Carmel City Code Sec. 6-114 declares any abandoned, unlicensed, inoperable, disassembled, wrecked or junked vehicle a nuisance if left on a street or public property more than five days, or on private property more than 15 days. A junk car (Sec. 6-106(b)) is an unlicensed vehicle not kept in a garage.
Carmel treats abandoned and junk vehicles as public nuisances under Chapter 6 (Public Health and Safety). Section 6-114 declares that any abandoned, unlicensed, inoperable, disassembled, wrecked or junked motor vehicle left on any street or public property for more than five days, or upon any private property for more than 15 days, is a nuisance and unlawful, citing dangers from vermin, injury to children attracted to the vehicles, and fire risk from stored gasoline and oil. Section 6-106(b) defines a junk car as any motor vehicle that does not bear a currently valid license plate and is not kept in a garage or building. Related provisions (Sec. 6-107) declare junk and junk cars nuisances. When a vehicle is impounded and declared abandoned by the Carmel Police Department, Section 6-122 provides that the owner or lienholder is charged a towing fee plus a per-day storage fee, with storage charges allowed to accumulate for a maximum of 60 days. Indiana state abandoned-vehicle law (IC 9-22-1) also applies, including procedures for vehicles believed abandoned on private property.
Keeping an unlicensed or inoperable vehicle outside a garage past the five-day (public) or 15-day (private) window can trigger a nuisance notice, towing, and towing plus per-day storage charges accumulating up to 60 days.
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