§ 9.56.260. Additional release requirements and procedures.

A.

The legal owner or the legal owner's agent shall present to the City person in possession of the vehicle, or any person acting on behalf of those agencies, a copy of the assignment, as defined in Subdivision (b) of Section 7500.1 of the California Business and Professions Code, a release from the City, if required by the City Administrator decides to require and develops a form for release the release of impounded vehicles, a government-issued photographic identification card, and any one of the following as determined by the legal owner or the legal owner's agent: a certificate of repossession for the vehicle, a security agreement for the vehicle, or title, whether or not paperless or electronic, showing proof of legal ownership for the vehicle. Any documents presented may be originals, photocopies, or facsimile copies, or may be transmitted electronically. The City shall not require any documents to be notarized. The City, impounding agency, or any person acting on behalf of those agencies may require the agent of the legal owner to produce a photocopy or facsimile copy of its repossession agency license or registration issued pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 7500) of Division 3 of the California Business and Professions Code, or to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the law enforcement agency, impounding agency, or any person acting on behalf of those agencies that the agent is exempt from licensure pursuant to Section 7500.2 or 7500.3 of the California Business and Professions Code.

B.

Administrative costs authorized under Subdivision (a) of Section 22850.5 of the California Vehicle Code shall not be charged to the legal owner of the type specified in Subsection 8.56.240 D.1. who redeems the vehicle unless the legal owner voluntarily requests a poststorage hearing.

1.

A legal owner or a legal owner's agent is not required to request a poststorage hearing as a requirement for release of the vehicle to the legal owner or the legal owner's agent. Neither the City, nor the, impounding agency, or other governmental agency, or any person acting on behalf of those agencies, shall require any documents other than those specified in this Subsection B.

2.

The legal owner or the legal owner's agent shall be given a copy of any documents he or she is required to sign, except for a vehicle evidentiary hold log book.

3.

The City, impounding agency, or any person acting on behalf of those agencies, or any person in possession of the vehicle, may photocopy and retain the copies of any documents presented by the legal owner or legal owner's agent.

4.

The legal owner shall indemnify and hold harmless a storage facility from any claims arising out of the release of the vehicle to the legal owner or the legal owner's agent and from any damage to the vehicle after its release, including the reasonable costs associated with defending any such claims.

C.

A legal owner, who meets the requirements for release of a vehicle pursuant to Subsection 8.56.240 D.1., or the legal owner's agent, shall not be required to request a poststorage hearing as a requirement for release of the vehicle to the legal owner or the legal owner's agent.

D.

A legal owner, who meets the requirements for release of a vehicle pursuant to Subsection 8.56.240 D.1., or the legal owner's agent shall not release the vehicle to the registered owner of the vehicle or an agent of the registered owner, unless the registered owner is a rental car agency, until after the termination of the impoundment period. Prior to relinquishing the vehicle, the legal owner may require the registered owner to pay all towing and storage charges related to the seizure and impoundment.

(Ord. No. 13195, § 2, 10-15-2013)