In addition to the authorities and powers provided to the Code Enforcement Officer and other employees, officers, and officials of the Township of Long Beach, as provided herein and as set forth in the International Property Maintenance Code and New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, the Board of Commissioners shall have the authority and power, as provided by N.J.S.A. 40:48-1 et seq., to elect, in its discretion, to abate any nuisance, correct any defect, remedy any violation, and/or put any property and/or premises (hereinafter collectively "property") in proper condition so as to comply with the requirements of Chapter 64, including the International Property Maintenance Code and the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, at the cost of the owner and/or lessor of the property as provided herein.
A. 
Upon complaint of any resident or property owner of the Township or any officer or employee of the Township or upon his or her own election, the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent shall make an investigation of the condition complained of at any property in the Township relating to and in furtherance of requirements of Chapter 64, and, if the conditions at the property warrant one, the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent shall prepare and file a written report with the Board of Commissioners and the Township Clerk setting forth the alleged violations of Chapter 64 located at the property.
B. 
Upon receiving the report prepared pursuant to § 64-23A, the Board of Commissioners shall review the report and determine whether or not the property is in violation of Chapter 64. In the event that the Board of Commissioners determines that one or more violations exist, the Board of Commissioners may elect, in its discretion, to adopt a resolution directing the Township Clerk to issue a notice of violation and the Code Enforcement Officer to take any and all necessary actions pursuant to and in furtherance of the provisions herein.
The notice of violation shall be in writing and shall set forth the specific provisions of Chapter 64 that have been found to have been violated, and shall set forth that the owner and/or lessor have 10 days from the receipt of that notice to remove the violation(s) from the property. The notice shall further set forth that if the owner and/or lessor fail to remove the violation(s) from the property within 10 days of receipt of the notice, the Township shall abate any nuisance, correct any defect, remedy any violation, and/or put the subject property in proper condition so as to comply with the requirements of Chapter 64 at the cost of the owner and/or lessor of the property as provided herein.
Notices shall be served in writing either personally or by registered mail to the owner and may be served upon the lessor, if the lessor is a separate juridical person from the owner, is known to the Township, and the Township intends to take action against the lessor, and by posting it upon the property, if possible, in a conspicuous place. If the whereabouts of an owner is unknown and cannot be ascertained by and through the exercise of reasonable diligence, and service cannot be made by way of personal service or registered mail, the Township Clerk shall make an affidavit to that effect and then cause notice to be published in a newspaper circulating in the Township at least once and not less than 30 days before the actions, as specified by the notice, are taken by the Township. Proof by affidavit of service of the notice shall be filed with the officer in charge of the records of tax liens, but failure to file the proofs shall not invalidate the proceedings if service has been made as hereinbefore provided.
A. 
If the owner and/or lessor of the property in question fails to abate the condition(s) complained of in the notice within 10 days after receipt of same or 30 days after publication in the newspaper, if service is not effectuated by personal or registered mail, the Township may correct the defect, remedy any violation, and/or put the property in proper condition so as to comply with the requirements of Chapter 64 at the direction of the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent, by either Township employees or by third-party contractors pursuant to the provisions of the "Local Public Contracts Law," unless the action is necessary to prevent imminent danger to life, limb, or property, in which case no-bid contracts may be entered.
B. 
Where the Township has taken the actions as set forth in § 65-25A, the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent shall certify the cost thereof to the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners shall examine the certificate, and if it shall be found correct, the Board of Commissioners shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the property where the aforesaid actions were taken by the Township and/or its third-party agents. The amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon the property and shall be added to become and form a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon the property, 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.
C. 
The responsibilities of the owners and lessors shall not be diminished by the provisions providing for the corrective actions that may be taken by the Township herein. Abatement and corrective action by the Township shall be an alternate, optional procedure to remedy, abate, and alleviate the threats to persons and property and the public health and dangers to public health, safety, and welfare in the event that the owners and lessors do not comply with their duties and the notice provided herein.
D. 
In the event that the Township removes, abates, and/or remedies pursuant to its authority herein and does not secure the services of third-party contractors, the Township shall charge for all costs related to the services provided by Township employees and officials for the removal, abatement, and remedies performed, as to be determined by the Board of Commissioners. In the event that the Township removes, abates, and/or remedies pursuant to its authority herein and secures the services of third-party contractors pursuant to the terms herein, the Township shall charge the amount for the costs and fees charged by the third-party contractors.
E. 
In addition to the assessment of a municipal lien against the property, as aforesaid, the Township may also elect to enforce the payment of the assessment of the entire cost, together with interest, as a debt of the owner of the premises and may authorize the institution of an action at law for the collection thereof.
A. 
The Code Enforcement Officer and his or her designated agent are charged with and authorized to exercise such powers as may be necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including all powers provided by N.J.S.A. 40:48-1 et seq., the International Property Maintenance Code, and the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, and, in addition to the others granted herein, the following powers:
(1) 
To investigate the conditions of the property;
(2) 
To enter upon the property for the purpose of making examinations, provided that such entries shall be made in such manner as to cause the least possible inconvenience to the person(s) in possession, except in circumstances that pose imminent threat and harm to the public health, welfare, and safety;
(3) 
To appoint and fix the duties of such officers, agents, and employees as (s)he deems necessary to carry out the purpose of this chapter; and
(4) 
To delegate any of the functions and powers under this chapter to such officers and agents as (s)he may designate.
B. 
All third-party contractors retained by the Township have the right to enter upon the premises and/or property to effectuate all actions required to conduct the removal and filling and actions related thereto under the direction of the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her designated agent.