Property maintenance inspector issues warning about unlicensed vehicles

Sometimes the easiest solution is not the best solution. That adage would be good to remember if you are notified by the Hannibal Police Department about moving an unlicensed or non-running vehicle off the city’s streets in the weeks ahead.
According to Susan Osterhout, the city’s property maintenance inspector, many people will move such a vehicle off the street and simply park it in their yard. She stresses that is not an adequate solution.
“It still falls under an abandoned vehicle violation, which is a vehicle which doesn’t run or is not licensed,” she said.
It’s not just vehicles that police officers will be looking for when checking streets, according to Osterhout.
“It’s anything that doesn’t move every 48 hours. We’ve got boat trailers, trailers and travel trailers sitting all over town that are in violation with the Hannibal Police Department because they don’t move them. That’s taking up a parking space for somebody that could be using it,” she said. “Now if it’s a contractor, who uses that trailer every day, that’s not a problem. But if you use the trailer two times a year and leave it parked on the street for the remaining time, you’re in violation.”
The HPD has been conducting abandoned vehicle sweeps twice a year since the fall of 2006. Each sweep has meant more work for Osterhout.
“The first time it was horrible. The first time they did it they had well over 100 vehicles. I’m going to guess and say that 80 of them went to the property,” said Osterhout.
If a vehicle owner ignores the police’s request to move a vehicle that is unlicensed or has been parked in the same spot for a considerable amount of time, they will have to pay the towing and storage fees.
“If you move it off the street onto your property then the fine is going to be $224.50 because then it becomes a property maintenance violation,” she said.
One possible solution is to move the unlicensed vehicle into a garage.
“You’re totally entitled to put it on your property as long as it’s garaged. I don’t care what kind of condition it’s in because it’s out of sight,” said Osterhout.
Osterhout stresses that she will work with the public if there are extenuating circumstances.
“If somebody calls and says, ‘I’m not going to have the money for my vehicle until Dec. 5,’ No problem at all,” she said, adding that follow-up checks are done to ensure that the vehicle owners are in compliance.
While the vehicle sweeps mean an increased workload for Osterhout, she applauds the HPD’s ongoing efforts to get unlicensed, non-running and abandoned vehicles off the streets of Hannibal.
“In no way do I think it’s a negative thing. It’s totally positive,” she said. “A few will go to the properties and I’ll have to deal with them, but every time they’ve done this they have improved the situation. I love the fact they do it.”