Ohio Code 505.173 – Storage of junk motor vehicles
(A) Notwithstanding sections 4513.60 to 4513.65 of the Revised Code, the board of township trustees may adopt resolutions as the board considers necessary to regulate the storage of junk motor vehicles on private or public property within the unincorporated area of the township. No resolution shall restrict the operation of a scrap metal processing facility licensed under authority of sections 4737.05 to 4737.12 of the Revised Code; the operation as a motor vehicle salvage dealer, salvage motor vehicle auction, or salvage motor vehicle pool of a person licensed under Chapter 4738 of the Revised Code; or the provision of towing and recovery services conducted under sections 4513.60 to 4513.63 of the Revised Code, including the storage and disposal of junk motor vehicles removed from public or private property in accordance with those sections. Except for a case in which division (C) of this section applies, no resolution shall prevent a person from storing or keeping, or restrict a person in the method of storing or keeping, any collector’s vehicle on private property with the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property, except that a person having such permission may be required to conceal, by means of buildings, fences, vegetation, terrain, or other suitable screening, any unlicensed collector’s vehicle stored in the open.
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Minor misdemeanor | up to $150 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 505.173
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
(B) In addition to other remedies provided by law, the board of township trustees may institute an action for injunction, mandamus, or abatement, or any other appropriate action or proceeding to prohibit the storage of junk motor vehicles in violation of this section.
(C) Regardless of whether it is licensed or unlicensed, a collector’s vehicle is a “junk motor vehicle” for purposes of this section if the collector’s vehicle meets all of the criteria contained in division (E) of this section. If a collector’s vehicle meets all of the criteria contained in division (E) of this section, a board of township trustees, in accordance with division (A) of this section, may regulate the storage of that motor vehicle on private or public property in the same manner that the board may regulate the storage of any other junk motor vehicle and, in case of a violation of this section, may pursue any remedy provided by law, including any remedy provided in division (B) of this section.
(D) Whoever violates any resolution adopted under this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Each day that a violation of this section continues constitutes a separate offense. Fines levied and collected under this section shall be paid into the township general revenue fund.
(E) As used in this section, “junk motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle that meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Three model years old, or older;
(2) Apparently inoperable;
(3) Extensively damaged, including, but not limited to, any of the following: missing wheels, tires, engine, or transmission.