It shall be unlawful for any owner, possessor
or occupant of land in the Township to store, place or permit to be
stored or placed upon such land, other than in an enclosed building
or in a duly licensed junkyard operated pursuant to all applicable
regulations of the Township, any automobiles so in need of repair
as to render them incapable of being readily operated under their
own power, or automobiles not currently licensed, or any parts of
any such automobiles or vehicles.
If any automobiles or vehicles described in §
387-1 are left, placed, kept or stored on private lands for 15 days or more, it shall be presumed that the owner or tenant in possession of such lands stored it there or permitted it to be left, placed, kept or stored there.
[Amended 4-15-1980 by Ord. No. 80-8; at
time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Upon complaint of any resident or property owner
of the Township or upon his own motion, the Code Enforcement Official
shall make an investigation of the condition complained of and, if
it appears that a violation of one or more of the provisions of this
chapter exists on the land, the Code Enforcement Official shall notify
the owner, possessor and occupant of the land in writing of such violation,
which notice shall require the abatement of the violation within 10
days from date of service of such notice. Such notice shall be served
personally upon the owner, possessor or occupant of the land by handing
a copy of it to the person or by leaving it at his usual place of
abode with some member of his household over the age of 14 years;
but if any such owner or possessor resides outside the Township, the
notice shall be served upon him by registered or certified mail, addressed
to him at his usual residence if same is ascertainable; otherwise,
such owner shall be served by notice published in the official newspaper
of the Township.
If the owner, possessor or occupant of the lands
fails or refuses to abate or remedy after 10 days' notice, the condition
complained of which constitutes a violation of this chapter, the Township
through its servants, agent or employees may enter upon the lands
and premises for the purpose of removing such motor vehicle or parts
thereof. The Township shall take possession of any such motor vehicle
and proceed to dispose of it in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 81 of the Laws of 1964 of the State of New Jersey (N.J.S.A.
39:10A-3).
The Sanitary Inspector shall certify to the
Township Committee the unrecovered amount of any costs or expenses
incurred by the Township in abating any condition existing in violation
of this chapter. If the Township Committee finds the certification
of costs to be correct, it shall cause the costs and expenses as shown
thereon to be charged against the lands. The amount so charged shall
become a lien on the lands and shall be added to and become and form
part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon the lands, the
same to bear interest at the same rate as taxes, and shall be collected
and enforced by the same officers and in the same manner as taxes.