Driver fined almost $25,000 for vehicles parked on his own property – city knew about his cars for five years

A DRIVER has accepted a nearly $25,000 fine after city officials complained for years about parking on his property.

Dozens of broken-down cars were parked on his lawn. The state complained that the man was running an unpermitted salvage yard.

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Brent Bapp was fined $24,859.80, officials at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Department of Conservation told local NBC affiliate WPTZ .

It is illegal to have too many broken-down vehicles parked on private property without a permit, state officials said.

Drivers must obtain licenses to maintain a junkyard properly and go through an environmental review.

The state said it is important to upkeep junk laws – dilapidated vehicles risk leaking hazardous waste into nearby soil and can taint the residential water supply.

This is the second time Bapp has been penalized for the infraction, according to the station.

In 2018, the homeowner was forced to remove a series of defunct vehicles after the agency found 28 junked cars on his property.

Bapp was compliant with the state’s rule by July 2020.

However, the homeowner started accruing more vehicles in the following years.

State agencies counted as many as 65 junk vehicles on Bapp’s property between December 2020 and August 2023.

The environmental agency filed a complaint with the Vermont Superior Court.

Bapp agreed to the nearly $25,000 fine. He will also remove the vehicles and be in compliance by July 31, the station reported.

JALOPY JOSTLE

Several states have struggled with an inundation of old vehicles clogging roadways, private properties, and even boat docks.

Officials in Hawai’i , California , and Deleware have grappled with a growing number of broken-down cars in their neighborhoods.

Some government agencies have said the old vehicles are piling up because of the cost-of-living crisis in their respective states.

How to report an abandoned car

Reporting an abandoned vehicle is important for keeping city streets safe and clean

Not only is an abandoned car an eyesore, it’s also a hazard to the surrounding community as pests and rodents can take refuge in the interior, engine bay, or trunk.

Leaking fluids can be dangerous for the environment, as many vehicle fluids are toxic and can wreak havoc on ecosystems if they enter waterways.

They can also encourage crime with several cities like Oakland, California reporting that drug dealers may use them to hide and side drugs or weapons.

Abandoned vehicles can also lower property values.

Therefore, they’re worth Specific contact information for your city’s abandoned car hotline may vary, but the necessary information on the vehicle is the same.

When reporting an abandoned vehicle, police will need:

• The exact address of the vehicle
• Information on the steering column (broken, missing, intact, etc)
• Condition of the vehicle (severely damaged, windows broken, leaking fluids, missing body panels or doors, etc)
• Make and model
• Color
• Body style (pickup truck, SUV, sedan, etc)
• License plate number and state, if applicable
• VIN

Many cities will allow residents to report abandoned vehicles online through an online form, or it can be called in.

Source: ABC affiliate WPVI-TV

“We recognize the plight houseless individuals face and the extraordinary high cost of living on Maui and across the state,” Ed Underwood, an administrator at The Department of Natural Resources Hawai’i Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, said.

The agency found dozens of old boats rotting in public waters. People experiencing homelessness were using the watercraft as homes, the agency said.

But the agency had to act.

“Our boating facilities are open to everyone and it is not appropriate for certain individuals to decide to set up living quarters,” Underwood added.

Some cities have imposed strict rules against vehicle junking to dissuade residents from moving into their vehicles.

Drivers in Hilton Head, South Carolina, are subject to $500 fines if any trace of trash is left in their vehicles.