[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Upper Deerfield 3-1-1979 by Ord. No. 204 (Ch. 57 of the 1977 Township Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Unfit buildings — See Ch. 143.
Litter — See Ch. 255.
Junkyards — See Ch. 246.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 303.
Solid waste disposal and collection — See Ch. 341.
[Amended 7-2-1996 by Ord. No. 456]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for an owner or tenant of lands lying within the limits of the Township of Upper Deerfield to allow, suffer or permit on such lands any accumulation of brush, weeds or obnoxious growth in excess of 10 inches in height. It shall be unlawful for an owner or tenant of lands lying within the Township of Upper Deerfield to allow, suffer or permit an accumulation of garbage, trash, trees, stumps, roots, fallen or dead trees in such a manner as to constitute a fire hazard or so as to constitute a hazard to health and public safety. In any such case, the owner or the owner and tenant shall cause such brush, weeds, fallen, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots or other obnoxious growth to be removed and destroyed.
B. 
No owner, owners, tenant or tenants of any building, dwelling or lands lying in the Township of Upper Deerfield shall cause or allow any grass, brush, weeds, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash or debris to be removed from the property of said owner, owners, tenant or tenants and be deposited upon any Township, county or state right-of-way or easement or upon neighboring property. All such grass, brush, weed, etc., shall be collected and either removed from the premises or containerized in proper containers for removal. Any person, firm or entity who shall violate this section shall be fined in accordance with § 234-9.
[Added 7-19-2018 by Ord. No. 780]
[Amended 7-2-1996 by Ord. No. 456[1]]
Whenever brush, weeds, including ragweed, fallen, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash and debris shall have been allowed, suffered or permitted to accumulate on lands lying within the limits of the Township of Upper Deerfield contrary to the provisions of this chapter, the Township Committee, the Health Officer or other Township official designated for this purpose by the Township Committee shall cause 10 days' written notice to remove or destroy the same to be given to the owner or tenant of any such lands.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Written notice as aforesaid shall be given both to the owner and tenant of the land, if known, and may be served personally or left with a member of the household over the age of 14 years or may be sent by certified mail to the last known post office address of such owner or tenant.
In the event that the name and post office address of the owner are not known, then such written notice as aforesaid shall be sent by certified mail addressed to the person or persons whose names appear as owner on the last tax duplicate with the mailing address shown thereon.
[Amended 5-5-2011 by Ord. No. 669]
In the event that any owner or tenant shall refuse or neglect to remove or destroy said accumulation within the time limited by such notice, then the Township Committee may authorize and direct that the same be removed or destroyed by or under the direction of the Health Officer or other Township official designated by the Township Committee for this purpose.
In the event that such owner or tenant shall refuse or neglect to remove or destroy any such accumulations as hereinbefore set forth and it shall be necessary for the Township Committee to cause the same to be removed or destroyed, the officer responsible therefor shall certify the cost thereof to the Township Committee.
Upon such certification to the Township Committee of the cost of removal or destruction as hereinbefore set forth, the Township Committee shall examine such certification and, if found correct, the cost as shown thereon shall, by resolution of the Township Committee, be charged against said lands.
Upon passage of said resolution by the Township Committee, a certified copy thereof shall be filed with the Collector of Taxes, and the amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and form a 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 shall be collected and enforced by the same officers and in the same manner as taxes.
Any person violating any of the provisions hereof shall, upon conviction, be subject to a penalty, either by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or by a fine not exceeding $500, or both, in the discretion of the court. Each and every day any violation continues after notice to remove or destroy any accumulation as provided herein shall be considered a separate offense, punishable by a like fine or penalty.