It is the purpose and intent of this chapter to establish a
process to address the potential deterioration and blight of Township
neighborhoods caused by abandoned, foreclosed or distressed real property,
and to identify, regulate, limit and reduce the number and negative
impacts of abandoned properties throughout the Township. It is the
Township's intent to establish a registration program as a mechanism
to monitor and protect communities within the Township from becoming
blighted due to the lack of adequate maintenance and to compel the
appropriate parties to maintenance and security for abandoned and
foreclosed properties.
Unless set forth otherwise, the terms in this chapter shall be those set forth in the Township Property Maintenance Code Ordinance, Code Chapter
1460. Additionally, as used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
ABANDONED REAL PROPERTY
Any real property located in the Township, whether vacant
or occupied, that is in default on a mortgage; has had a lis pendens
filed against it by a lender holding a mortgage on the property; is
subject to an ongoing foreclosure action by a lender; is subject to
an application for a tax deed or pending tax assessor's lien
sale; or has been transferred to a lender under a deed in lieu of
foreclosure. The designation of a property as "abandoned" shall remain
in place until such time as the property is sold or transferred to
a new owner who actively occupies the same.
The provisions of this chapter shall be considered cumulative
and additional to the remedies set forth in the Township Property
Maintenance Code and any other Township ordinances.
The penalties applicable to abandoned real property, and the
right of any party to appeal a determination by the Township Code
Enforcement Officer related to the same, shall be those set forth
in the Township's Property Maintenance Code.
If any sentence, clause, section, or part of this chapter is
for any reason found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid, such
unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect or
impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections,
or parts hereof. It is hereby declared as the intent of the Township
that this chapter would have been adopted had such unconstitutional,
illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section or part thereof not been
included herein.