Laserfiche WebLink
<br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />ASKINS & ARMSTRONG, P. C. <br /> <br />ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br /> <br />702 W. FAIRMONT PARKWAY <br />P.O. BOX 1218 <br />LA PORTE. TEXAS 77572-1218 <br /> <br />KNOX W. ASKINS <br />JOHN D. ARMSTRONG <br /> <br />TELEPHONE 713 471-1886 <br />TELECOPIER 713 471-2047 <br /> <br />CHARLES R. HUBER. JR. <br /> <br />BOARD CERTIF"IEO . CIVIL TRIAL LAW <br />TEXAS BOARD or L.EGAL SPECIALIZATION <br /> <br />August 12, 1996 <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Robert Herrera, <br />City Manager <br />City of La Porte <br />P. O. Box 1115 <br />La Porte, TX 77572-1115 <br /> <br />RE: Updates to the City's Wrecker Ordinance <br /> <br />Dear Bob: <br /> <br />As you might be aware, Title VI of the Federal Aviation Administration and <br />Authorization Act of 1994 [(Pub. Law 103-305; 49 U.S.C. ~ 11501(h)) has infringed <br />upon the ability of a municipality to regulate automobile wreckers and tow trucks within <br />the boundaries of the municipality. <br /> <br />The City of La Porte, like many municipalities, had engaged in a process of <br />permitting tow trucks and wreckers based upon whether or not the "public convenience <br />and necessity" would be served by allowing additional wreckers upon the streets of the <br />City. The new federal law quoted above no longer allows the City of La Porte to <br />regulate tow trucks or wreckers upon that basis. <br /> <br />In addition, it has been a goal of mine to "clean up" as many ordinance as <br />possible as part of our municipal recodification process. The wrecker ordinance is one <br />that is in need of change to comply with the new federal law. <br /> <br />Therefore, I have undertaken the task of redrafting the City's wrecker ordinance, <br />making changes necessary to comply with the new federal law. Further, changes made <br />to the Texas Tow Truck Act have been carried forward into the new ordinance. <br /> <br />In addition, permissible fees and charges have been simplified and up-dated. <br />These up-dates were requested by Police Chief Bobby Powell, and have been included <br />in this draft of the ordinance. <br />