[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Greenwich 10-18-2010 by Ord. No. 13-2010. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
There exists in the Township of Greenwich buildings which are
unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use, due to dilapidation,
defects increasing the hazards of fire, accidents or other calamities,
lack of ventilation, lack of sanitary facilities or due to other conditions
rendering the building or buildings or part thereof unsafe or unsanitary
or dangerous or detrimental to the safety or otherwise inimical to
the welfare of the residents of the Township. The Township has the
power pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.3 et seq., as amended, to exercise
its police powers to repair, close or demolish or cause or require
the repairing, closing or demolition of such building or buildings
or part thereof in the manner herein provided.
Former Chapter 68, entitled "Buildings, Unfit For Human Habitation,"
is repealed in its entirety and replaced with this new chapter.
The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this chapter,
shall have the following meanings unless a different meaning clearly
appears from the context:
Any building or structure, or part thereof, whether used
for human habitation or otherwise, and includes any accessory buildings
and appurtenances belonging thereto or usually enjoyed therewith.
A building or structure, or part thereof, containing one
or more dwelling units or lodging units.
A building or portion thereof providing living facilities
for one or more persons.
The Township Council of the Township of Greenwich.
The holder or holders of title in fee simple.
All individuals, associations and corporations who have interests
of record in a building and any who are in actual possession thereof.
Any housing authority or any officer who is in charge of
any department or branch of the government of the municipality, county
or state relating to health, fire, building regulations or to other
activities concerning buildings in the municipality.
The officer, officers, board or body who is or are authorized
to exercise the powers prescribed by such ordinances and by P.L. 1942
c. 112 (N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.3 et seq.). Notwithstanding any other provision
of law to the contrary, nothing shall prevent the Mayor and Council
from designating more than one public officer for different purposes
as provided by law.
The Township of Greenwich in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
A.
Any building within the Township of Greenwich may be determined and
declared to be unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use if the
public officer in consultation with the Township Administrator finds
that conditions exist in such building which are dangerous or injurious
to the health or safety of the occupants of such building, the occupants
of neighboring buildings or other residents of the Township, including,
but not limited to defects therein increasing the hazards of fire,
accident or other calamities; lack of adequate ventilation, light
or sanitary facilities; dilapidation; disrepair; structural defects;
uncleanliness; or failure to conform to other laws of the State of
New Jersey or to ordinances of the Township of Greenwich or of the
local Board of Health of the Township of Greenwich regulating the
safety and sanitation of buildings.
B.
Any building or buildings, or parts thereof, which have come into
a state of disrepair through neglect, lack of maintenance or use,
fire, accident or other calamities, or through any other act rendering
the building or buildings, or parts thereof, in a state of disrepair,
to the extent that the welfare of the residents of the Township, and
the public officer may exercise the public officer's powers to
repair, demolish or cause the repairing or demolition of the building
or buildings, or parts thereof, pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter.
C.
Any building or buildings, or parts thereof, which have been damaged
to such an extent that nothing remains but the walls, or parts of
the walls and other supports, shall, regardless of the safety and
sturdiness of those remaining walls or parts thereof, be deemed inimical
to the welfare of the residents of the Township, and the public officer
may exercise the public officer's powers to repair, demolish
or cause the repairing or demolition of the building or buildings,
or parts thereof, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
Whenever a petition is filed with the public officer by a public
authority or by at least five residents of the Township charging that
any building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use, or
whenever it appears to the public officer, on the public officer's
own motion, that any building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy
or use, the public officer, in consultation with the Township Administrator,
shall, if preliminary investigation discloses a basis for such charges,
issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in interest
in such building, a complaint stating the charges in that respect
and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the public
officer at a place therein fixed no less than seven days nor more
than 30 days after the serving of said complaint, that the owner and
parties in interest shall have the right to file an answer to the
complaint and appear in person or by counsel and give testimony at
the place and time fixed in the complaint, and that the rules of evidence
prevailing in the courts shall not be controlling in the hearing before
the public officer.
A.
Complaints or orders issued by the public officer pursuant to this
chapter shall be served upon persons either personally or by registered
mail, but if the whereabouts of such persons is unknown and the same
cannot be ascertained by the public officer in the exercise of reasonable
diligence, and the public officer shall make an affidavit to that
effect, then the serving of such complaint or order upon such persons
may be made by publishing the same once each week for two successive
weeks in a newspaper printed and published in the County of Gloucester
and circulating in the Township.
B.
A copy of such complaint or order shall be posted in a conspicuous
place on the premises affected by the complaint or order.
C.
A copy of such complaint or order shall also be duly recorded or
lodged for record with the County recording officer of Gloucester
County.
A.
The owner and parties in interest shall have the right to file an
answer to the complaint and to appear in person or by attorney and
give testimony at the place and time fixed in said notice of hearing.
B.
The rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall
not be controlling in hearings before the public officer.
C.
At the time and place stated in said notice, or at such time and
place to which said hearing shall be adjourned, the public officer
shall hold a hearing at which time and place the charges shall be
read and the owner and parties in interest and witnesses shall be
heard.
D.
Within 14 days of such hearing, the public officer shall issue a
written report setting forth the public officer's findings of
fact, disposition of the charges and reasons thereof. A copy of the
report shall be served upon the owner and other parties in interest.
If, after such notice and hearing, the public officer determines that the buildings under consideration are unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use, in addition to the written report required under § 258-7D above, the public officer shall issue cause to be served upon the owners thereof and parties in interest an order:
A.
Requiring the repair, alteration or improvement of the said building
to be made by the owner, within a reasonable time, which time shall
be set forth in the order, or, at the option of the owner, to vacate
or have said building vacated and closed within the time set forth
in the order; and
B.
If the building is in such condition as to make it dangerous to the
health and safety of persons on or near the premises and the owner
fails to repair, alter or improve said building within the time specified
in the order, then the owner shall be required to remove or demolish
said building within a reasonable time as specified in said order
of removal.
A.
If the owner fails to comply with an order so issued by the public
officer to repair, alter or improve, or at the option of the owner,
to vacate and close the building, the public officer may cause such
building to be repaired, altered or improved or to be vacated and
closed. The public officer may cause to be posted on the main entrance
of any building so closed a placard with the following words: "This
building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use; the use
or occupation of this building is prohibited and unlawful."
B.
If the owner fails to comply with an order to remove or demolish
the building, the public officer may cause such building to be removed
or demolished or may contract for the removal or demolition thereof,
after advertisement for and receipt of bids therefor.
A.
The amount of the cost of the filing of legal papers, expert witnesses'
fees, search fees and advertising charges incurred in the course of
any proceeding taken under this chapter determined in favor of the
municipality, and the cost of such repairs, alterations and improvements,
of vacating and closing, or removal or demolition, of any, or the
amount of the balance thereof remaining after deduction of the sum,
if any, realized from the sale of materials derived from such building
or from any contract for removal or demolition thereof, shall be a
municipal lien against the real property upon which such cost was
incurred.
B.
A detailed statement of the aforesaid cost shall be filed with the
Municipal Tax Assessor or other custodian of the record of tax liens,
and a copy of said statement shall be forthwith forwarded to the owner
by registered mail. If the building is removed or demolished by the
public officer, the public officer shall, if possible, sell or cause
to be sold the materials of such building. There shall be credited
against the cost of removal or demolition thereof, including the clearance
and, if necessary, leveling of the site, the proceeds of any sale
of such materials or any sum derived from any contract for the removal
or demolition of the building. If there are no such credits of if
the sum total or such costs exceeds the total of such credits, a detailed
statement of the aforesaid costs and the amount so due shall be filed
with the Municipal Tax Assessor or other custodian of the records
of tax liens, and a copy thereof shall be forthwith forwarded to the
owner by registered mail. If the total of the credits exceed such
costs, the balance remaining shall be deposited in the Superior Court
by the public officer, shall be secured in such manner as may be directed
by such Court and shall be disbursed according to the order or judgment
of the Court to the persons found to be entitled thereto by final
order or judgment of such court. Any owner of party in interest may,
within 30 days from the date of the filing of the lien certificate,
proceed in a summary manner in the Superior Court to contest the reasonableness
of the amount or the accuracy of the costs set forth in the municipal
lien certificate.
C.
If an actual and immediate danger to life is posed by the threatened
collapse of any fire-damaged or other structurally unsafe building,
the public officer may, after taking such measures as may be necessary
to make such building temporarily safe, seek a judgment in summary
proceedings for the demolition thereof.
D.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair or limit in
any way the power of the municipality to define and declare nuisances
and to cause their removal or abatement by summary proceedings or
otherwise.
In addition to the powers of this chapter granted to the public
officer, the public officer shall also have the following powers:
A.
To investigate the building conditions in the municipality in order
to determine which buildings therein are unfit for human habitation
or occupancy or use.
B.
To administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and receive
evidence.
C.
To enter upon premises for the purpose of making examinations, provided
that such entries shall be made in such manner as to cause the least
possible inconvenience to persons in possession.
D.
To appoint and fix the duties of such officers, agents and employees
as he deems necessary to carry out the purpose of this chapter, provided
such appointments are first approved in writing by the Township Administrator.
E.
To delegate any of the functions and powers of the public officer
under this chapter to such officers and agents as the public officer
may designate, provided such delegation and/or designation is first
approved in writing by the Township Administrator.
The provisions of the New Jersey State Uniform Construction
Code, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq., and the 2009 International Property
Maintenance Code subject to revisions in Ordinance No. 14-2010[1] are hereby accepted, adopted and established as a standard
to be used as a guide in determining the fitness of a building for
human habitation or occupancy or use. A copy of the 2009 International
Property Maintenance Code and the New Jersey State Uniform Construction
Code are on file in the Township Clerk's office.
The failure, neglect or refusal of any person to comply with
any order made by the public officer pursuant to the provisions hereof
or the hindrance by any person of the public officer in making any
investigation under this chapter shall constitute a violation of this
chapter.
For any violation of this chapter, the violator shall be subject
to such a fine in the maximum sum of $2,000, 90 days' imprisonment
and/or 90 days of community service.
