[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Washington 5-15-1972 (Sec. 6-4 of the Revised General
Ordinances); amended in its entirety 8-15-2022 by Ord. No. 06-22.
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
It shall be the duty of the owner, tenant or person in possession
of any lands in the Township to:
A.Â
Keep all lawns, brush, hedges or other plant life, growing within
10 feet of any roadway and within the line connecting point on the
two street lot lines at a distance of 25 feet of the intersection
of two roadways, cut to a height of not more than 2Â 1/2 feet
above the existing street grade at center line for the preservation
of public safety.
B.Â
Keep the lands free of brush, weeds, dead and dying trees, stumps,
roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris, where
the same are inimical to the preservation of public health, safety
or general welfare of the Township, or which may constitute a fire
hazard.
A.Â
After an investigation of any complaint of a resident, officer or employee of the Township relative to a violation of § 53-1A of this chapter, or upon his own motion, the designated public official shall make a written report of the conditions complained of to the Township Administrator. The Township Administrator shall cause notice to be served upon the tenant or person in possession of the lands complained of, in writing, either personally or by registered mail, which notice shall specify the violation or violations committed; what must be done to correct same; and the period of time, not to exceed 10 days, to correct or abate the violation. The notice shall also advise the recipient that if the violation is not corrected or abated, the municipality may do same, the cost of which shall become a lien on the subject property.
B.Â
After an investigation of any complaint of a resident, officer or employee of the Township relative to a violation of § 53-1B of this chapter, or upon his own motion, the designated public official shall make a written report of the conditions complained of to the Township Committee at their next regular meeting. If the reported conditions are found to exist, the Township Committee shall direct the Clerk to notify the owner, tenant or person in possession of the lands complained of, in writing, either personally or by registered mail, to remove such brush, weeds, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash, or other debris, within 10 days after receipt of the notice. The designated public official shall reinspect the lands in question after the ten-day period expires and report, in writing, to the Township Committee at their next regular meeting whether the condition complained of has been abated or remedied.
C.Â
Abatement in emergency. Where the violation or condition existing
on the premises is of such nature as to constitute an immediate threat
to life and limb unless abated without delay, the public officer may
either abate the violation or condition immediately or order the owner,
operator or occupant to abate the violation or condition within a
period of time not to exceed three days, and upon failure to do so,
the public officer shall abate the condition immediately thereafter.
If the owner, tenant or person in possession of the lands in
question fails to abate the condition complained of within 10 days
after receipt of notice, the Building Inspector shall cause the condition
complained of to be abated and shall certify the cost to the Township
Committee, who shall examine the certificate and if it is correct,
cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the lands. The
amount so charged shall become a lien upon the lands and shall be
added to and become a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied
upon the lands, shall hear interest at the same rate as taxes, and
shall be collected and enforced by the same officer and in the same
manner as taxes. Costs shall be in addition to any penalties imposed
for any violation of this chapter.
