dept. wants every one to cut the trees overhanging the streets so the very large fire trucks can get through with out damage. Who asked them to drive such large trucks any way.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector car ?

Beaulieu, expanding on the fence idea (tall fence in front yard is illegal in many areas), why not plant a tall hedge, ficus, etc along the front. If they can't see it then they can't complain about it. 5-feet tall ought to do the trick.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

20 Years ago I had 6 foot ficus trees / bush across the front at the sidewalk,

city made me cut it to the 42 inch limit !

I guess they want to see into your house !

I found the city code , and it follows the state code (probably so they can get state funds to do it ), so I think they will have to allow the collector cars if they are out of sight of the public, but it says OUTSIDE is ok on the state code so that helps,

anyway leep the ideas coming

thanks
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

Is moving to the country an option? hehehe
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

I had a Consul Capri (not drivable)that I stored in
the ally next to our house.I would mow the lawn bordering
the ally,figuring that if the other people who live along
the ally looked the other way,I'd keep it mowed.
There's a person who lives down the ally that came into
my workplace & told me that I had 2 weeks to move the car.
I checked,& the right-of-way came with his house.He's lived there for 3-4 years,we've lived here almost 29).
When I noticed that he was doing major remodeling on his
house,I called the county planning commision,& found out that he hadn't filed a permit.He knows the law (he's a contractor),so I filed a complaint.If he'd let my car go,I
would have looked the other way.
He also runs his business out of his house,which is zoned residential.

- Doug
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

beaulieu said:
I found the city code , and it follows the state code (probably so they can get state funds to do it ), so I think they will have to allow the collector cars if they are out of sight of the public, but it says OUTSIDE is ok on the state code so that helps,

anyway leep the ideas coming

thanks
It seems to me you over looked the little bit I highlighted in bold below:
beaulieu said:
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 ence, trees, shrubbery, opaque covering, or other appropriate means.
Throw a tarp on it and your good /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

Tarp or an inexpensive car port/shade with a tarp surround?

Paul
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

Hi

well we moved a bunch of stuff around today ,
trying to get the view from the street as good as possible ,

I have still not asked the inspector about the Vehicle code above , I want to get it as nice as possible first.

I wonder if a state law trumps a city law, as no where in the city law can I find "collector car"

Beaulieu
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

We used to build soccer goals out of PVC pipe. they were light and easy to assemble and disassemble. Couldn't you build a "shed" frame out of PVC and cover it with a tarp. Now you have a "shed" to store your vehicle in.
 
Re: Calif "vehicle abatement " whats a collector c

$169 at Walmart somebody said....& ask Kim deBourbon - she uses one for winter storage way un in the Northeast!
 
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