NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The City of North Myrtle Beach approved the second/final reading of an ordinance that aims to stop unethical towing.
At the City’s council meeting on Monday night, council passed the ordinance to repeal Article III from Chapter 22 of the North Myrtle Beach Code of Ordinances and adopt new language for Article III.
The purpose of the ordinance, according to the City of North Myrtle Beach, is to “reduce opportunities for price gouging and unscrupulous towing”.
On August 17, council introduced the new ordinance. It will, in part, require a private property owner or agent of record to contact the North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety before a vehicle can be towed.
A police officer or other official within the department will then go to the location where the requested tow is to happen. The officer or official will then provide an authorization number and form provided by the city, to be signed by the private property owner or agent of record and the wrecker service.
The ordinance also prohibits any wrecker company or operator from charging fees of any kind (like administrative fees, processing fees or fuel surcharges) other than the fees set forth in the ordinance, for the owner of the vehicle to retrieve the vehicle towed by the wrecker company or operator.
If any towing company/operator fails to comply with this change, that company’s business license can be suspended and revoked.
At a workshop on September 9, council discussed the ordinance. At that time, the City said two tow companies were engaging in what council believes were predatory behaviors. Council members also said they had received a lot of complaints about tows. Council said about 60% of the towing companies were in agreement with the proposed ordinance at the time.
The new ordinance will go into effect on November 1 “to allow time for Public Safety to collect the necessary ‘Agent of Record’ information and for the City to educate the public on the changes involved”.
