Tarentum Council eyes tighter ordinance for abandoned vehicles

Tarentum council will consider beefing up the borough’s ability to get abandoned vehicles off the street.

Mayor Bob Lang is proposing that council tighten an ordinance that currently gives owners 10 days to remove an uninspected or unregistered vehicle from the road. Police are able to tag an illegal vehicle after it sits for 48 hours.

“The way it is, we put a tow tag on and they tear it off and continue to drive the car around,” Lang said.

“If we catch someone driving without inspection or no plates, we can cite them but I think something needs to be done to get them off the streets.”

Lang is proposing that council consider lowering or eliminating the 10-day notice given to vehicle owners.

Council meets next at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Scott Dadowski, council president, said a change in the ordinance would align with council’s efforts in recent years to clean up the borough.

Just last month, members approved a Quality of Life measure to spur people to keep their properties tidy and safe.

“With everything we’re doing to clean up, all of the little changes add up,” Dadowski said.

He said nothing would be changed without a public discussion.

“We might make it even tighter, to where you can’t park uninspected and unregistered cars in yards,” Dadowski said. “Or, maybe nothing changes. But we’ll look at it and see if this is something that will help.”

Council on Tuesday also will consider a request from the Community Library of Allegheny Valley to have a seven-week children’s program at Riverview Memorial Park.

Library officials are asking to host a Summer Storytime Splash at the park pavilion area, near the spray park, at noon on Tuesdays.

If approved, the program would run from June 14 to July 26.