§ 15-7. Maximum rates for towing services and storage.
(a)
The maximum rates are to be charged for nonconsensual towing on public property when the point of origin of the tow is within the unincorporated areas of Lake County, shall be assessed by vehicle type as follows. For purposes of this section, nonconsensual towing on public property is the towing of vehicles from or immobilization of vehicles on public property, removal and storage of wrecked or disabled vehicles from an accident scene, and removal and storage of vehicles which is arranged by a law enforcement officer at the scene and by a governmental authority.
(1)
Class A Vehicles (gross vehicle weight through ten thousand (10,000) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel fifteen (15) feet or less in height):
a.
Base Rate ..... $160.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $5.50
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $160.00
d.
Inside Storage, per day ..... $45.00
e.
Outside Storage, per day ..... $35.00
(2)
Class B Vehicles (gross vehicle weight ten thousand one (10,001) pounds or more, but less than nineteen thousand five hundred (19,500) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than fifteen (15) feet, but less than twenty-two (22) feet in length):
a.
Base Rate ..... $400.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $6.50
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $400.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $60.00
(3)
Class C Vehicles (gross vehicle weight nineteen thousand five hundred (19,500) or more pounds, but less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than twenty-two (22) feet in length):
a.
Base Rate ..... $650.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $7.50
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $650.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $80.00
(4)
Class D Vehicles (gross weight more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) pounds):
a.
Base Rate ..... $850.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $10.00
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle a requiring special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $850.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $80.00
(5)
Rotator/50 Ton: Hourly Rate, per hour ..... $1,237.86, minimum two (2) hour period
(b)
The following maximum rates are established for the nonconsensual towing of vehicles from private property in unincorporated Lake County. For purposes of this section, a nonconsensual tow of a vehicle on private property is the towing or immobilization of a vehicle without consent of the vehicle owner where such vehicle is parked or left on private property without authorization of the property owner.
(1)
Class A Vehicles (gross vehicle weight through ten thousand (10,000) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel fifteen (15) feet or less in height):
a.
Base Rate ..... $120.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $5.52
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $120.00
d.
Inside Storage, per day ..... $35.00
e.
Outside Storage, per day ..... $25.00
(2)
Class B Vehicles (gross vehicle weight ten thousand one (10,001) pounds or more, but less than nineteen thousand five hundred (19,500) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than fifteen (15) feet, but less than twenty-two (22) feet in length):
a.
Base Rate ..... $300.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $6.90
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $300.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $60.00
(3)
Class C Vehicles (gross vehicle weight nineteen thousand five hundred (19,500) or more pounds, but less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than twenty-two (22) feet in length):
a.
Base Rate ..... $500.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $8.28
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle requiring a special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $500.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $80.00
(4)
Class D Vehicles (gross weight more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) pounds):
a.
Base Rate ..... $650.00
b.
Mileage Rate, per mile charge upon hook-up ..... $10.35
c.
Hourly Rate, when unusual circumstances such as overturned or unusually positioned vehicle a requiring special apparatus for removal, per hour ..... $650.00
d.
Storage, per day ..... $80.00
(5)
Rotator/50 Ton:
a.
Base Rate ..... $1,237.86
b.
Hourly Rate, per hour ..... $1,237.86
(c)
Storage fees as set forth above may only be assessed after the initial six (6) hour period, beginning with the time the vehicle is delivered to the storage facility. Storage is based on a 24-hour day, each day starting at 12:01 a.m. After the initial six (6) hour period, the daily rate will apply and any fraction of a day will count as a full day.
(d)
An administrative fee in the amount of $65.00 may be charged after the first forty-eight (48) hours of storage as long as the company has actually complied with the requirements of F.S. § 713.78, as amended, including execution and mailing of the lien notice. Any expense incurred for an out of state records check may be assessed an administrative fee of $65.00 plus the amount charged by the specific state for the records check. An additional daily storage rate, as set forth above, may be charged for any vessel, trailer, or mobile item, whether motorized or not, which is mounted on wheels and attached to a towed vehicle.
(e)
The following maximum rates for the rendition of other wrecker services apply when the service is performed within an unincorporated area of Lake County:
(1)
Removal of drive shaft ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(2)
Air hook-up ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(3)
Removal/pull axle ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(4)
Remove bumper ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(5)
Remove air foils ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(6)
Landoll trailer, semi, roll-back or drop back trailer or truck ..... hourly rate as set forth above.
(7)
Air bags ..... $1,000.00 per hour,
not to exceed $4,000.00.(8)
A re-hook fee in the amount of $75.00 may be charged in the event that in the surrender of a vehicle or vessel to the owner or owner's representative, the company must use an apparatus or equipment. This fee shall not be charged if the vehicle can be driven or delivered under vehicle's own power.
(9)
An access fee, gate fee, or yard fee in the amount of $75.00 may be charged for requests made by an owner or owner's legal representative to have access to the vehicle, other than during normal business hours, for the purposes of removing necessary personal property.
(10)
Extra manpower, per man, per hour ..... Laborer $50.00, Certified $75.00, Supervisor $125.00.
(11)
Any other rates not addressed herein may be modified or added from time to time by a resolution adopted by the board of county commissioners.
(f)
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this ordinance for any operator, individual, company, or entity to impose rates or fees in excess of the maximum allowable rates established under this chapter.
(g)
In the event a vehicle owned by an innocent owner is towed as a result of a crime or civil infraction, an innocent owner shall not be charged a rate for towing services and storage more than $75.00 during the initial seventy-two (72) hour period, beginning with the time of the tow. After the initial seventy-two (72) hour period, the amount to be charged to the innocent owner for storage shall be no more than the amounts set forth in Section 15-7. For the purposes of this section, an innocent owner is the vehicle owner or other person authorized by the vehicle owner to possess the vehicle who was not the perpetrator of a crime or civil infraction. A person whose vehicle, as determined by a law enforcement officer, was stolen by an immediate family member or was exchanged for illegal controlled substances is not an innocent owner. In the event a vehicle is not identified as a vehicle owned by an innocent owner at the time of the tow, but subsequently identified by a law enforcement officer as vehicle owned by an innocent owner, the company shall reimburse the innocent owner for any amounts paid in excess of the rates set forth in this section.
(Ord. No. 1996-76, § 1, 9-17-96; Ord. No. 2018-36, § 3, 8-21-18)