Abandoned, wrecked, disabled and inoperable vehicles parked on public roadways in the county’s unincorporated areas have long bedeviled residents—who say they are eyesores—as well as law enforcement officials, who were reluctant to have them towed.
That’s because county ordinance—which allowed towing of abandoned RVs and other vehicles—also required them to be stored for lengthy periods of time before they could be demolished. Tow companies were therefore disinclined to place them in their tow yards, where space is always scarce.
But on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that will allow towed vehicles that have been abandoned for more than 72 hours to be towed and destroyed after being stored for 10 days. It also allows them to be stored either in the tow yard or on the street outside…