SALEM – City council approved a new ordinance regarding vehicle towing and impound services in its meeting Tuesday.

First discussed in March 31 meeting of the rules and ordinances committee, the ordinance establishes standards for vehicle towing services and impound lots operating within city limits, and establishes a rotation for tow companies to be utilized by the police department, like the one already used by the city for ambulance companies.

At that meeting Police Chief J.T. Panezott said the ordinance would help ensure that companies were operating consistently and safely and reduce issues dispatching tow trucks in the event a vehicle needed to be removed from the roadway.

The rotation will utilize three companies at a time, and to stay in the rotation, companies must abide by several policy standards including maintaining a $1,000 liability insurance policy, arriving at the site of a tow call within 20 minutes, permitting “reasonable access to any impounded vehicles by any city police officer upon request,” and not giving a call assigned to the company by dispatch to any other company. The ordinance also imposes equipment standards for companies operating within the city including having at least two tow trucks, owning a motorcycle trailer “or other acceptable means of carrying a motorcycle in an upright position,” having at least one amber flashing light on trucks, and carrying a list of safety equipment in truck.

Council also approved updates to the city’s fire code and to chapter 185 of part one of title nine of the codified ordinances of the city of Salem which concerns the excise tax levied on temporary lodgings like hotels, and motels, which were also reviewed in the March 31 committee meeting.

At that meeting, Fire Chief Scott Mason explained that the updates to the city’s fire code were necessary to align it with the current standards of the state code and adopts the appendices and reference standards of the state code, which were previously absent in the city’s own. The updates also specify that the city code will adopt any future updates to the state code made by the state fire marshal.

Councilman and Committee Chairman Jeff Stockman explained that the updates to chapter 185 make sweeping language changes to bring the city’s ordinance in line with current state regulations and specifies that short-term rentals like Airbnbs and spas are also subject to the excise tax.

The city council will meet next at 7 p.m. on April 21.