Our Hobby under direct assault. FIGHT inoperable vehicle law

[89ARIES]

Recently, across the United States, governments are seizing and stealing inoperable vehicles on private property. I learned this when I found out the Dodge 400 I wanted to buy is being junked because the city of Burbank is forcing the owner to get rid of the vehicle. This is serious stuff for the future of our club. These type of unconstitutional laws are spreading into every fabric of society. These governments are completely failing to differentiate between vehicles on private property being repaired and those being used as a dumping ground. This issue has me greatly worried for the future of the classic car hobby in general. With some exceptions, the government wants to legislate old cars into the grave. I would like to hear first hand your experiences about how you are able to get around these laws and I have some questions.

1. Is it true that a car has to be running in order to be licensed? Can a nonrunning vehicle exempt from emissions possibly be saved and kept on private property as a registered say pre 1976 vehicle?

2. How strictly are these laws enforced in your neighborhood? Here in California, it seems you might be able to get away with keeping a nonoperable vehicle on your property until some stupid neighbor complains to the powers that be. In this case of the Dodge 400, about half of the RARE classic cars will now be forcibly siezed become of some neighbor.

3. JOIN SEMA TODAY! Some laws are in the works to make it almost a crime to keep an inoperable vehicle and one recently that was overturned would have had people going to jail.

See the link below. If you have an inoperable vehicle, cover it up and keep it squeaky clean to reduce the risk of neigbor informers.

Yes, I got in trouble with another forum for not knowing the facts and posting "the sky is falling" threads about how the government is destroying our cars. I just take this matter very seriously. What are your experiences and what can we do?

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:6S ... cd=1&gl=us

[dodgeariesguy]

Well the law in my city is that you can have any car unlicenced, running or non-running in your driveway as long as its not parked on your lawn. If it is parked on your law its a $20 fine. Sucks to here about a place where they can take away a car from your private property. Best of Luck!

Will

[88 aries]

This is very serious, i do know of one non running k-car down the road, in someones back yard it is a 2 door red with bucket seats and a 5 speed, but here in wisconsin people dont bother us about our cars, because most of them are either crushed or parked in a garage.

[89ARIES]

Well, its serious in the way in that government is infringing on private property. It seems the problem with these inoperable vehicle laws is that they make no provision for the auto enthusiast and it is open to manipulation throught the petty nuisance laws. At the moment, it is not impossible to keep an inoperable car on your driveway, but you are running a risk. In West Virginia, they almost passed an inoperable law that would have made it a crime to keep inoperable cars on driveways and you would go to jail for resisting. SEMA helped to overturn it. SEMA has been instrumental in keeping these inoperable laws from almost destroying the auto hobby. However, we are on the redline and we could lose the battle. We all need to stay alert to what the government tries to do in scapegoating old cars. In December 2008, the United Arab Emirates will be the first nation in the world to refuse to register vehicles over 15 years old. This is hard on the poor worker who depends on his 20 year old Toyota truck. Also, in 2005 the United States government said it was okay for private property to be forcibly taken away in the name of imminent domain and construction. Now, please lets not turn this into a political thread. But, you see this goes beyond cars.

[streetrodjdb]

This is very serious, and it is coming to a state, city or township near you, possibly even yours. I had my run in with derelict vehicle laws over 13 years ago and had to relocate 3 '70 Dodge Challengers and make 1 road worthy. In my area if I had a structure that could have been secured, they said that it would not have been a problem. Enough about the past.

I do agree that joining SEMA is a great first step, maybe this can be done as a club committee, power in numbers. Also check out http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/fightcityhall/ this is the "Citizens Against Repressive Zoning" website. Maybe members could find out what there local zoning ordinance is concerning inoperable vehicles and possibly post. I understand that this club spans further than these United States but everyone everywhere needs to know that "smog credits" and "clunker laws" are just another way that Big Industry buys smog credits so that they do not have to clean-up there own dirty smoke stacks. OK... I'm off the soap box now.

[streetrodjdb]

Year-One out of Atlanta, Georgia has a video that is available as PN# Clunker Tape, the list price is $11.20. This tape is very informative, and is no longer being produced. I spoke to Walter at Year-One today at about 1:15 est and was informed that he has approximately 45 copy's left. The tape was made when Federal Blanket Laws were being proposed (nearly 15 years ago) but still has some very important and usable information for todays concerns.

Now days our biggest concerns are more on a local level, so please consult your local zoning office for laws concerning your state and local ordinance. Yes I still believe in the power of numbers and being properly informed.

[streetrodjdb]

Here is the link to Cumberland County, North Carolina's web page, this is the place to find our local zoning ordinance http://www.co.cumberland.nc.us/planning/ordinances.asp . I am sure that most other areas have a similar type site. Please become informed about your local ordinance, together we can have a voice.

[streetrodjdb]

Here is a link to the Burbank California Municipal Code http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/cityclerk/C ... anized.htm
please pay attention to Title 6 Article 22 on page 7

also this is the link to LA County zoning ordinance, this one goes straight to the page. http://ordlink.com/codes/lacounty/index.htm

I'm not trying to get political but this will need to be taken care of on the individual fronts ( at the local levels) and the better informed we are, the better we can combat this. Yes the future of the hobby for generations to come depends on what we can do today. Off the soap box ...again.

[streetrodjdb]

Sorry but this one cought my attention, The Township of West Milford,NJ http://e-codes.generalcode.com/codebook ... &cn=594&n=[1][279]. Please pay close attention to chapter 285-4 section "J" sub-section 7 (registered or unregistered). Please look-up your town or county and possibly post a link, this affects all of us in one way or another.

[streetrodjdb]

This info can be found online for the most part. Here is one for Huntington Beach http://www.surfcity-hb.org/Government/E ... al_Code/#8
Please reference Title 8 Health and Safty, Chapter 8.48 Inoperable Vehicals. Please take this very serious because an angry neighbor can ruin your day.