[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
North Coventry 4-1-1968 by Ord. No. 27;
amended in its entirety 1-22-2001. Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Property maintenance — See Ch. 270.
Any weeds, including ragweed, thistle and other weeds of a like kind,
and any grass or plants exceeding 10 inches in height or length (except as
hereafter excluded) growing on any lot in North Coventry Township are hereby
declared to be a nuisance, unless the same are growing within a wooded area
or are at least 75 feet distant from the property lines of all adjoining owners.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, resides
or operates a commercial or industrial enterprise on any lot within North
Coventry Township to permit any weeds, grass or plants (other than trees,
bushes, flowers, agricultural products, ornamental plants, or grasses or plants
grown as part of a farming operation or golf courses) to grow to a height
or length exceeding 10 inches. Whenever any such weeds, grass or plants shall
reach a height or length of 10 inches, they shall be immediately cut or mowed.
B.
Furthermore, any such weeds, grass or plants shall be
cut or mowed at least one time on or before June 1 of each year regardless
of height or length, and at least one other time on or before August 15 of
each year, regardless of height or length.
A.
The Secretary of the Township and the Code Enforcement
Officer, or either of them, are authorized to enforce the provisions of this
chapter, and are further authorized to serve notice or cause a notice to be
served, upon the owner or occupant of any lot upon which weeds, grass or plants
are observed to be growing in violation of the provisions of this chapter
and to demand abatement of the nuisance within seven days of the mailing of
said notice.
B.
Furthermore, if the nuisance has not been abated within
the seven-day time period aforesaid, the Township shall have the right, through
its employees or a designee, to enter upon such lot and cut or mow the weeds,
grass or plants growing in violation of the provisions of this chapter, and
to collect the cost and expense of the abatement, which may include legal
costs and the contract cost, or any wages and benefit expenses for time spent
by Township employees, together with any administrative cost from the owner
or occupier of the lot, in addition to any fine or penalty otherwise provided,
in accordance with the provisions of the Second Class Township Code.
Any owner or occupant of a lot within North Coventry Township who has
failed to cut or mow the weeds, grass or plants on his, her or its lot at
least one time on or before June 1, and at least one other time on or before
August 15, or any owner or occupant who has allowed the weeds, grass or plants
to exceed 10 inches in height, and who has failed to cut or mow same after
notice from the Secretary of the Township or from the Code Enforcement Officer,
shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial
District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more
than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the
defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days.
Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted
to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this
chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
Nothing in this chapter shall affect in any way any wetlands regulations,
and in the event of any such conflict, the wetlands regulations shall control.
Should any party claim that the offending property is a wetlands property,
that party shall produce evidence that the property has been formally classified
as wetlands by an appropriate governmental agency.
