Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Township of Washington, NJ
Warren County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (28) Index
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Washington as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Leaf mulching/composting — See Ch. 81.
Nuisances — See Ch. 134.
[Adopted 8-14-1968]
The Health Officer of the Township of Washington is the officer of the municipality charged with the enforcement of this article.
A. 
Whenever the Health Officer of the Township of Washington shall deem it necessary and expedient for the preservation of the public health, safety or general welfare or to eliminate a fire hazard, he or she shall serve upon the owner and/or the tenant of lands, lying within the limits of the Township of Washington, County of Warren, upon which there are brush, weeds, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash, and debris, including construction debris, a notice that said item or items must be removed or destroyed within 10 days of service of such notice.
[Amended 11-8-1978; 10-16-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-08]
B. 
Service of the notice may be made upon the owner or tenant personally or by mailing a copy of said notice to the owner at his address shown on the tax records in the office of the Tax Collector of the Township of Washington, County of Warren, by registered mail, return receipt requested.
C. 
Every such notice shall, in addition to requiring the removal or destruction aforesaid, warn the owner or tenant of the lands to which such notice refers that they are to accomplish such removal or destruction within the time stated therein and that failure or neglect to so remove or destroy will result in removal or destruction by or under the direction of the Health Officer of the Township of Washington. The cost of such removal or destruction shall be charged to the owner or tenant of such land and shall be payable to the Township within 30 days after the date of submission of the charges. Unless such charges are paid within the thirty-day period, the costs aforesaid shall become a lien upon the lands and shall be collected as provided pursuant to the authority of N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.14.
[Amended 11-8-1978]
[Amended 11-8-1978]
Whenever the owner or tenant of such lands within the Township of Washington, receiving a notice provided for by the preceding sections to remove from such lands or destroy any of the substances hereinabove mentioned, shall fail or neglect, within the time prescribed in the notice to effect removal or destruction of such substances, such removal or destruction shall be accomplished by or under the direction of the Health Officer of the Township of Washington. An accurate record of the costs of such removal or destruction to the Township of Washington shall be determined by the Health Officer, who shall certify the cost thereof to the Township Committee, which Committee shall examine the certification and, if found correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the lands. The amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become in form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, the same to bear interest at the same rate as taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officer and in the same manner as taxes.
[Amended 11-8-1978]
Any person failing to comply with any notice given by the Health Officer of the Township of Washington as aforesaid shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days or by a fine not exceeding $200, or both. Any such penalty shall be in addition to the cost of removing or destroying the substances hereinbefore referred to upon the lands described in the notice given by the Health Officer.
[Adopted 8-21-2001 by Ord. No. 01-9]
This section sets forth the procedures for the Township of Washington (hereinafter referred to as "Township") residents only desiring to dispose of branches, leaves, garden waste and grass clippings. (No contractors, firms/corporations or individuals who live/reside outside the Township shall be permitted to dispose of any such materials either on the Township property or for the Township collection, whichever is applicable).
[Amended 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-11; 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09; 12-16-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-16; 12-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-17]
A. 
There shall be tags and/or stickers issued for curbside collection of vegetative materials and there shall be a pass issued for annual usage of the Convenience Center and for the purchase of mulch. Annual fees cover January 1 to December 31 of each year. Residents may not use curbside tags and/or stickers in order to gain access to the Convenience Center. Failure to have such a Convenience Center Pass and/or tags/stickers shall prevent a Township resident from partaking in these services and/or subject them to various fines/penalties as set forth herein.
B. 
The fees, the place(s) and times to obtain and pay for these fees and to obtain the Convenience Center Pass, and/or the Curbside tags and/or the sticker(s), will be established on an annual basis by resolution at the annual reorganization meeting or as soon thereafter as the committee may meet.
A. 
Biannual prunings. Residents may place biannual prunings (with tag) at the curbside of the street which bears the same address as on the tag (do not place at roadway intersections or in the roadway itself) by 6:00 a.m. on the following Fridays: All eligible residents living north of Route 57 shall place them out on the second and fourth full weeks of the month, and all eligible residents living south of Route 57 shall place them out on the first and third full weeks of the month. The chipping crew will work each road only once and will not return until the next scheduled collection week. The collection of prunings will be during the spring months of April and May and during the fall months of September and October of each year only. A one-time pickup will be made during the month of July on the two working days before the official Fourth of July holiday.
B. 
Storm emergencies. For storm emergencies, residents must purchase tags/stickers the same as are issued for annual usage of the curbside collection. Branches (with tag) must be placed at the curbside of the street. Do not place at roadway intersections or in the roadway itself. Tree trunks and limbs in excess of eight inches in diameter shall not be collected. Limbs must not be longer than 10 feet in length. All limbs under four inches in diameter shall be tied with twine (no wire, nylon string, etc.) in manageable bundles and placed in an orderly manner with all butts (eight inches in diameter maximum) facing the roadside. Do not place in bags, buckets and/or cans. No curbside collection of said branches will be accepted for any work performed at any residence by anyone (e.g., contractors) other than the homeowner or tenant. The Public Works Department road crew will have full discretion to reject materials it deems inappropriate for storm emergency collection. After paying the fee, residents may participate in the regular curbside collection. The Township will not remove vegetative material at any other time unless an emergency situation exists as declared by the Township, such as a storm emergency. In that event, the Township will remove storm branches only downed by the storm during the full week next following such storm emergency. No additional tree branches will be collected. This provision is for an actual storm emergency and not for every passing storm or shower. Under this storm emergency provision only, residents should call the Public Works Department, (908) 689-0812, for scheduling, and all branches must be curbside at 6:00 a.m. on the Monday of the full week next following such storm emergency. The chipping crew will work each road only once and will not return.
[Amended 12-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-17]
C. 
Bagged leaves and other garden-type vegetative materials.
(1) 
The Township will collect bagged leaves in clear bags only (with stickers) and other related garden-type vegetative materials (but in no way, shape or form shall any grass be collected, whether alone or mixed with other vegetative materials) that are placed at the curbside of the street which bears the same address (such bags shall not be placed at intersections or in the roadway itself) by 6:00 a.m. on Thursdays and continue into Friday of each week working each road only once and will not return until the next scheduled week during the period set forth below only. The collection of bagged leaves will begin the second full week of October and continue through the months of November and December (ending the last full week before Christmas) of each year. During the months of April and May, collection shall be on Fridays per the same schedule as that of the curbside collection of prunings (§ 50-7A above).
(2) 
The placement of tags and/or stickers shall be as follows:
(a) 
All bagged vegetative materials shall bear a Township-issued sticker in a visible location on the outside of the bag.
(b) 
Brush piled for curbside collection must have a Township-issued tag in a visible location (facing the curb).
D. 
Holiday collection. In the event that any collection date under this provision falls on an official Township holiday, the collection will be on the prior working day. Leaf collection during the week of Thanksgiving will begin on Tuesday.
E. 
Inclement weather. All curbside dates may be canceled without notification due to inclement weather. All bagged vegetative materials and brush must be set back from the curb for plowing purposes and public safety.
[Amended 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09]
F. 
Grass clippings. Grass clippings will not be picked up curbside but may be placed, along with garden-variety waste and leaves, in separate marked holding areas at the Port Colden Public Works Facility/Convenience Center throughout the entire year.
G. 
There shall be no dumping of any other materials or the removal of any material at (or from) the Port Colden Public Works Facility/Convenience Center without approval from the Principal Public Works Manager.
H. 
Christmas trees. Residents may place Christmas trees for curbside pickup (with no separate fee required) by 6:00 a.m. on Thursdays during the months of January and February. Residents may also bring Christmas trees to the Port Colden Public Works Facility/Convenience Center (with no separate fee required) and place in the marked holding area.
[Amended 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-11]
In order to allow for safe and efficient collection, the following regulations must be followed.
A. 
Prunings.
(1) 
Collection shall be limited to brush, tree prunings and the like.
(2) 
Tree trunks and limbs in excess of eight inches in diameter shall not be collected.
(3) 
Limbs should be no longer than approximately 10 feet in length.
(4) 
All limbs and brush under four inches in diameter shall be tied with twine (no wire, nylon string, etc.) in manageable bundles and placed in an orderly manner with all butts (eight inches in diameter maximum) facing the roadside. The size of the entire pile may not be larger than approximately three feet high and/or around 10 feet wide. Large piles are limited to one per property. Only one tag is needed per pickup pile.
[Amended 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-11]
(5) 
All small brush and twigs must be tied with twine (no wire, nylon string, etc.) in bundles not to exceed eight inches in diameter. Do not place in bags, buckets and/or cans.
[Amended 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-11]
(6) 
All forsythia, willow vines, hedge trimmings and the like must be tied in bundles not to exceed eight inches in diameter with twine (no wire, nylon string, etc.). Do not place in bags, buckets and/or cans. Small evergreen trimmings may be placed in a clear plastic bag with a sticker.
[Amended 9-17-2002 by Ord. No. 02-11]
(7) 
No construction debris or stumps of any kind.
(8) 
No multiflora roses, briars, thorns or loose vines of any kind.
(9) 
No roots or root balls.
(10) 
No wood lot clearing or whole tree removal.
(11) 
Dead or diseased limbs or branches must be tied and tagged in manageable bundles for one person to lift, if they are left for curbside collection.
(12) 
No curbside collection of said materials will be accepted for any work performed at any residence by anyone (e.g., contractors) other than the homeowner or tenant.
(13) 
The Public Works Department road crew will have full discretion to reject materials it deems inappropriate for chipping and/or curbside collection.
B. 
Leaf and vegetative waste collection.
(1) 
Collection shall be limited to clear plastic garbage bags (with stickers), containing leaves and other vegetative waste only (no grass). The bags shall be no larger than 30 gallon bags.
(2) 
No bags containing animal wastes or any other household trash will be acceptable.
(3) 
No grass clippings will be picked up at all.
C. 
Port Colden Public Works Depot (Convenience Center) (presently located at 22 East Front Street, Washington, New Jersey):
(1) 
Procedures.
(a) 
Prunings and brush along with multiflora roses, shrubs, hedge trimmings, dead and diseased branches and the like not to exceed four inches in diameter may be dropped off in the marked holding area(s) at the Convenience Center. These hours will be posted at the Convenience Center. The following items shall not be permitted for drop-off at the Convenience Center: stumps, roots or root balls, construction debris, dirt, rocks or garbage of any kind. This list is not exclusive and the Township reserves the right to add additional items to such list.
(b) 
Leaves and all other types of vegetative materials may be dropped off at the Convenience Center, free of any debris and not left in bags, in the marked holding container(s) discussed herein. These materials must be brought to the Convenience Center by persons transporting only their own generated materials and no contractor use is permitted.
(c) 
Grass clippings may be dumped in the marked holding container (not left in bags or original container) at the Port Colden Facility/Convenience Center. Grass brought to the Port Colden Convenience Center must be by Township residents transporting only their own grass and no contractor use is permitted.
(d) 
The Public Works Department attendant will have full discretion to reject materials he/she deems inappropriate for the Convenience Center.
[Added 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also renumbered former C(1)(d) and (e) as C(1)(e) and (f), respectively.
(e) 
All dumping of trash and garbage of any kind at the Port Colden Public Works Facility/Convenience Center in any capacity is prohibited.
(f) 
Proof of residency will be required when using the Convenience Center.
(2) 
Hours (for the purpose of this article). The Port Colden Public Works Facility (Convenience Center) will be established on an annual basis by resolution at the reorganization meeting or as soon thereafter as the committee may meet.
[Amended 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09; 12-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-17]
(3) 
Mulch/wood chips. Residents must purchase a Convenience Center pass. Mulch/wood chips can be obtained at the Convenience Center during specified hours. The Public Works Department does not guarantee the quality (not treated) and/or availability of mulch/wood chips. There is a limit of three yards or three pickup truck-sized loads per annual Convenience Center pass. Mulch/wood chips must be utilized at the property indicated on the pass and is not for resale by residents. Passes will be stamped/punched in order to track the number of yards removed. After the limit of three yards or three pickup truck-sized loads is reached, residents may purchase additional yards at the fee established on an annual basis. Payment is to be made to the Convenience Center attendant in exact amounts (no checks will be accepted). Mulch/wood chips are to be loaded by residents, not Convenience Center attendant. The Township of Washington will not be held responsible for any vehicle damage that may occur while resident is loading the mulch/wood chips.
[Added 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09; 12-21-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-17]
(4) 
Outside entities and/or other municipalities may purchase a Convenience Center pass. The above rules and regulations will apply.
[Added 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09]
A. 
Failure to follow any and/or all of the above procedures will result in the Township refusing to remove vegetative materials from a property or to allow the disposal of vegetative materials at the Convenience Center. Additionally, any person, firm or corporation who violates or neglects to comply with any provision of this article or any rules or regulations promulgated thereto after one warning, shall be punished, upon conviction therefor, by a fine or penalty as provided below:
[Amended 7-20-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-09]
(1) 
First offense: a fine of $25.
(2) 
Second offense: a fine of $100 and all privileges will be rescinded for one year from date of the second offense.
(3) 
Third offense: a fine of $250 and/or 90 days of community service.
(4) 
Fourth and each subsequent offense: a fine of $1,000 and/or up to 90 days of community service.
(5) 
A mandatory court appearance is required for the second and subsequent violation of this article.
B. 
Any person, firm or corporation who, without authority from the Township, removes items placed at curbside or from the Port Colden Public Works Facility (Convenience Center) pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction therefor, be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both. A separate offense shall be deemed committed for each act or occurrence which violates the terms of this article.