[Adopted 8-12-2003 by Ord. No. 710 (Ch. 75A of the 1973 Borough Code)]
The owner or tenant of lands lying within the limits of the
Borough of Mount Ephraim, where it shall be necessary and expedient
for the preservation of the public health, safety or general welfare
to eliminate a fire hazard to remove from such lands grass over six
inches in height, brush, weeds, dead and dying trees, stumps, obnoxious
growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris and roots, shall be required,
within seven days after notice, to remove the same. Where the owner
or tenant shall refuse or neglect to remove the same within the time
provided hereinabove, the Borough shall have the right by or under
the direction of the Superintendent of Public Works of the Borough
of Mount Ephraim to remove the same from any such lands.
The owner or tenant of lands lying within the limits of the
Borough of Mount Ephraim shall keep all brush, hedges and other plant
life growing within 10 feet of any roadway and within 25 feet of the
intersection of two roadways cut to height of not more than 2 1/2
feet, where it shall be necessary and expedient for the preservation
of the public safety, within 10 days after notice, to cut the same.
[Amended 12-4-2008 by Ord. No. 16-08]
The Superintendent of Public Works or his designee is hereby
designated as the officer to give notice in writing, either personally
or by mail, to the owner or tenant of lands as provided for by this
article, whenever said officer shall deem it necessary and expedient
to do so as provided for under the provisions of this article. Service
by regular mail shall be considered valid when mailed to the address
in question and/or to the assessed owner of said property at his or
her last known address as shown in the office of the Tax Collector.
If all of the mailings are returned undeliverable, service shall be
accomplished by posting the notice at the subject property. If personal
service is used, such notice shall be considered valid when given
to the owner or tenant or a member of the owner's or tenant's
family above the age of 14 years residing in the same dwelling as
the owner or tenant.
In all cases where brush, hedges and other plant life within
10 feet of any roadway and within 25 feet of the intersection of two
roadways is more than 2 1/2 feet in height or where the grass
is over six inches in height and where brush, weeds, dead and dying
trees, stumps, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris
and roots are removed from any lands under the provisions of this
article by or under the direction of an officer of the Borough of
Mount Ephraim, such officer shall certify the cost thereof to the
Board of Commissioners of said Borough, which shall examine the certificate
and, if found correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be
charged against said lands. The amount so charged shall forthwith
become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and
form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands,
the same to bear interest at the same rate as taxes and to be collected
and enforced by the same officers in the same manner as taxes.
Any owner or tenant of lands who shall refuse or neglect to remove from such lands grass over six inches in height, brush, weeds, dead and dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris, within the time and in the manner provided above, shall be guilty of a violation of this article and, upon conviction thereof before the Judge of the Municipal Court, shall be subject to the penalty provisions contained in Chapter 305, Penalties.
