§ 6-483. Responsibility of owner and operator.

(1)

Except as provided in subsections (2) or (4) of this section, the owner and the operator, when not the same, shall be solidarily liable to the city for parking violations, unless the owner can prove that the vehicle was operated without his consent, express or implied. An owner who pays any parking fine, costs, or administrative fees pursuant to this article shall have the right to recover the same from the operator.

(2)

An owner of a vehicle who is engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles under written rental or leasing agreements ("lessor") shall not be liable for parking fines and penalties imposed by a local authority on the lessor of such rented or leased vehicles, if within fifteen (15) days after receiving written notice of the parking violation, the lessor provides, in affidavit form, the true name, address and driver's license number and state of issuance of the person in possession of the vehicle ("lessee") at the time of the issuance of the citation, or provides a true copy of the lease or rental agreement.

(3)

A lessor who fails to comply with the foregoing provisions shall be treated as any other owner and shall be solidarily liable with the operator.

(4)

If any owner of a motor vehicle receives a notice of violation for a period during which the illegally parked vehicle was reported to any police department as having been stolen, it shall be a valid defense to any charge of a parking violation that the motor vehicle has been reported to the police as stolen prior to the time the violation occurred and had not been recovered by such time.

(Ord. No. 2303, § 2, 11-20-01)