Ringtown approves abandoned vehicle ordinance, establishes minimum tax sale bid
RINGTOWN – You can’t keep your junked car in the driveway or on the street in this valley community anymore.
Borough Council approved an ordinance prohibiting residents from keeping junked, stripped, wrecked, or abandoned cars on private property, unless it’s in a building, or on public streets at Monday’s meeting.
The ordinance defines such a vehicle as “no longer in current usage as evidenced by an apparent relinquishment of all rights thereto through continued disuse, out-of-date inspection, or non-renewed vehicle registration.”
An exception exists for use in conjunction with a “properly operated business” pursuant to zoning laws and borough code.
The borough can issue a notice to remove, giving the owner 10 days to do so, and the owner can request a hearing before borough council within that timeframe.
If they don’t request a hearing and don’t remove the vehicle, the borough can then remove it and file a lien to recoup the costs, as well as fine the owner no less than $300.
Mayor Phil Beaver said there are some vehicles around town without license plates.
In other business, borough council approved a resolution regarding how it approves repository tax sales and establishing a minimum bid of $12,500, unless a certified appraisal proves the property is worth less.
The resolution also says the borough would disapprove any bidder who “owns or owned a property within Schuylkill County that was not brought up to code within 365 days of the date of purchase, regardless of whether the property was sold by said bidder prior to 365 days from the date of purchase.”
It also says bidders who have unresolved borough code violations in Ringtown, or three or more code violations in the prior year, would be disapproved, as would any bidder who owns property in Ringtown deemed dangerous or a nuisance with no active correction.
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