§ 12.5-128. Maximum towing charges.

(a)

The attached (Appendix A) schedule of fees shall be adhered to in establishing the maximum that can be charged for a tow, except as otherwise provided by an authorized governmental agency having competent jurisdiction, and except when the owner/operator of a towed vehicle makes special arrangements with a wrecker service of his/her own choosing. These fees may be exclusive or cumulative in nature dependent upon the circumstances involved in the call for service.

(b)

The schedule of fees shall be reviewed by a committee to be established by the chairman of county council, upon recommendation of the committee, the director of the division of public safety, or the program administrator. Adjustment of fees may be accomplished by simple resolution of county council after public review in the event of any significant change in economic conditions affecting the towing industry, e.g., cost of fuel.

(c)

Storage fees will not begin until twelve (12) hours after the motor vehicle has entered into the business's storage lot. Thereafter, storage fees shall accrue on a per day basis for any one (1) day or portion thereof.

(d)

All entities engaged in a towing business shall adopt a fair business model which only utilizes and charges for the services and/or equipment necessary to accomplish the task under consideration. Those businesses that are found to unnecessarily utilize equipment in such a manner as to exaggerate towing charges will be found to be in violation of this article.

(e)

Each business engaged in non-consensual (without the prior consent or authorization of the owner or operator of the vehicle) or wrecker service rotation program towing will post, in a prominent place, a placard which references this section and clearly identifies the current schedule of fees. Said placard will be no less than twelve (12) by eighteen (18) inches and clearly visible to vehicle owners who will be paying a towing bill.

(f)

Each vehicle owner will be given an itemized invoice or receipt for the bill they have paid which details all charges that have been applied to the bill.

(Ord. No. 72-09, § 1, 11-3-09; Ord. No. 15-11, § 1, 4-19-11)