§ 118-101. Miscellaneous provisions.

(a)

All vehicles towed shall be towed directly to the storage site owned or leased by the towing service and the vehicle shall not be kept in any temporary holding area.

(b)

No towing service shall tow a vehicle when there is a natural living person occupying the vehicle.

(c)

All consumer complaints directed to Volusia County concerning excessive charges or alleged bad practices committed contrary to the provisions of this article shall be referred for investigation and resolution to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

(d)

Each towing service shall staff or monitor its telephone at all times and immediately advise any vehicle owner or authorized representative who calls by telephone of the following:

(1)

Each and every document or other item which must be produced to retrieve the vehicle;

(2)

The exact charges as of the time of the telephone call, and the rate at which charges will accumulate thereafter;

(3)

The acceptable methods of payment;

(4)

That the vehicle can be picked up within one hour of request, except for nonconsensual tows initiated by law enforcement when the owner or person in control of the vehicle has been arrested. In such cases, the towing service shall notify the owner that the vehicle can be picked up between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; and

(5)

In the case of immobilization, a representative of the tow company which installed the device shall respond to the vehicle within one hour after contact by the owner and remove the immobilization device upon payment of the $75.00 removal fee. No additional charges shall be assessed by the tow company for response after hours or on weekends and holidays.

(Ord. No. 2002-20, § I, 10-17-02; Ord. No. 2009-06, § I, 3-5-09)