Village of Ridgefield Park, NJ Article V Maintenance Standards

§ 287-12 Statement of standards.

[Amended 3-26-1985 by Ord. No. 6-85]

The following property maintenance standards shall be observed:

A. All vacant structures and premises thereof or vacant lands shall be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition as provided herein so as not to cause problems or adversely affect the public health or safety.

B. Sanitation. All exterior property areas and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition, free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.

C. Storage areas. All open salvage yards and open storage shall be completely obscured from surrounding property by a solid screen not less than six feet in height.

D. Exhaust vents. A person shall not construct, maintain or operate pipes, ducts, conductors, fans or blowers discharging gases, steam, vapor, hot air, grease, smoke, odors or other gaseous or particulate wastes so as to discharge directly upon abutting or adjacent public and private property or property of another tenant.

E. The exterior of a structure shall be maintained structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the health and safety of the occupants and so as to protect the occupants from the environment.

F. Exterior surfaces: foundations, walls and roof. Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in a workmanlike state of maintenance and repair and shall be kept in such condition as to exclude rodents.

G. Exterior walls. Every exterior wall shall be free of holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or timbers and any other conditions which might admit rain or dampness to the interior portions of the walls or to the occupied spaces of the building. All exterior surface material, including wood, composition or metal siding, shall be maintained weatherproof and shall be properly surface-coated when required to prevent deterioration.

H. Window and door frames. Every window, door and frame shall be constructed and maintained in such relation to the adjacent wall construction as to exclude rain as completely as possible and to substantially exclude wind from entering the dwelling or structure.

I. Chimneys. All chimneys, cooling towers, smokestacks and similar appurtenances shall be maintained structurally safe, sound and in good repair. All exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating materials such as paint or similar surface treatment.

J. Decorative features. All cornices, entablature, belt courses, corbels, terra-cotta trim, wall facings and similar decorative features shall be maintained in good repair with proper anchorage and in a safe condition.

K. Signs, marquees and awnings. All canopies, marquees, signs, metal awnings, stairways, fire escapes, standpipes, exhaust ducts and similar overhang extensions shall be maintained in good repair and be properly anchored so as to be kept in a safe and sound condition. They shall be protected from the elements and against decay and rust by the periodic application of a weather-coating material such as paint or other protective treatment.

L. Cleanliness. Every occupant of a structure or part thereof shall keep that part of the structure or premises thereof which that occupant occupies, controls or uses in a clean and sanitary condition. Every owner of a dwelling containing two or more dwelling units shall maintain in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or public areas of the dwelling and premises thereof.

M. Disposal of rubbish. Every occupant of a structure or part thereof shall dispose of all rubbish in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in rubbish containers equipped with tight-fitting covers as required by this chapter.

N. Disposal of garbage. Every occupant of a structure or part thereof shall dispose of garbage in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in garbage disposal facilities or, if such facilities are not available, by removing all nonburnable matter and securely wrapping such garbage and placing it in tight garbage storage containers as required by this chapter or by such other disposal method as may be required by applicable laws or ordinances.

O. Garbage storage facilities. Every dwelling unit shall be supplied with an approved garbage disposal facility, which shall be an incinerator unit to be approved by the Construction Official, in the structure for the use of the occupants of each dwelling unit or an approved outside garbage can or a leakproof approved container provided with a close-fitting cover for storage of such material until the materials are removed from the premises for disposal. The garbage cans shall be kept in a screened-in area or in an enclosure.

P. Caretaker. In every multiple dwelling in which the owner does not reside, there shall be a responsible person designated by the owner residing on the premises, whose duties include maintaining the commonly used parts of the premises.

Q. Motor vehicles: residential areas. Not more than one currently unregistered and/or uninspected motor vehicle shall be parked on any property in a residential district, and said vehicle shall not at any time be in a state of major disassembly or disrepair nor shall it be in the process of being stripped or dismantled. A vehicle of any type shall not at any time undergo major overhaul, including bodywork, disassembly or disrepair, in a residential district. Nor shall any disassembly, disrepair, dismantling, stripping or bodywork be done on a residential street.

R. Motor vehicles: nonresidential areas. Not more than two currently unregistered and/or uninspected motor vehicles shall be permitted on any property in a nonresidential district, and any vehicle shall not at any time be in a state of substantial disassembly or disrepair nor shall it be in the process of being stripped or dismantled. In no event on a nonresidential street shall any vehicle of any kind at any time undergo substantial overhaul, including disassembly, disrepair, stripping or dismantling or bodywork.

S. Public areas. All sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and similar paved areas for public use shall be kept in a proper state of repair and free of all snow, ice, mud and other debris. If any sidewalk or driveway or portion thereof by virtue of its state of repair shall constitute a danger to public health and safety, the sidewalk or driveway or portion thereof shall be replaced.

T. Weeds, trees and hedges.

[Amended 11-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10]

(1) All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds and grass in excess of six inches in height, with the exception of trees, shrubs, cultivated flowers and gardens. All noxious weeds shall be prohibited and immediately removed.

(2) Trees. Dead and dying trees, tree limbs or other natural tree growth which, by reason of rotting or deteriorating condition or storm damage, has been determined by the Village Health Officer, Village Code Enforcement Officer, the Ridgefield Park Shade Tree Commission or the Commissioner of Public Safety to constitute a hazard to persons in the vicinity thereof shall be removed within 10 days after notice to remove same has been given.

(3) Hedges, shrubs and bushes. All hedges, shrubs, bushes, weeds, trees, grasses, growth or vegetation of any kind shall not encroach across a sidewalk or roadway or otherwise become a public nuisance to pedestrians, drivers or members of the public.

(4) Enforcement. These requirements set forth in this subsection shall be enforced by the Village Health Officer, the Village Code Enforcement Officer or the Commissioner of Public Safety, who shall make the final determination as to whether the requirements of this subsection have been met.

(5) Notice to owners or tenants. Notice to cut and remove objectionable brush, hedges, trees, grass and other plant life pursuant to this subsection shall be given by any of the enforcing officials set forth in Subsection T(4) herein to the property owner by regular and certified mail to the last-known post office address. The owner or tenant shall have 10 days from the date that the notice was delivered to correct the violations stated in the notice. Refusal to accept or sign the certified receipt shall not stay the ten-day remediation period, which shall commence either three days from the date of mailing or the date that the certified receipt is signed, whichever is later.

(6) Failure to comply; correction by Village. In the event of the failure of any owner or tenant to comply with any notice issued by the Village pursuant to this subsection within the ten-day period provided, the Village may proceed to cause the cutting and removal of the objectionable brush, hedges, trees, grass and other plant life under the direction of the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works. The decision to cut or remove the objectionable plant life shall rest in the sole discretion of the enforcing officials set forth in Subsection T(4) herein.

(7) Costs to become lien. In any case where the Village has cut and removed brush, hedges, trees, grass or other objectionable plant life, the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works shall thereafter certify to the governing body the cost thereof; and if the amount is determined by the Board of Commissioners to be correct and reasonable, then the Village Clerk shall forthwith deliver a certified resolution memorializing the final amount to the Village Tax Collector. The amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon the lands from which the objectionable plant life was cut and removed.

(8) Violations and penalties. Any person who shall refuse or neglect, after receiving written notice in the manner set forth above, to comply with the notice therein made with respect to the cutting and removal within the 10 days provided in this subsection shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to a penalty to not exceed $50 per day for each and every day after the ten-day period in which the owner or tenant shall refuse or neglect to cut and remove the objectionable plant life. Each day shall be deemed a separate offense and shall continue until either the owner/tenant or the Village cuts or removes the objectionable plant life. The imposition and collection of any fine or penalty prescribed by this section shall not bar the right of the Village to collect the additional cost of cutting the brush, hedges, trees, grass or other objectionable plant life, as hereinbefore specified. Such remedies shall be cumulative. Refusal to sign the certified receipt shall not be a defense to the imposition of penalties in this subsection.

U. Open fires. Open fires shall be prohibited except as specifically approved by the Fire Official.

V. Parking lots.

(1) All commercial and business establishments within the Village of Ridgefield Park shall have areas providing off-street parking for the employees and persons using said establishments, which areas shall be surfaced with asphaltic or concrete surfaces so as to be hard-surfaced and to prevent erosion and shall have appropriate curbing or the equivalent, in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance. Each parking area shall have controlled entrances and exits, with painted lines indicating traffic flow and parking spaces. The proposed location of the off-street parking shall show all drainage facilities and proposed grades, with proposed lighting facilities, including showing the direction and reflection of the lighting. Such parking areas shall also have such planting and fencing, if necessary, as to enhance the neighborhood. The proposed design, location and other requirements of this subsection for parking areas shall be reviewed and approved by the Municipal Engineer. Any operator or owner of property dissatisfied with the decision of the Municipal Engineer may appeal such decision to the Board of Commissioners, which shall make a determination in writing within 45 days from the time the Clerk receives objections to the decision of the Municipal Engineer.

(2) Off-street parking areas so designed as to accommodate five or fewer vehicles may be exempted from the provisions of this chapter upon proper application to the enforcement officer.

W. Trailers.

(1) No trailers, which includes buildings, vehicles or rollers for carrying persons or property, shall be located within any portion of the municipality so that they may be used for residential, business or commercial purposes, including human habitation or the permanent storage of property or the operation therefrom for permanent commercial purposes.

(2) Any trailer, however, which is located on a piece of property for a temporary period of time in connection with the operation of a business or commercial establishment, or a travel trailer used for travel, recreation, vacation and other short-term uses, which does not have a width exceeding eight feet and a body length exceeding 24 feet, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter as long as it is operable for the foregoing purposes and is not used for human habitation.