Athens City Code

1. (1) The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations, procedures, and standards for towing companies called by the City of Athens Police Department to remove disabled, wrecked, abandoned, immobile, unattended, seized, or impounded motor vehicles from City streets, public rights-of-way, public property, or other locations where the Police Department has lawful authority to request towing services.
2. (2) It is the policy of the City to use a fair rotational call system for City-requested towing services, except when a vehicle owner, operator, or authorized agent requests a specific towing company, when public safety requires another response, or when the Police Department directs otherwise under law.
3. (3) This chapter is intended to:
   1. (a) Promote the safe and efficient removal, transportation, storage, and safekeeping of vehicles placed in the custody of towing companies at the request of the Police Department.
   2. (b) Require towing companies to comply with this chapter, the City fee schedule, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Tennessee Highway Patrol Towing Service Standards Manual, as amended, Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-31-104 (Motor Vehicle Portal), and any other applicable Tennessee law.
   3. (c) Ensure that towing companies used by the Police Department are reputable, reliable, properly permitted, properly insured, properly equipped, and staffed by qualified drivers.
   4. (d) Protect vehicle owners, lienholders, insurers, and the public from unreasonable fees, unsafe practices, solicitation at crash scenes, improper release of vehicles, loss of personal property, and inconsistent rotation practices.

(Code 1972, § 5-601; Code 1995, § 9-501; Ord. No. 1083, §§ 1, 2, 10-15-2019)