[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee or Township Council of
the Township of River Vale as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Adopted 11-13-1969; amended in its entirety 9-20-1979
by Ord. No. 0-22-79 (Ch. 36 of the 1967 Code)]
It shall he unlawful for any owner or owners, tenant or tenants, occupant
or occupants of any lot or tract of land or any part thereof in the Township
of River Vale to permit or maintain on any such lot or tract of land any growth
of grass exceeding 12 inches in height or any growth of ragweed, poison ivy,
poison sumac or noxious growth injurious to health.
It shall be the duty of such owner or owners, tenant or tenants, occupant
or occupants of any such lot or tract of land or any part thereof to maintain
and cut any grass thereon to a height not to exceed 12 inches and/or to cut
and remove or otherwise destroy any and all ragweed, poison ivy, poison sumac
and growth noxious or injurious to health within five days after receiving
notice to do so from the public health official of the Township of River Vale
or his agent. Such notice may be effected by personal service or by certified
mail, return receipt requested, in which case the redelivery by proper official
authorities of the return receipt bearing the signature of the addressee shall
be presumed to be proof of such notice; provided, however, that if notice
cannot be effected in the foregoing manner, notice may be given by the posting
of same on such lot or tract of land for a period of five days.
Should the person or persons upon whom said notice is served fail, neglect
or refuse to cut such grass or refuse to cut and remove or cause to be cut
and removed or otherwise destroyed such ragweed, poison ivy, poison sumac
or noxious growth within five days after the service of such notice, the Township
of River Vale may cause such grass to be cut or such ragweed, poison ivy,
poison sumac and noxious growth to be cut and removed, and the actual cost
of such cutting and removal shall be certified by the Director of Public Works
to the Collector of Taxes and shall thereupon become and be a lien on the
property on which such ragweed, grass, poison ivy, poison sumac or noxious
growth was located and shall be added to and form part of the taxes next to
be assessed on said lot or tract of land and shall be collected and enforced
by the same office and in the same manner as taxes.
Any person convicted of a violation of a provision of this article, or any amendment or supplement hereto, shall be liable to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I, § 1-14. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such hereunder.
[Adopted 8-13-1970 (Ch. 82 of the 1967 Code)]
The owner, tenants or persons legally in possession of any land within
the Township of River Vale shall keep all brush, hedges and other plant life
growing within 10 feet of any roadway and 25 feet of the intersection of two
roadways cut to a height of not more than 2 1/2 feet, where it shall
be necessary and expedient for the preservation of public safety, within 10
days after notice to cut the same, which notice shall be given in the manner
hereinafter provided.
Any notice required hereunder shall be in writing and may be served
either personally or by ordinary mail addressed to the owner, tenant or person
in possession of any premises affected by such notice. Said notice shall be
given under the hand of the Township Clerk.
In the event that any owner, tenant or person in possession fails to
cut any brush, hedges or other plant life after notice given, as herein set
forth, the same shall be cut under the direction and supervision of the Director
of the Department of Public Works, who shall certify the costs thereof to
the Township Council, as provided in N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.26 et seq.
The Township Council shall examine the certificate and if found correct
shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against said lands, or,
in the event that such cost is excessive, to cause the reasonable cost thereof
to be charged against said lands. The amount so charged shall forthwith become
a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and form part of the
taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, the same to bear interest
at the same rate as other taxes, and shall be collected and enforced by the
same officers and in the same manner as taxes.
The Building Inspector of the Township of River Vale or the Police Department
of the Township of River Vale shall be the enforcement officers charged with
the administration and enforcement of this article, who are to act in conjunction
with other officers and departments of the Township of River Vale referred
to in this article.
