[Adopted 2-2-2005 by Ord. No. O-2004-00022]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:49-4, the ordinances of the County of Essex of a general and permanent nature adopted by the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Essex, as revised, codified and consolidated into chapters and sections by General Code Publishers Corp., and consisting of Chapters 1 through 150, together with an Appendix, are hereby approved, adopted, ordained and enacted as the "Code of the County of Essex," hereinafter known and referred to as the "Code."
This ordinance and the Code shall supersede all general and permanent ordinances enacted prior to the enactment of this Code, except such ordinances as are hereinafter expressly saved from repeal or continued in force.
This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon passage and publication according to law.
A copy of the Code in loose-leaf form has been filed in the office of the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners and shall remain there for use and examination by the public until final action is taken on this ordinance; and, if this ordinance shall be adopted, such copy shall be certified to by the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners by impressing thereon the Seal of the County, as provided by law, and such certified copy shall remain on file in the office of the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners, to be made available to persons desiring to examine the same during all times while said Code is in effect.
Any and all additions, amendments or supplements to the Code, when passed and adopted in such form as to indicate the intent of the governing body to make them a part thereof, shall be deemed to be incorporated into such Code so that reference to the "Code of the County of Essex" shall be understood and intended to include such additions and amendments. Whenever such additions, amendments or supplements to the Code shall be adopted, they shall thereafter be printed and, as provided hereunder, inserted in the loose-leaf book containing said Code, as amendments and supplements thereto.
The Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners, pursuant to law, shall publish this Adopting Ordinance, in the manner required, in a newspaper of general circulation in the County. Sufficient copies of the Code shall be maintained in the office of the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners for inspection by the public at all times during regular office hours. The enactment and publication of this Adopting Ordinance, coupled with availability of copies of the Code for inspection by the public, shall be deemed, held and considered to be due and legal publication of all provisions of the Code for all purposes. Copies of the Code shall further be sent to every municipality in the County of Essex for review by all officials and citizens thereof and further to the main public library in each municipality in the County.
It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners or someone authorized and directed by the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners to keep up-to-date the certified copy of the book containing the Code required to be filed in his or her office for the use of the public. All changes in said Code and all ordinances adopted subsequent to the effective date of this codification which shall be adopted specifically as part of the Code shall, when finally adopted, be included therein by reference until such changes or new ordinances are printed as supplements to said Code book, at which time such supplements shall be inserted therein.
Copies of the Code, or any chapter or portion of it, may be purchased from the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners, or an authorized agent of the Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners, upon the payment of a fee to be set by the Board of County Commissioners. The Clerk of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners may also arrange for procedures for the periodic supplementation of the Code.
It shall be unlawful for anyone to improperly change or amend, by additions or deletions, any part or portion of the Code or to alter or tamper with such Code in any manner whatsoever which will cause the law of the County of Essex to be misrepresented thereby. Anyone violating this section or any part of this ordinance shall be subject, upon conviction, to one or more of the following: a fine of not more than $1,250 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, in the discretion of the Judge imposing the same.
Each section of the Code and every part of each section is an independent section or part of a section, and the holding of any section or a part thereof to be unconstitutional, void or ineffective for any cause shall not be deemed to affect the validity or constitutionality of any other sections or parts thereof.
Each section of this ordinance is an independent section, and the holding of any section or part thereof to be unconstitutional, void or ineffective for any cause shall not be deemed to affect the validity or constitutionality of any other sections or parts thereof.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with the provisions contained in the Code adopted by this ordinance are hereby repealed; provided, however, that such repeal shall only be to the extent of such inconsistency, and any valid legislation of the County of Essex which is not in conflict with the provisions of the Code shall be deemed to remain in full force and effect.
The adoption of this Code and the repeal of ordinances provided for in § 1-13 of this ordinance shall not affect the following ordinances, rights and obligations, which are hereby expressly saved from repeal:
A. 
Any ordinance adopted subsequent to December 15, 2004.
B. 
Any right or liability established, accrued or incurred under any legislative provision prior to the effective date of this ordinance or any action or proceeding brought for the enforcement of such right or liability.
C. 
Any offense or act committed or done before the effective date of this ordinance in violation of any legislative provision or any penalty, punishment or forfeiture which may result therefrom.
D. 
Any prosecution, indictment, action, suit or other proceeding pending or any judgment rendered, prior to the effective date of this ordinance brought pursuant to any legislative provision.
E. 
Any franchise, license, right, easement or privilege heretofore granted or conferred.
F. 
Any ordinance providing for the laying out, opening, altering, widening, relocating, straightening, establishing of grade, changing of name, improvement, acceptance or vacation of any right-of-way, easement, street, road, highway, park or other public place or any portion thereof.
G. 
Any ordinance appropriating money or transferring funds, promising or guaranteeing the payment of money or authorizing the issuance and delivery of any bond or other instruments or evidence of the County's indebtedness.
H. 
Ordinances authorizing the purchase, sale, lease or transfer of property or any lawful contract, agreement or obligation.
I. 
The levy or imposition of taxes, assessments or charges or the approval of the County budget.
J. 
The dedication of property or approval of preliminary or final subdivision plats.
K. 
All currently effective ordinances pertaining to the rate and manner of payment of salaries and compensation of officers and employees.
L. 
Any ordinance adopting or amending the Zoning Map.
M. 
Any legislation relating to or establishing a pension plan or pension fund for County employees.
In compiling and preparing the ordinances for adoption and revision as part of the Code pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:49-4, certain grammatical changes and other minor changes were made in one or more of said ordinances. It is the intention of the Essex County Board of County Commissioners that all such changes be adopted as part of the Code as if the ordinances so changed had been previously formally amended to read as such. Throughout the Code, gender-neutral language has been used.