Hackensack has come up with a way to deal with vehicles abandoned on city streets

HACKENSACK — Cars left on city streets for more than 48 hours could be towed away if they appear to be inoperable, according to a measure adopted by the City Council last week.

The new measure seeks to address an increase in the number of vehicles stripped of engines, catalytic converters, tires and other valuable parts and dumped on city roadways, officials said.

A vehicle in any condition parked without license plates or left in one place for more than 72 hours can also be considered abandoned and removed, under the ordinance.

“It has been reported to us that some unscrupulous individuals will dump abandoned vehicles in the city,” said Steven Kleinman, the city attorney. “Obviously they are safety hazards and eyesores. There’s enough of it happening that it’s gotten our attention.”

The rules will be relaxed if there is a snowstorm or other severe weather, officials said. In those cases, residents will be notified through messaging services and on the city’s website and social media pages.

Over the past year, police officers noticed an increase in abandoned vehicles while on patrol. The city followed state law, which permits the towing of vehicles off state roads after 48 hours if they appear to be in a condition in which they can't be driven. Cars without license plates can be immediately removed.

Hackensack redevelopment: Hackensack keeps growing: See how many residential units latest proposal will bring

Kleinman said officers will use their discretion if they believe the vehicle may belong to a Hackensack resident.

“If someone's been a victim of a crime and the vehicle is parked in front of the homeowner, we will try to reach out and get an understanding. But that’s not really the problem we’re seeing. We’re seeing vehicles being dumped,” he said.

When a car has clearly been stripped and abandoned, the ordinance will give the city another tool in dealing with the problem, Kleinman said.

“People are out there stealing catalytic converters and tires, anything they can steal or repurpose, and then leaving the shell on the street," he said. "If you see a vehicle parked with cinderblocks where its wheels should be, it’s clearly inoperable. This prevents it from being an eyesore for the city.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hackensack NJ seeks to address abandoned cars with new ordinance