[Adopted 10-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-466[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Art. IV,
Waste Collection Program, adopted 9-8-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-465.
This ordinance shall be known as the "Palmer Township Waste
Collection Program Ordinance."
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The collective term applying to municipal waste and source-separated
recyclables.
Leaves, garden residues, shrubbery and tree trimmings, and
similar material, but not including grass clippings.
The Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Act, 53 P.S. § 7101
et seq.
Any properties having more than one dwelling unit per structure.
Any garbage, refuse, food waste, and/or other material, including
solid, liquid, semisolid or contained gaseous material, resulting
from operation of residential, municipal, or institutional establishments
and from community activities and any sludge not meeting the definition
of residual or designated hazardous waste from a municipal, commercial
or institutional water supply treatment plant, wastewater treatment
plant or air pollution control facility. As it relates to disposal,
volume pickups and bulk items shall be included within the definition
of "solid waste." As it relates to all other issues within these documents,
volume pickups and bulk items shall not be included within the definition
of "solid waste."
The Palmer Township Waste Collection Program provided for
by this ordinance.
Residential unit: Any premises utilized primarily as a residential
dwelling unit, but excluding apartment buildings containing four or
more units and any other residence which is not located on a public
street, including but not limited to condominium developments.
The collection, separation, recovery and sale or reuse of cardboard, metals, glass, paper, plastics, leaf waste, yard waste, and other materials in accordance with Articles II and III of this chapter. Materials subject to recycling are "recyclables." Includes office and mixed paper, cardboard and flatboard, newspaper, including colored inserts, manila and brown folders, glossy paper, magazines, empty aerosol cans, telephone books, bimetal, tin and aluminum cans, clear, green, and brown glass bottles and jars, and plastics (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7). Excludes hazardous waste, medical waste, syringes, food waste, toner cartridges, glass panes, Pyrex, food containers, and all Styrofoam products.
The collective term applying to all garbage, rubbish, ashes,
and grass trimmings from residential, municipal, commercial or institutional
premises.
To separate recyclables from the municipal waste stream at
the point of waste generation.
Palmer Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
The person, persons, entity, or entities contracted and authorized
by the Township to collect, transport, and dispose of collectible
waste generated by qualifying properties in accordance with this ordinance.
Includes leaf waste, plant materials (leaves, branches, brush,
flowers, roots, etc.), debris commonly thrown away in the course of
maintaining yards and gardens. Yard waste shall not include loose
soils, sod, food waste, including food waste from gardens or orchards;
food compost; plastics and synthetic fibers; lumber; tree stumps,
and wood or tree limbs over four inches in diameter; human or animal
excrement; noxious weeds and soil contaminated with hazardous substances.
A.
The Township shall contract with a Township collector
or Township collectors for the collection of all collectible waste
from all qualifying properties. The collection program shall be known
as the "Palmer Township Waste Collection Program" (i.e., the "program").
B.
A quarterly fee is hereby assessed on all qualifying
properties. The fee shall be $70 quarterly from September 25, 2012,
through 2020, and $80 quarterly starting in 2021 and thereafter.
[Amended 12-18-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-483]
C.
Participation in the program and payment of all fees
and other charges assessed pursuant thereto is mandatory for all qualifying
properties and shall not depend on whether a qualifying property actually
generates collectible waste, or whether collectible waste is actually
collected from a qualifying property by the Township collector or
Township collectors.
D.
If payment is not received by the Township by the applicable
due date, a penalty of 5% will be assessed and added to the balance
due.
E.
Bills will be mailed to the owner(s) of each qualifying
property at the address on file with the Township for the owner(s).
Neither the failure of the Township to send a bill, nor a property
owner's failure to receive a bill, shall relieve a property owner
of the obligation to pay the fee by its due date, or prevent the assessment
of the penalty or any other charges on any amounts that are not timely
paid. Property owners shall keep the Township informed of their current
mailing address, and shall timely contact the Township to determine
the amount outstanding in the event that a bill is not received.
F.
All fees and other charges assessed pursuant to this
ordinance may be collected by enforcing in rem claims against the
qualifying properties against which they are assessed pursuant to
the MCTLA or other applicable law. Such fees and other charges may
also be collected in assumpsit or other appropriate remedy against
the owners of the respective qualifying properties pursuant to all
applicable laws.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances, insofar as they are inconsistent
herewith, are hereby repealed absolutely.
