[HISTORY: Adopted by the governing body of the Township of Little Falls 12-18-1995 by Ord. No. 753 as Sec. 3-1 of the 1995 Revised General Ordinances; amended in its entirety 12-20-2004 by Ord. No. 952 (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
General penalty — See Ch. 1, Art. I.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 163.
[Amended 11-18-2019 by Ord. No. 1373]
The purpose of this article is to prohibit the spilling, dumping or disposal of materials other than stormwater to the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) operated by the Township of Little Falls, and/or natural waterways so as to protect public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for the failure to comply; and
A. 
No person shall throw, drop, discard, or otherwise put or place, or cause to be thrown, put or placed, into, upon or within any street, public place, parking lot or public building, litter of any nature or any substance, matter or thing whatsoever whereby the safe, free or unobstructed use of the same by the public may be in any way impeded or interfered with, or whereby the same may be detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the public. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the deposit of any such material in any public or private receptacles approved by the Township for such purpose. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit construction, repair or maintenance equipment, materials or machinery from being utilized on such street, public place, parking lot or public building.
B. 
Any violation of this section shall result in:
[Added 5-20-2013 by Ord. No. 1176]
(1) 
A penalty of $50 for a first offense.
(2) 
A penalty of $100 for a second offense.
(3) 
A mandatory Municipal Court appearance for any third or subsequent offense.
Litter receptacles and their servicing are required at the following public places which exist in the Township of Little Falls, including sidewalks used by pedestrians in active retail commercially zoned areas, such that at a minimum there shall be no single linear quarter mile without a receptacle; buildings held out for use by the public, including schools, governmental buildings, and railroad and bus stations; parks, drive-in restaurants; all street vendor locations; self-service refreshment areas; construction sites; gasoline service stations islands; shopping centers; parking lots; campgrounds and trailer parks; marinas, boat moorage and fueling stations; boat launching areas; public and private piers operated for public use; beaches and bathing areas; and at special events to which the public is invited, including sporting events, carnivals, circuses, and festivals. The proprietors of these places or the sponsors of these events shall be responsible for providing and servicing the receptacles such that adequate containerization is available.
It shall be unlawful for any person to discard or dump along any street or road, on or off any right-of-way, any household or commercial solid waste, rubbish, refuse, junk vehicle or parts thereof, rubber tires, appliances, furniture, or private property, except by written consent of the owner of said property, in any place not specifically designated for the purpose of solid waste storage or disposal.
It shall be unlawful for any residential property owner to store or permit storage of any household waste, including household appliances, furniture, and mattresses, in areas zoned residential, except; in a fully enclosed structure, during days designated for the collection of bulky items, or away from public view such that the storage of such items is in such a manner so as not to constitute a threat to the public health, safety and welfare.
It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be driven, moved stopped or parked within the Township, on any highway, street, alley or other public place, unless such vehicle is constructed or loaded to prevent any of its contents from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom; nor shall any person drive or move any vehicle or truck within the Township, the wheels or tires of which carry onto or deposit on any street, alley or other public place mud, dirt, sticky substances, litter or foreign matter of any kind. Any person operating a vehicle from which any glass or objects have fallen or escaped which could cause an obstruction, damage a vehicle, or otherwise endanger travelers or public property shall immediately cause the public property to be cleaned of all glass or objects and shall pay the costs thereof.
A. 
No person while a driver or passenger in a vehicle shall throw or deposit litter upon any street or other public place within the Township or upon private property.
B. 
Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of $50 per offense. No appearance in municipal court shall be required for the payment of this fine.
[Added 5-20-2013 by Ord. No. 1176; amended 5-8-2017 by Ord. No. 1292]
[Amended 11-18-2019 by Ord. No. 1373]
No person shall spill, dump, or dispose of any material other than stormwater into the municipal separate storm sewer system (ms4) operated by the Township of Little Falls and/or natural waterways.
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any open or vacant property within the Township, whether owned by such person or not.
No person shall post or affix any notice, poster or other paper or device calculated to attract the attention of the public to any lamppost, public utility pole or shade tree or upon any public structure or building except as may be authorized or required by law.
It shall be unlawful for any owner, agent, or contractor in charge of a construction or demolition site to permit the accumulation of litter before, during, or after completion of any construction or demolition project. It shall be the duty of the owner, agent, or contractor in charge of a construction site to furnish containers adequate to accommodate flyable or nonflyable debris or trash at areas convenient to construction areas, and to maintain and empty the receptacles in such a manner and with such a frequency as to prevent spillage of refuse.
It shall be unlawful for any residential or commercial property owner to permit or maintain open or overflowing solid waste containers on his or her property.
It shall be the duty of the owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or person in charge of any structure to keep and cause to be kept sidewalks, alleyways, backyards, courts and alleys free from litter and other offensive material. No person shall sweep into or deposit in any gutter, street, catch basin or other public place any accumulation of litter from any public or private sidewalk or driveway. All sweepings shall be collected and properly containerized for disposal.
No person shall prevent or interfere with any employee of the Department of Public Works or any municipally authorized person in the sweeping or cleaning of any street or in the removal of sweeping ashes, garbage, rubbish, snow, ice or other refuse material.
[Amended 4-12-2021 by Ord. No. 1401]
A. 
Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PRINTED MATTER
Any and all of the following: circulars, handbills, notices, cards, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and leaflets.
UNSOLICITED DISTRIBUTION
Free distribution not previously requested by the person to whom distribution is intended.
B. 
The following standards for the unsolicited distribution of printed matter and product samples, other than newspapers, are hereby established in the Township of Little Falls:
(1) 
No printed matter or product samples shall be placed, thrown or discarded by any person upon any public street, road, avenue, park, or other public place or upon the lawn, driveway or in the yard appurtenant to any residence or other building located therein or upon any field or other open space within the Township.
(2) 
No printed matter or product sample shall be distributed or caused to be distributed by any person at any residence or other building unless such printed matter or product sample shall be delivered into the possession of some person there offering to receive same or be placed in a slot or receptacle provided on the premises for the receipt of same or be placed within five feet of a door or entranceway of such residence or other building.
(3) 
No person shall distribute or cause to be distributed any printed matter or product sample upon the premises of any residence or other building known to be vacant by the person distributing or causing to be distributed such printed matter or product samples.
C. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions of Subsection B, the delivery of unsolicited newspapers shall be subject to the following restrictions:
(1) 
No delivery shall be made to any residence where notice has been given by the owner or occupant to the publisher of such newspaper to cease delivery to the specific site. Where no such notice to cease delivery has been given, deliveries shall be made in the following manner:
(a) 
With respect to those residences where public sidewalks exist, delivery shall be made beyond a line created by the interior line of the sidewalk extended through the entire frontage of the property.
(b) 
With respect to those residences which do not have public sidewalks, delivery shall be effected by delivery of the newspaper beyond the edge of the pavement of the street abutting the front property line.
(2) 
In the case of garden-apartment-type structures with common areas, delivery, when permitted, shall be prohibited in the parking areas, on any streets or on any private access driveways.
(3) 
In the case of distribution of an unsolicited newspaper, the newspaper shall include within its pages a notice setting forth the telephone number and address where a recipient may contact the newspaper to resolve any distribution questions or problems. The notice shall be a minimum ten-point type in size and shall appear in each edition of the newspaper. This telephone number or address so published shall be the means by which notices for the cessation of delivery can be made by the recipient to the publisher.
(4) 
There shall be no intentional delivery whatsoever of any such unsolicited printed matter to premises after the owner or occupant of which premises has notified the publisher or the delivery person or, in the case of printed matter referred to in Subsection C(3) hereof, after the owner or tenant of the premises has notified that person indicated in the printed matter to be the person having authority to cease further delivery of the same at the address or telephone number so indicated, that such delivery shall cease or be suspended for a stated period of time, or in violation of the provisions of this Subsection C.
D. 
This section shall not apply to the distribution of printed matter or product samples that shall have been previously ordered or requested by the owner, tenant or occupant of the premises where such distribution is made or to the distribution of printed matter or samples of merchandise by mail.
E. 
No person shall throw, cast or distribute or cause to be thrown, cast or distributed any printed matter or product sample upon any stoop, porch, patio, stairs or in any vestibule or hall of any residence or other building in such a manner or in such position that the same may be blown, carried or deposited by wind or otherwise in or upon any street or public place or into any yard or onto any open portion of any residence or other building.
No person or persons shall attach to or place on utility poles, sign poles, or trees any sign, posters, boards, etc., on any public street, property or building. Signs authorized by the utility company and the Township are exempt. Persons who place signs on poles and/or trees that are removed by the Public Works Department shall fined $5 per sign removed for each and every sign in addition to any penalty imposed under this chapter.
In addition to the Police Department, the Building Department, Superintendent of Public Works and the Health Department shall be empowered to enforce provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 3-25-2019 by Ord. No. 1347]
A. 
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity convicted of a violation of this chapter shall pay a fine of $250 for the first offense and $500 for the second offense and any subsequent offenses. Each violation shall require an appearance in Municipal Court. In addition, any person, firm, corporation or other entity convicted of a violation of this chapter shall pay all expenses incurred for the removal of said litter. The fine may be suspended at the discretion of the court when the matter is remediated to the satisfaction of the Municipal Court Judge. If the matter is not sufficiently remediated, the Judge may order the Township Department of Public Works to undertake said remediation. The Superintendent of the Township Department of Public Works shall then provide an account of the expenses incurred in said removal to be used in the prosecution of violations under this chapter.
B. 
Each day that any litter of any nature is thrown, dropped, discarded or otherwise placed upon public property other than in a litter receptacle in violation of this chapter, and said litter remains at the location of the violation after notice has been given to the violator to remove the same, shall constitute a separate violation. Separate violations shall continue for each day the violator fails to remove the litter in an appropriate manner.
C. 
The provisions of this chapter shall be read together with N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.3.