[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Morrisville 7-11-1967 by Ord. No. 596. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Littering — See Ch. 272.
Solid waste — See Ch. 360.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 376.
Trees — See Ch. 424.
Zoning — See Ch. 465.
[Amended 4-10-2001 by Ord. No. 913]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation or unincorporated association owning, occupying or possessing an interest in any real estate in the Borough of Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to permit weeds, grass or any vegetation whatsoever, not edible or planted for some useful or ornamental purpose, to grow or to remain upon such premises as to exceed a height of 10 inches (254 mm) or to throw off any unpleasant or noxious odor or to conceal any filthy deposit or to create or produce pollen or to harbor or serve as a breeding place for insects. Any grass, weeds or other vegetation growing upon any premises within the Borough of Morrisville in violation of provisions of this chapter are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety and comfort of the inhabitants of the Borough of Morrisville.
Any weeds such as jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle, cocklebur, or other weeds of a like kind, found growing in any lot or tract of land in the Borough are hereby declared to be a nuisance, and it shall be unlawful to permit such weeds to grow or remain in any such place.
[Amended 4-2-1926]
Every owner of land fronting or abutting on any highway, street, avenue, roadway, or other thoroughfare within the limits of the Borough of Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, its parks, or public lands, shall keep the grass, briars, weeds, soil, stones, and bushes removed from along, on and over the pavements, paths, and sidewalks bordering on, along or within the boundaries of such highway, street, avenue, roadway, or other thoroughfare, so that they shall in no way soil or interfere with the clothing or wearing apparel of pedestrians.
The owner of any vacant premises, the owner of any premises occupied by such owner, or the occupant of any premises not occupied by the owner, shall remove, trim or cut all grass, weeds, or other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises which are in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
The owner or occupant, as the case may be, shall be required to trim or cut all grass, weeds, or vegetation not only upon the actual premises owned or occupied by him but also the grass, weeds or vegetation growing or remaining upon any grass strip, street or gutter immediately adjacent or contiguous to the premises, it being the intent of this chapter that the abutting property owner or occupant of premises along a street shall cut or trim the grass, weeds or other vegetation within the sidewalk or cartway area where such sidewalk area is not completely paved.
Town Council, the Chief of Police, or any police officer or employee designated by Council for this purpose, is hereby authorized to give notice to the owner or occupant, as the case may be, of any premises or abutting street area whereon grass, weeds or other vegetation is growing or remaining in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Said notice shall be served either personally or by registered mail and mailed to the last known address of such owner or occupant or by posting such notice in a conspicuous place on the land involved.
In the event such person, firm, partnership, corporation or unincorporated association of the land on which such offense is occurring shall not cause the same to be cut or removed within five days of notification, then the Borough authorities may remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds, or vegetation and the cost thereof, together with a penalty of 10%, may be collected by the Borough from such person, firm, partnership, corporation or unincorporated association in the manner provided by law. Charges for such removal shall be a lien upon the premises. Whenever a bill for such charges remains unpaid for 30 days after it has been rendered, the Borough may file with the Prothonotary of Bucks County a statement of lien claim. This statement shall contain a legal description of the premises, the expenses and costs incurred and the date the weeds were cut, and a notice that the Borough claims a lien for this amount. Notice of such lien claim shall be mailed to the owner of the premises if his address is known or by posting such notice in a conspicuous place on the land involved. Provided, however, that failure of the Borough to record such lien claim or to mail such notice, or the failure of the owner to receive such notice, shall not affect the right to file the lien for such charges. Property subject to a lien for unpaid charges shall be sold for nonpayment of the same and the proceeds of such sale shall be applied to pay the charges after deducting costs, as is the case in the foreclosure of statutory liens. Such foreclosure shall be in equity in the name of the Borough. The Borough Solicitor is hereby authorized and directed to institute such proceedings in the name of the Borough, in any court having jurisdiction over such matter, against any property for which such bill has remained unpaid 30 days after it has been rendered. Provided, however, that the imposition of or the collection of such cost and penalty shall not relieve the owner or occupant from the imposition of any fine hereinafter provided.
[Amended 5-14-1985 by Ord. No. 800]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300, together with costs of prosecution, or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days. Every day that a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate offense.